(JD Black photo)

With five games down in the 2009 season it's fair to say Canada coach Kieran Crowley has a firm handle on who his team is and what he thinks they are capable of heading into Saturday’s RWC qualifier against the USA in sweltering Charleston, SC.

It is the first of a two game, home and away series with the next leg taking place in Edmonton on July 11th.

Crowley has had his team on the go since the first week of May when they met to prepare for a match against Ireland in Vancouver, followed by a test match against Wales in Toronto.

“It’s time together and knowing the systems and those sorts of things,” explains Crowley on the team’s development over the past few weeks.

“And coming together as far as how we want to play. Obviously there is a certain way we want to play against the States and we have been working hard on that in the (meeting) room as well as out on the field.

“It’s also being able to adapt to different things each week and you have to change your lineout calls each week because of all the analysis that takes place.”

All of the games were dress rehearsals for this key home and away series against the archrival Eagles.

Win this two game total point series and the reward is a spot as the Americas 1 winner in a pool with Tonga, New Zealand, France and the top Asian qualifier, likely Japan. Lose and it is a difficult home and away series against Uruguay and likely placement in Pool C with Australia, Ireland, Italy and the Europe 2 qualifier.

With that in mind Crowley has selected his first 22-man squad weighing his options against the solid performances he has seen in the past seven weeks.

The match will be live on ESPN at 4pm EDT/1pm PDT on Saturday.

Canada:
1. Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow Warriors/Regina, SK)
2. Pat Riordan (University of Victoria/Burnaby Lake, BC)
3. Dan Pletch (Niagara Thunder/London, ON)
4. Mike Burak (Unattached/Vancouver, BC)
5. Tyler Hotson (UBC Old Boy Ravens/Vancouver, BC)
6. Jebb Sinclair (Castaway Wanderers/Frederiction, NB)
7. Adam Kleeberger (University of Victoria/White Rock, BC)
8. Aaron Carpenter (Coventry RFC/Brantford, ON)
9. Ed Fairhurst (Cornish Pirates/Victoria, BC)
10. Ander Monro (Colorno, Italy)
11. Justin Mensah-Coker (Moseley/Vancouver, BC)
12. Ryan Smith (Calgary Irish/Caledon, ON)
13. DTH van der Merwe (Glasgow Warriors/Regina, SK)
14. Matt Evans (Hartpury College/Duncan, BC)
15. James Pritchard (Bedford RFC)

Replacements:
16. Mike Pletch (Velox Valhallians/London, ON)
17. Andrew Tiedemann (University of Victoria/St. Albert, AB)
18. Frank Walsh (Vandals RFC/St. John's, NFLD)
19. Stu Ault (Mosely RFC/Perth, ON)
20. Nanyak Dala (Castaway Wanderers/Saskatoon, SK)
21. Phil Mack (James Bay AA/Victoria, BC)
22. Ciaran Hearn (Castaway Wanderers/Conception Bay, Nfld)