Canada ring the changes

The two countries go head-to-head at Stadium MK on Thursday.

Crowley made seven changes to the starting line-up of the team that was defeated 23-18 by Italy.

Those changes are the most Canada has made in successive World Cup matches since their 2003 campaign.

Jamie Cudmore will make his 13th appearance in a World Cup match, leaving him just one shy of the team record of 14 by Rod Snow.

No.8 Tyler Ardron retains his place and the captaincy.

Five of the players coming into the starting XV are playing in their first World Cup and are not as accustomed to such intense competition.

Aaron Carpenter, Brett Beukeboom, Kyle Gilmour, Richard Thorpe, Phil Mack and Nick Blevins are making their RWC debuts.

Ardron thinks that could work in Canada's favour.

"It's good to have some of the inexperienced guys, because they don't know what the expectations are as much," Ardron said.

:They are just coming in and playing another team," he added.

"Maybe a little bit of naivety almost, in terms of what everybody thinks we're meant to do, is good for some of us."

Canada: 15 Matt Evans, 14 Phil Mackenzie, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Nick Blevins, 11 DTH Van Der Merwe, 10 Nathan Hirayama, 9 Phil Mack, 8 Tyler Ardron (captain), 7 Richard Thorpe, 6 Kyle Gilmour, 5 Jamie Cudmore, 4 Brett Beukeboom, 3 Doug Wooldridge, 2 Aaron Carpenter, 1 Hubert Buydens.

Replacements: 16 Ray Barkwill, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Andrew Tiedemann, 19 Evan Olmstead, 20 Nanyak Dala, 21 Gordon McRorie, 22 Harry Jones, 23 Conor Trainor.

Date: Thursday, October 1

Venue: Stadium MK, Milton Keynes

Kick-off: 20.00 (19.00 GMT, 21.00 French time, 15.00 Canadian Eastern Time)

Referee: JP Doyle (England)

Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Angus Gardner (Australia)

TMO: Graham Hughes (England)