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Rugby captains, from left to right: Chris Wyles (USA), Alesana Tuilagi (Samoa), Tyler Ardron (Canada), Gabiriele Lovobalavu (Fiji) and Nili Latu (Tonga)Neil Davidson/The Canadian Press

The clock is ticking on Canada's World Cup rugby team.

Kieran Crowley's squad has won two of its last 11 test matches dating back to November 2013. The Canadian men, currently ranked 18th in the world, have only beaten No. 21 Namibia and No. 29 Portugal during that stretch.

They lost to No. 9 Samoa, No. 11 Scotland, No. 12 Tonga, No. 13 Japan (twice), No. 14 Georgia, No. 16 U.S., and No. 17 Romania (twice). The record worsens if you add non-test losses to the New Zealand Maori and an English second-division all-star team.

With Canada's World Cup opener against No. 3 Ireland just 50-odd days away, there is lots to do.

Canadian captain Tyler Ardron and Gareth Rees, manager of the national men's program, both point to Canada's recent lack of games as a problem.

Wednesday's Pacific Nations Cup game again Samoa in Toronto represents just Canada's third test match since losing to Romania last November at the end of a European tour.

The good news is there are more challenges ahead in the leadup to the Rugby World Cup, which opens Sept. 17 in London.

"We now, in the next month and a half, have six games before the World Cup starts," said Rees, a former Canadian captain who played in four World Cups. "So there's a lot of learnings, a lot of things we're trying to put in place in a pretty short period of time. But this group's really accepted the challenge."

The Samoa game is the next warmup, to be followed by a final Pacific Nations Cup match on Monday in Burnaby, B.C.

The Canadians then play the U.S. on Aug. 22 in Ottawa, the Glasgow Warriors on Aug. 29 in Halifax and Georgia and Fiji on Sept. 2 and 6, respectively in England.

Canada opened the Pacific Nations Cup with a 20-6 loss to Japan in San Jose before squandering a 15-3 lead to Tonga, falling 28-18 in Burnaby.

"We've created some good opportunities but we have not finished in out last two games. Skills have let us down and we haven't managed it," said Rees. "So to have another opportunity against Samoa is really important. We have to start taking these.

"Make no mistake about it, we're being pretty tough on ourselves because we want to produce results."

Part of the challenge is assembling Canada's best players at the same time, with injuries, club commitments and the fact that – unlike most countries – Canada's 15-man squad draws on its sevens program.

Canada, currently waiting on the injury status of forwards Jamie Cudmore, Jebb Sinclair, Jason Marshall and Tom Dolezel, is expected to name its World Cup status after the Pacific Nations.

Facing a third game in 11 days and with the tournament finale on Monday in Burnaby, Crowley has made 12 changes to his starting lineup from the team that lost to Tonga.

The holdovers are No. 8 Ardron, flanker John Moonlight and Matt Evans, who switches to wing from fullback.

A new front five features Djustice Sears-Duru, Ray Barkwill and Doug Wooldridge ahead of locks Evan Olmstead and Tyler Hotson. Kyle Gilmour, who signed a pro deal with English second-division, Rotherham Titan, starts at blindside flanker.

Sevens stars Phil Mack and Nathan Hirayama step in as scrum and fly half with Nick Blevins and Conor Trainor at centre. Phil Mackenzie is the other wing with James Pritchard at fullback.

Pritchard, Canada's all-time leading points-scorer, is three points away from becoming the 20th player in test history to score 600 points.

Canada has never beaten Samoa in four attempts, losing 23-13 last November in their most recent meeting.

The U.S. meets Tonga and Fiji faces Japan in the first two games of Wednesday's tripleheader at BMO Field.

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