Patrick Pellegrini hat-trick sinks Canada in PNC playoff

On the last day of Pacific Nations Cup action in Utah, Tonga have overcome a valiant effort from Canada to finish third in the 2025 edition.

A hat-trick from Moana Pasifika playmaker Patrick Pellegrini helped Ikale Tahi finish strong in the tournament on Sunday morning, proving too clinical for Stephen Meehan’s Canada side.

With securing third place, Tonga have achieved their best Pacific Nations Cup finish since 2018.

The third and fourth playoff at Utah’s America First Field started slowly with a number of errors from both teams, struggling to take any half chances given to them.

Tonga’s first chance came in the 11th minute when they managed to earn a lineout drive close to Canada’s line. Samiuela Moli found his target at the lineout, giving Tonga efficient lineout ball to start inching forward.

Tonga’s No.7 Tupou Ma’afu-Afungia found himself in a try scoring position with ball in hand, falling over the line to score the game’s opening try.

The next fifteen minutes of the bruising encounter, was back and forth between the two teams, before Pellegrini got the ball in his hands outside of Canada’s rush defence.

A sharp pop pass from Fetuli Paea put Pellegrini in space, where he burst through a gap to go in untouched, giving Tonga a 14-0 lead just before half time.

Just as halftime was fast approaching, Canada started to lift the tempo, carrying harder and causing problems for Tonga’s defence.

Matt Oworu was the one to breach Tonga’s last ditch defence, after multiple Canadian carries were stopped just short of the line.

HT: 14-7 to Tonga.

Unlike the first half, it didn’t take long for the teams to get going in the second 40 minutes, this time it was Canada who opened the scoring.

Canada’s live wire halfback Brock Gallagher had a snipe from the base of the ruck, seeing space in behind Tonga’s defence. Gallagher broke one tackle, stepped another, and stormed away to score close to the posts.

Ikale Tahi hit back shortly after, through loosehead prop Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, barging his way over from a pick and go two meters from the line.

Pellegrini, who impressed for Moana Pasifika throughout the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, found himself running a perfect support line next to Charles Piutau.

Piutau got his arms free, offloading it to Pellegrini who had no one in front of him to score his second of the evening.

Two yellow cards in quick succession stopped the flow of the game, with Nikolai Foliaki spending ten minutes on the sideline for Tonga, and Kyle Steeves for Canada.

Just as you thought Tonga might play slightly more conservative and try close out the game, Pellegrini had other ideas.

The 26-year-old was at first receiver five meters from Canada’s line, before stepping off his left foot and fending off a last ditch tackle to score his third of the match, and clinch third place for his side.

FT: 35-24 to Tonga.