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Canadian enforcer Jamie Cudmore is back to start against Samoa. The veteran will play his first test of November, doing so in Grenoble, France.
The inclusion of Cudmore markes one of five changes from the side that faced Romania. Head Coach Mark Anscombe has also named Rob Brouwer, Nick Blevins, Ciaran Hearn and Phil Mack in the starting lineup.
Brouwer will start at Loose Head prop. He is to join hooker Ray Barkwill and Tight Head Jake Ilnicki in a new-look front-row. Cudmore will pack down behind them together with Brett Beukeboom.
The return of Cudmore sees Evan Olmstead moving to play in the back-row. He will be one of the two starting flankers. The second will be Matt Heaton with Admir Cejvanovic playing at the back of the scrum.
Mack will start in place of Gordon McRorie at scrum half. He will form a halves combination with the Worcester-bound Connor Braid. Nick Blevins and Ciaran Hearn will be the mid-fielders, the latter back after having been on the bench against Romania.
Out wide DTH van der Merwe retains the captain’s arm-band. He will play on the right wing. Conor Trainor will play left wing with Matt Evans completing the starting lineup at fullback.
The uncapped Conor Keys will feature from the bench. Joining him this weekend are to be both Andrew Ferguson and Matt Tierney. Both have been recalled.
Saturday’s match in Grenoble will be the sixth match between Canada and Samoa. The Pacific Islanders have won all prior matches. They are, nonetheless, heading into this weekend’s assignment as a struggling team. France and Georgia both defeated Samoa in recent weeks.
The previous match between the countries was Samoa edging out Canada 21-20 in Toronto. Samoa’s last-gasp try won them the match at BMO Field.
CANADA
15 Matt Evans, 14 DTH van der Merwe (capt.), 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Nick Blevins, 11 Conor Trainor, 10 Connor Braid, 9 Phil Mack, 8 Admir Cejvanovic, 7 Matt Heaton, 6 Evan Olmstead, 5 Brett Beukeboom, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Jake Ilnicki, 2 Ray Barkwill, 1 Rob Brouwer
Replacements: 16 Eric Howard, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Matt Tierney, 19 Conor Keys, 20 Clay Panga, 21 Andrew Ferguson, 22 Pat Parfrey, 23 Ben LeSage
