Both New Zealand and Canada have made plenty of changes for their second Pool D game on 17 October.
The two teams had differing fortunes in their opening game with New Zealand reaffirming their status as a rugby superpower in a 70-7 victory over Italy while the spirited Canadians went down 41-10 to Wales.
Previous history
Canada and New Zealand have met three times in international rugby, the first a non capped encounter won 43-10 by New Zealand in October 1980.
New Zealand have won both full internationals, the first a 29-13 RWC 1991 quarter final win at Stade de Nord and the second a 73-7 win to the All Blacks at Eden Park in the lead up to RWC 1995.
Ins and outs
Only six All Blacks who started against the Italians have been retained for the Canada game. Exciting wing Joe Rokocoko will miss the match with a minor hamstring tear.
The All Blacks go into this second game of Pool D without vice captain Tana Umaga who suffered a knee injury in the 70-7 win over Italy. In the absence of Umaga, Ma’a Nonu starts at centre.
Canada fields 14 new starters with only centre Marco Di Girolamo backing up from the Wales match. Jamie Cudmore, and try scorer Kevin Tkachuk, who came off the bench against Wales in Canada's first game, have also been named to start against New Zealand.
Canada's 2003 top try scorer, Tkachuk, will play loose-head prop with Merritt's Garth Cook at tight-head.
Key players
With Umaga lost for an unknown period of time All Blacks fans will be focusing on the performance of Nonu.
Seen as the heir apparent to fellow dreadlocked centre, the ability of Nonu to gel into the New Zealand backline will determine how pundits assess how great the loss of the All Black vice captain will be felt .
The Canucks received a major boost with the return of Ryan Banks. With 34 caps Banks will be the most experienced player on the team and will lead the team from blind side flanker after the withdrawal of inspirational leader Al Charron.
What it all means
New Zealand will no doubt go out looking to secure both a victory and gain a bonus point as they look to keep their 100 percent record intact at RWC 2003.
Importantly, they will be keen to avoid any further injuries to the squad after their first win came at a well publicised cost.
While victory to Canada would go down in RWC and Canadian rugby folklore, they will looking for a competitive performance to lay the foundation for their future games against Tonga and Italy.
What they said
"The All Blacks will win the World Cup ... I've been saying that for a while now,” said Canada coach David Clark.
Clark said his realism about his side's chances did not mean Canada would make things easy for the All Blacks. "We want to make them work extremely hard for any points. And we need to be a very good defensive unit,'' he said.
"We want to play the way a Canadian side can. A simple, bruising, ruthless game of rugby.”
Mitchell expects a physical contest from the Canadians. "Their forwards work very hard and they have a very good kicking game, so there'll be a lot of pressure on us. In many ways, this is a World Cup final for them."
Match officials
The referee is Tony Spreadbury, the touch judges Stuart Dickinson, George Ayoub and the TV match official is Joel Dume.
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Match Details
New Zealand v Canada
19:30
Telstra Dome, Melbourne