Suggitt adds physical edge to Canada team

Canada coach Ric Suggitt has added a physical edge to his side for Sunday’s World Cup clash with Fiji by including lock Mike Burak and fly-half Ryan Smith.

Canada gave Wales a huge scare in Nantes last week – leading 17-9 shortly after the interval before falling to a 42-17 defeat – but the Fijian challenge is altogether different.

The islanders play a free-running, open style of rugby but struggle in the scrum – so Suggitt is looking to combat the first element and target the second.

He explained: “Watching Fiji we saw how dominant they were and where they attack with their runners.

“I don’t think anyone is more mobile than the Fijians and at any given time they can turn nothing into something. That’s their strength from one to 15.

“Ryan is an excellent tackler and he’ll bring the defensive line with him.

“Mike Burak is a big forward. He’s very physical and we know it’s going to be a tough, physical game to begin with and we have the other guys to provide mobility.

“In practice this week we focused on scrambling-type rugby and we designed modified games that would simulate those situations and then we tried to go from those situations into more of a calm, slowed-down game.”

Fiji have had a short turnaround after their bruising 35-31 victory over Japan on Wednesday night and Canada will look to take advantage early on.

“We plan on getting stuck right in and we know that Fiji can put anything out so hopefully we will catch them off guard and get them going backwards a little bit,” said Suggitt.

“We have been playing good rugby for 60 minutes of the game and now we really have to focus on the last 20 minutes. It might not mean we have to increase the speed of the game for the last 20 minutes.

“What it might mean is we have to get a little more composure and play with a little bit more smartness. We need our captains, like Morgan (Williams) and Mike (James) to take control of the field and get our younger guys calm and directed again.”

Canada team to play Fiji in Pool B of the World Cup in Cardiff on Sunday:

M Pyke; D van der Merwe, C Culpan, D Spicer, J Pritchard; R Smith, M Williams (capt); R Snow, P Riordan, J Thiel, M Burak, M James, J Cudmore, D Biddle, SM Stephen.

Replacements: A Carpenter, D Pletch, M Pletch, L Tait, C Yukes, E Fairhurst, A Monro.