Canada's rugby team captain Morgan Williams (C). Photo / Reuters
BORDEAUX - Canada coach Ric Suggitt said on Friday that retirement-bound Morgan Williams and Mike James will not allow emotion to cloud their push for an unlikely win over Australia.
Scrum-half and skipper Williams and lock James have over 100 caps between them and both will end their
international careers after Saturday's Pool B match.
"Like I said to the guys before we came to train, there is a lot of emotion going into this last game and we can't play rugby on emotion," said Suggitt.
"We have to play rugby with our brains and our brawn and hopefully we can do that and put on an excellent performance.
"It's a whole gamut for Mike and Morgan and to finish off their careers in France is good for them."
James, with 56 caps, has played for Stade Francais while Williams, who has 54 appearances to his name, played as a professional here but the captain will blank out his impending retirement until the final whistle blows.
"I have not thought of that too much. That's for after the game. As of now it has not entered my mind," said the 31-year-old.
"It will be a huge game for us and we know they are one of the best teams in the world and we will try come out and play with them and fix some of the mistakes we have made in the past," said the skipper.
"I hope we come out and put on a good display. We will not shy away from them."
For second row James, Saturday's game has an added significance as it brings him face-to-face with Australia coach John Connolly, who was in charge at Stade Francais when the Canadian was at the Paris club.
"I think it is great. I have been exposed to some pretty amazing coaching in my career. I have a lot of respect for John Connolly," said James.
"He brought a lot of discipline into the game and into the structure at Stade Francais and he has an amazing work ethic and I think he has installed those things into the Australian team.
"They will be well drilled and a great forward pack and some great rugby players so we will be up against it."
- AFP
