Jamie Cudmore, captain of Canada's national rugby team, is pictured during practice at UBC in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 9, 2016.Ben Nelms/The Globe and Mail
Canada will be bolstered by the return of veteran lock Jamie Cudmore for Friday's rugby test against Samoa in Grenoble, France, the final game of the Canadian men's three-match European tour.
The 38-year-old from Squamish, B.C., missed the earlier 52-21 and 21-14 losses to Ireland and Romania, respectively, through injury.
Cudmore, who plays professionally in France for Oyonnax, is one of five changes to coach Mark Anscombe's starting lineup.
Rob Brouwer comes in for Djustice Sears-Duru at prop while the introduction of Cudmore shifts Evan Olmstead to blindside flanker in place of Kyle Baillie,
Phil Mack, who scored a try off the bench against Romania, replaces Gord McRorie at scrum half. Nick Blevins and Ciaran Hearn come in at centre in place of Ben Lesage and Conor Trainor, who replaces Taylor Paris on the wing.
Canada is ranked 18th in the world compared to No. 14 for Samoa, which is coming off losses to France and Georgia.
Canada has never beaten Samoa in five attempts. The Samoans won 21-20 last year at Toronto's BMO Field in the Pacific Nations Cup on a last-minute try in a game that saw Canada lead 13-3 at one point.
Travis Larsen, a 25-year-old from Nanaimo, B.C., has joined the Canadian tour party as an injury replacement for Aaron Carpenter.