With the series delicately balanced at 28-28, coach Mark Anscombe has made just one change to his starting lineup for the return leg of Canada's Rugby World Cup qualifier against the U.S. Eagles in San Diego on Saturday.
Gord McRorie comes in at scrum half for veteran Phil Mack, who is attending his brother's wedding. Andrew Ferguson is cover at scrum half on the bench.
The 29-year-old McRorie, who has 29 caps, has been the first-choice No. 9 in the past but gave way to Mack in last Saturday's opener at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. He provides Anscombe with another option as goal-kicker, along with fly half Shane O'Leary.
"Everyone knows their role and that they need to do it with conviction and confidence," Anscombe said in a statement. "If we do that we can put on a good showing Saturday."
Canada squandered a 15-7 lead in the first half in Hamilton and needed 10 late points, including a 78th-minute penalty by O'Leary — to tie the score.
After the game, Canada lamented mistakes that gifted the Americans easy points.
"We're creating lots of opportunities but we're just not finishing them," said Anscombe. "This week if we can be clearer about them finishing them and our decision making is smarter then we're going to run in some tries.
"If we front up and play smart we can neglect their home advantage and get the result we want."
Canada is currently ranked 23rd in the world, an all-time low, while the U.S. is No. 17.
The tie ended Canada's five-game losing streak against the U.S. The Canadian men are 38-17-2 all-time against the Eagles but have not beaten the U.S. since August 2013 when they won both legs (27-9 and 13-11) of the 2015 World Cup qualifier.
Canada has not lost a World Cup qualification match since July 2009 when it was beaten 12-6 by the Americans in Charleston, S.C., before rallying to win 41-18 in Edmonton for an 47-30 aggregate victory. Canada is 15-4-1 all-time in World Cup qualifying matches.
Canada has never missed a Rugby World Cup since the tournament's inception in 1987.
Saturday's Canada Day game will take place at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium, which seats some 6,000. The forecast calls for a partly cloudy day with a high of 22 Celsius.
If the game is still tied on aggregate after the regulation 80 minutes, there will be 20 minutes of extra time. If that decides nothing, there will be an additional 10 minutes of sudden death.
And if the score remains knotted after that, the series will be decided by a kicking competition.
Saturday's winner slots into Pool C at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, along with No. 2 England, No. 8 France, No. 9 Argentina and Oceania 2.
The loser has two more chances to qualify, first via a playoff with No. 18 Uruguay and second via a world repechage.
Saturday's game marks the international swansong for U.S. captain Todd Clever, who is making his 76th appearance for the Eagles. It will be the 19th test match against Canada for the 34-year-old back-row forward.
U.S. coach John Mitchell is also leaving after the series, headed to South Africa to join Super Rugby's Bulls. Mitchell is a former All Blacks player and coach.
Canada
Djustice Sears-Duru, Oakville Crusaders, Oakville, Ont.; Ray Barkwill, Castaway Wanderers, Niagara Falls, Ont,; Jake Ilnicki, Northampton (England), Williams Lake, B.C.; Brett Beukeboom (co-capt.), Cornish Pirates (England), Lindsay, Ont.; Evan Olmstead, Newcastle Falcons (England), Vancouver; Admir Cejvanovic, Burnaby Lake RFC, Burnaby, B.C.; Matt Heaton, Darlington Mowden Park (England), Godmanchester, Que.; Tyler Ardron, Chiefs (New Zealand), Lakefield, Ont.; Gord McRorie, UBC Old Boys Ravens, Calgary; Shane O’Leary, unattached, Cork, Ireland; Taylor Paris, Castres (France), Barrie, Ont.; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria; DTH van Der Merwe (co-capt,), Newcastle Falcons (England), Victoria; Andrew Coe, UBC Thunderbirds, Toronto; Ciaran Hearn, London Irish (England), Conception Bay South, N.L.
Replacements
Benoit Piffero, Blagnac Sporting Club (France), Montreal; Anthony Luca, Burnaby Lake RFC, Burnaby, B.C.; Matt Tierney, Section Paloise (France), Oakville, Ont.; Kyle Baillie, London Scottish (England), Summerside, P.E.I.; Aaron Carpenter, Doncaster Knights (England), Brantford, Ont.; Andrew Ferguson, Oakville Crusaders, Mississauga, Ont.; Nick Blevins, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Dan Moor, Balmy Beach RFC, Toronto.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
