Australia v Canada

Australia v Canada
Chaban Delmas Stadium, Bordeaux
Saturday, 29 September
Kick-off: 1400 BST
Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website

Australia have rested fly-half Berrick Barnes for their final World Cup pool match against Canada on Saturday.

With regular number 10 Stephen Larkham unavailable until the semi-final stage, Julian Huxley and Sam Cordingley will form an untried half-back pairing.

Scott Staniforth failed a test on his shoulder so Chris Latham plays at full back, Lote Tukiri moves to centre and Drew Mitchell to the left wing.

Meanwhile, Mike James is poised to make the last start of his Canada career.

Canada coach Ric Suggitt has made eight changes, two of them positional, for his team's final match of the tournament.

An injury-time try and conversion by Japan meant Canada had to settle for a draw in their last match, and Suggitt admitted the result had hit his players hard.

"The players were obviously dejected because they didn't come away with a victory," said Suggitt.

"The game was like kissing your sister and no-one wants that to happen. We had 24 hours of just thinking and living with that misery.

"I just hope these guys go out and finish with a bang and get what they deserve because they deserve a lot more than they have got so far as far as wins and losses are concerned."

The Australians rushed 21-year-old Barnes into action when Larkham aggravated his knee on the eve of last week's match against Wales in Cardiff.

Larkham was set to return for the Canada match but has now had a second operation after his knee became infected.

And Connolly said: "Obviously Larkham's injury throws a spanner in the works. It made the decision easy on whether or not to play Berrick against Canada - we decided not to."

Huxley, who played at full-back in most of Australia's domestic Tests, will get his first starting role at the World Cup in Bordeaux.

The pack has been rotated, with captain George Smith and Nathan Sharpe recalled after being rested against Fiji.

"Having won the pool we have a great opportunity to rest a few players and give some of the other squad members some exposure to the tournament," Connolly said.

"We've already experienced injuries on this tour and providing some more game time for players outside of the regular 22 will stand us in good stead if we need to call on them later in the tournament."

Hugh McMeniman starts as blind-side flanker and David Lyons, who has not played since July, will make his comeback at number eight following treatment for deep vein thrombosis.

Australia: Latham; Shepherd, Tuqiri, Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell; Huxley, Cordingley; Holmes, Freier, Baxter, Sharpe, Chisholm, McMeniman, Smith (capt), Lyons.
Replacements: Hardman, Shepherdson, Elsom, Waugh, Hoiles, Gregan, Giteau.

Canada: Van der Merwe; Mensah-Coker, Pyke, Daypuck, Pritchard; Monro, Williams (capt); Snow, Riordan, Thiel, Tait, James, Yukes, Biddle, Stephen.
Replacements: Carpenter, D Pletch, M Pletch, Burak, Webb, Fairhurst, Spicer.

Source: BBC Sport