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CANADA

World Ranking: 13

Coach: Ric Suggitt

Key players: Morgan Williams (pictured), Mike James

There is no question that the highlight of Canada's rugby history was reaching the quarter-finals of the 1991 World Cup.

The Canuks have appeared in all five World Cups to date but it was only in 1991 that they possessed a side that could offer genuine competition to the leading rugby nations.

The 1991 Canada side had a tremendous pack that was able to stand toe-to-toe with any in the world.

It was a large and extremely physical set of forwards that included the likes of Al Charon, Norm Hadley and Glen Ennis, while orchestrating matters behind the pack was the experienced fly-half Gareth Rees.

Canada may not have been the most sophisticated of teams in 1991 but nobody enjoyed playing against them because they always knew they had been in a battle.

They opened their 1991 campaign with wins over Fiji and Romania and almost produced one of the biggest shocks in rugby history against joint-hosts France before going down 19-13 in Agen.

Second spot earned them a quarter-final against tournament favourites New Zealand and though few observers gave them a chance they acquitted themselves well in a 29-13 loss.

Sadly, with the onset of professionalism in 1995, the mostly amateur Canadians have been unable to reach the same heights again.

But they have always managed to compete in the tight and gave Australia and then South Africa a difficult time at the 1995 tournament.

Indeed, their 20-0 loss to South Africa became known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus after three players were sent off in what was a brutal contest.

For the 2007 World Cup, coach Ric Suggitt has selected a squad which he says has a good balance between experience and youth, led by scrum-half Morgan Williams who will be appearing in his third tournament.

But there will be no easy games for Suggitt's side. Australia and Wales will be too strong, so they will hope to secure third spot in their group with victories over Fiji and Japan. But even this is not guaranteed.

Rugby World Cup record

1987: One pool win

1991: Quarter-finals

1995: One pool win

1999: One pool win

2003: One pool win

Squad

Forwards: Scott Franklin, Dan Pletch, Mike Pletch, Jon Thiel, Kevin Tkachuk, Aaron Carpenter, Pat Riordan, Mike Burak, Jamie Cudmore, Mike James, Luke Tait, Colin Yukes, David Biddle, Adam Kleeberger, Rod Snow, Sean-Michael Stephen, Mike Webb.

Backs: Ed Fairhurst, Matt Weingart, Morgan Williams (capt), Ander Monro, Ryan Smith, Craig Culpan, Derek Daypuck, David Spicer, Nick Trenkel, Justin Mensah-Coker, James Pritchard, Mike Pyke, DTH van der Merwe.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport