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A year ago, Mark Anscombe was hired as Canada head coach with one goal in mind: Rugby World Cup qualification.

The first cahnce at that has finally come.

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Saturday in San Diego (Torero Stadium, 3 p.m. PT, TSN3), Anscombe’s squad will look to knock off the Americans and book their ticket straight to Japan 2019.

A loss, and they’re headed to South American for chance number two.

The coach, to no surprise, is confident his team will do the job. On a Thursday conference call with the media, Anscombe declared his team has had its best training week to date.

“The attitude of the boys, the way they’ve stuck together,” he said about what’s been most notable during the past five weeks he’s had his squad together.

“They’ve hung in there as a group.”

There’s just one change for the Canadians as Phil Mack is unavailable due to his brother’s wedding. Gord McRorie steps back into the starting scrum half spot as a result; Andrew Ferguson is his back up. McRorie will take on the primary kicking duties as well.