/ Geoffrey Riddle / 01 October 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Is Dagg a top try contender?
"Kieran Read, the No 8, has returned to fitness and will start his first Rugby World Cup match."
Even without their two talismen, New Zealand's form is ominous for everyone else and they should make hay against Canada, says Geoffrey Riddle.
New Zealand v Canada, Sunday 03:30 (ITV1)
New Zealand
New Zealand have opened the scoring in their last two matches with a try.
The All Blacks have scored the first match try in eight of their last nine fixtures.
Canada
Canada have scored the first points of the match in all three of their World Cup fixtures.
They also scored the first try of the match against Japan and Tonga. The first try in their three matches has come before the 12th minute.
Canada have missed eight kicks at goal.
All four tries Canada conceded against France were scored by back three players. Vincent Clerc scored a hat-trick of tries and Damien Traille was playing at full-back.
Prop Hubert Buydens made 15 tackles against France and centre Ryan Smith made 14 in the same match. In the 25-20 victory over Tonga Jamie Cudmore made 23 tackles, Adam Kleeberger made 14 tackles and Jebb Sinclair put in 10 - almost half of the team total.
Match stats
Dan Carter and Richie McCaw were named in the starting XV but after injuries to both, they're replaced by Colin Slade and Victor Vito respectively. Kieran Read, the No 8, has returned to fitness and will start his first Rugby World Cup match.
Kieren Crowley, the Canada coach, has once again named the best side available to him. He has been forced to replace James Pritchard, the team's kicker, with Conor Trainor, due to a bang to the head. Canada have five players in their squad who will have not played a match at the tournament.
Preview
Unfortunately for the Canadians, the All Blacks are strong where they are weak. The Canucks like to impose themselves physically on teams and keep play narrow by tackling anything that moves.
Although their back row is robust, they do not create turnover ball, and if anything, leak it and as such they are prone to counter-attacks by wings and fullbacks joining the line.
Canada have been given a ray of hope after Richie McCaw and Dan Carter pulled out, which means turnover possession will be a little slower for the All Blacks and will be used a little less precisely by Colin Slade, Carter's replacement.
With New Zealand looking in ominous form ahead of the knockout stages it may be worth a small investment in Israel Dagg to be the top tournament tryscorer. Dagg, who recovered from a deep thigh bruise, has collected four tries, two behind Chris Ashton after his touchdown against Scotland. Dagg could be the prime beneficiary of Sonny Bill Williams's offloading game and New Zealand should have the easiest quarter-final against Argentina. Either that, or lay Ashton at around [3.0].
Recommended investment: (1-5pt staking plan)
2pts I Dagg top tournament tryscorer at around [5.0]
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