THE Canadian rugby team to take on the Springboks in a one-off Test in East London on Saturday will show five changes from the usual starting line-up, with coach David Clarke beefing up his forwards to meet the Bok challenge. Clarke, a former Queensland coach, has not made significant the changes in the Canadian backline, but has changed his entire front-row and also made a change among the loose-forwards. Clarke seems certain that his backline, in which six of seven regulars appear, is capable of holding its own against Bok backs like Breyton Paulse, Pieter Rossouw and Robbie Fleck, and the coach has said that the Canadians will be playing a more expansive and attacking pattern. The South Africans’ forward strength has unboubtedly set Clarke thinking, with hooker Pat Dunkley making a start ahead of Harry Toews. Props Rod Snow and John Thiel will get a run-in ahead of Duane Major and Garth Cooke. The team will again be skippered by lock Al Charron, who will be partnered in the second row by Cardiff colossus John Tait — who at 2.02m tall certainly won’t stand back for anyone. At eighthman, Ryan Banks moves to flank in partnership with Dan Baugh. Philip Murphy will hunt from the back of the scrum. In the only backline change, Morgan Williams will play scrumhalf in the place of Nick Milau.
Canada:
Winston Stanley, Fred Asselin, Nik Witkowski, Kyle Nichols, Sean Fauth, Scott Stewart, Morgan Williams, Philip Murphy, Dan Baugh, Ryan Banks, John Tait, Al Charron (capt), John Thiel, Pat Dunkley, Rod Snow.