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[I]8th August 2007, 11:00 WST
Wallabies' World Cup opponent Canada says it's far better prepared for next month's World Cup in France than when it struggled miserably at the 2003 tournament.
"What we are focusing on is getting the little things correct," said coach Ric Suggitt after putting 31 players through practice in West Vancouver.
Canada, ranked 13th in the world, opens Group B play at the World Cup against Wales on September 9 in Nantes and also meets Fiji and Japan before taking on heavyweight Australia in Bordeaux on September 29.
It will probably take three wins from the four games to advance among the top two to the World Cup's second round, so a good result in the opening game is crucial.
"The start of any sort of tournament . . . the first game you have to come out prepared and play well," said Suggitt, who will coach at his first World Cup.
"Win or lose, and we will win, it will set the tone for us and the rest of the world.
"We need three wins. We're not targeting anyone specifically. We just keep talking about three wins. It doesn't matter how we do it."
Captain Morgan Williams said Canada can't have a repeat of its 41-10 loss to Wales at the last World Cup.
"Wales was our first game and we went out and didn't perform to what we wanted," the scrum half said. "We know what we have to do."
The Canadian side will be studying the films from Saturday night's game at Twickenham where Wales was pounded 62-5 by England.
"We'll take that at heart," Williams said. "We'll look at the game and see their structures and the way they are playing. We can't take too much out of that game."
Nine players from this squad played in the 2003 World Cup in Australia where Canada was outscored 135-54 and won just one game.
Veterans like lock Jamie Cudmore are going to France hoping to erase some bad memories.
"The last three World Cups we only won three games," said Cudmore, who plays professionally for Clermont Auvergne in France.
"The mentality for this World Cup is we have to do a lot better than that.
"We're looking at getting into the quarterfinals. With the group of guys here, playing well, we have a good chance at that."
AP
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ontentID=36809