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Kieran Crowley has named his team for Canada’s final match of the World Cup, against Romania in Leicester on Tuesday. Injuries have once again affected his selections, with captain Tyler Ardron and fullback Matt Evans each ruled out and several others nursing bumps and bruises after a tough schedule.
Jamie Cudmore will wear the captain’s armband once again, and he will be aided by former skipper Aaron Carpenter, who moves out of the front row to fill Ardron’s no8 spot. Jebb Sinclair and John Moonlight return to the side to take up positions on the flank, with Kyle Gilmour moving to the bench and Richard Thorpe out of the match day squad entirely.
Gordon McRorie is recalled at scrumhalf, swapping jerseys with Phil Mack, and Jeff Hassler returns from injury to take his place on the right wing. Harry Jones steps into the starting role at fullback. Jake Ilnicki and veteran James Pritchard find places among the reserves, with the latter certain to be playing his last match for Canada, having already announced his international retirement prior to the tournament.
Canada have lost their last three matches against Romania, all in Bucharest. Their last win against the side came in Port Elizabeth during the 1995 World Cup. In the most recent meeting Canada lost 18-9 in November of last year.
CANADA
1 Hubert Buydens 2 Ray Barkwill 3 Doug Wooldridge 4 Brett Beukeboom 5 Jamie Cudmore (capt.) 6 Jebb Sinclair 7 John Moonlight 8 Aaron Carpenter 9 Gordon McRorie 10 Nathan Hirayama 11 DTH van der Merwe 12 Nick Blevins 13 Ciaran Hearn 14 Jeff Hassler 15 Harry Jones
16 Benoît Pifféro 17 Djustice Sears-Duru 18 Jake Ilnicki 19 Kyle Gilmour 20 Nanyak Dala 21 Phil Mack 22 Conor Trainor 23 James Pritchard
