Italy vs Canada RWC 2015: What time does it start and where can I watch it?

A look ahead to the Pool D fixture at Elland Road

Italy No 8 Samuela Vunisa (Getty Images)

Both Italy and Canada will want to get their first win after falling against the two pool heavyweights.

It’s a big game for…

Samuela Vunisa: Italy’s legendary captain, Sergio Parisse, remains absent and Vunisa is the man chosen to step into the big No 8’s boots. Parisse has been rumoured to be retiring from international rugby after the World Cup, and at 32 with 110 caps is a huge loss of experience for the Italians.

Vunisa is one of the future players for Italy, with the ability to play across the back row so he will be wanting to prove himself before the captain returns.

Teams...

Italy: Luke McLean; Leonardo Sarto, Tomasso Benvenutti, Gonzalo Garcia, Giovanbattista Venditti; Tommasso Allan, Edoardo Gori; Samuela Vunisa, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni; Joshua Furno, Quintin Geldenhuys; Lorenzo Cittadini, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Michele Rizzo.

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Matias Aguero, Martin Castrogiovanni, Marco Fuser, Mauro Bergamasco, Guglielmo Palazanni, Carlo Canna, Michele Campagnaro.

Canada: Matt Evans; Phil Mackenzie, Ciaran Hearn, Connor Braid, DTH Van Der Merwe; Nathan Hirayama, Jamie Mackenzie; Tyler Ardron, John Moonlight, Nanyak Dala; Jamie Cudmore, Jebb Sinclair; Doug Wooldridge, Ray Barkwill, Hubert Buydens.

Replacements: Aaron Carpenter, Djustice Sears-Duru, Andrew Tiedemann, Evan Olmstead, Kyle Gilmour, Phil Mack, Conor Trainor, Harry Jones.

Best stat…

10: The collective number of yellow cards issued in 5 matches between these two teams. The yellow card was first introduced to rugby in 2000, following the 1999 World Cup.

Remember when…

These two teams last played? In 2012, these two teams met in Toronto for the first time in the Canadian city since 1983. Canada looked to use their 7’s experience to out-pace the Italians, but the power of the Italian forwards soon dominated.

Player to watch…

Tommasso Allen: The Scottish Under 20’s fly-half switched allegiance to gain international game time. His distribution and kicking abilities served him well in previous games and against the Canadians, he will be crucial to keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Past three-meetings…

Italy 25 (d'Apice) Canada 16 (Trainor) Summer Internationals 2012.

Italy 41 (Bortolami, Castrogiovanni, Stanojevic 2, Zanni) Canada 6 Autumn Internationals 2006

Italy 51 (Bergamasco, Masi 2, Ongaro 2, Travagli) Canada 6 Autumn Internationals 2004

Form guide…

Italy: LLLLLL

Canada: LLLWLL

Vital information…

Kick-off: Saturday 25 September. 14.30

TV: Live on ITV, highlights on ITV