Two changes as Canada prepare for Wales

Canada will field a side showing just two changes from that which went down to Ireland last weekend, as they take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

Canada will field a side showing just two changes from that which went down to Ireland last weekend, as they take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

Following a 55-0 drubbing, and some harsh criticism in the papers, coach Kieran Crowley has resisted making wholesale changes ahead of Friday's encounter.

Both the changes come in the forward pack, where Jebb Sinclair comes in at blindside in place of Sean Michael Stephen, and Tyler Hotson takes over from Mike Burak in the second row.

Ed Fairhurst, who spent two seasons at the Arms Park, will go up against several of his old team-mates, including John Yapp and Robin Sowden-Taylor.

“The defeat against Ireland hurt,” Crowley said.

“We were well beaten, and we are looking to make amends. We want to tick more boxes against Wales than we did against Ireland.”

Wales have won nine of their ten meetings with Canada, although their solitary defeat came in Cardiff 15 years ago when Gareth Rees' last-gasp conversion secured a 26-24 success for the visitors.

Canada: 15 James Pritchard, 14 Ciaran Hearn, 13 Bryn Keys, 12 Ryan Smith, 11 Justin Mensah-Coker, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Ed Fairhurst, 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Adam Kleeberger, 6 Jebb Sinclair, 5 Josh Jackson, 4 Tyler Hotson, 3 Jon Thiel, 2 Pat Riordan (c), 1 Kevin Tkachuk.
Replacements: 16 Mike Pletch, 17 Frank Walsh, 18 Mike Burak, 19 Sean Michael Stephen, 20 Morgan Williams, 21 Matt Evans, 22 Dean Van Camp.

Date: Friday 14 November, 2008
Kick-off: 19.30 GMT
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Touch judges: Matt Goddard (Australia), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Assessor: Jim Fleming (Scotland)