Canada name same team, Les Bleus ring changes

Eleven players will taste World Cup rugby for the first time in the match between Canada and France at McLean Park, Napier on Sunday - all of them for Les Bleus.

There will be 11 new faces in the starting XV from the France side that beat Japan 47-21 last Saturday, but the same 22 Canadians that beat Tonga 25-20 on Wednesday will line up at the other end of the pitch.

With both teams winning their first matches, this fixture will be crucial in determining the final standings in Pool A.

France were criticised for performing below their potential against Japan, but Canada’s coach Kieran Crowley is more than aware of the capabilities of coach Marc Lièvremont's outfit.

“I didn’t think their performance was as bad as what everyone is saying, but I guess that when you’re top four in the world people are going to expect things from you,” he said.

“France, the All Blacks, and teams like that, they don’t get to where they’re at by having weaknesses. We can only control what we bring on to the field.”

French respect

Lièvremont is also adamant France are taking the match against Canada very seriously.

“We are taking Canada very seriously because they are a dedicated and aggressive side defensively,” he said. “Also they have some really talented players who scored three well-constructed tries against Tonga.”

Hooker William Servat is the only forward from France’s win over Japan to retain his place against Canada. In the backs, fly half Francois Trinh-Duc, first-time captain Aurélien Rougerie, switching from outside centre to left wing, and wing Vincent Clerc return for their second start at RWC 2011.

Canada's forward pack dealt with the Tongans well in the set pieces on Wednesday and Pat Riordan returns as captain to lead his side and the forward pack at hooker.

"We wanted to reward an outstanding performance," forwards' coach Neil Barnes said. "And with the four-day turnaround, consistency is key."

Both coaches believe consistency over the entire match will be key to winning.

“I will ask for concentration and commitment all through the game and I won’t be happy if the players are too relaxed like they were against Japan,” Lièvremont said.

Full commitment

Crowley said he would be looking for 80 minutes of commitment from his side also, saying that this was an area with which the lower-ranked teams in general struggled.

“Mentally, (consistency) is important when you’re not used to rugby at that level,” Crowley said. “Some of the smaller teams in this tournament are staying with the stronger sides for 60 minutes but not the full 80 because of it."

If past encounters are anything to go by, then France definitely have the edge. The teams have met on seven previous occasions and France have won six. Canada’s lone win was an 18-16 victory in Canada in 1994.

France captain Rougerie said his side will be looking to capitalise on Canada’s weaknesses, which he believes are their positioning and discipline.

“We will be looking to place pressure on these aspects and try to make the game easier for ourselves,” he said. “We need to be more committed than we were against Japan.”