Live Commentary: Italy 23-18 Canada - as it happened

Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's first live Rugby World Cup commentary of the day, Italy v Canada.

While not at the forefront of most people's minds today, this is a big match for both teams. While both teams can still qualify for the quarter-finals a realistic aim is a third-place finish, meaning automatic qualification for Japan 2019.

Let's have a look at the teams at Elland Road shall we...

Italy: McLean, Sarto, Benvenuti, Garcia, Venditti, Allan, Gori; Rizzo, Ghiraldini, Cittadini, Geldenhuys, Furno, Zanni, Minto, Vunisa
REPLACEMENTS: Giazzon, Aguero, Castrogiovanni, Fuser, Bergamasco, Palazzani, Canna, Campagnaro

Canada: Evans, P Mackenzie, Hearn, Braid, Van der Merwe, Hirayama, J Mackenzie; Buydens, Barkwill, Wooldridge, Sinclair, Cudmore, Dala, Moonlight, Ardon
REPLACEMENTS: Carpenter, Sears-Duru, Tiedemann, Olmstead, Gilmour, Mack, Trainor, Jones

Italy are still without their talisman Sergio Parisse, who is injured after having fluid drained from his leg, while Mauro Bergamasco could become the second person ever to play in five World Cups after Brian Lima.

Phil Mackenzie and Jamie Mackenzie meanwhile will become the first brothers to start a game for Canada.

Our main man Pascal is at Elland Road today for Sports Mole. Here's the view before kickoff.

Elland Road plays host for match 14 of #RWC2015 between #Ita and #Can. Join us live here http://t.co/S7Wf3n6xYm pic.twitter.com/4kLTbvBdmG

— Sports Mole (@SportsMole) September 26, 2015

Looks like a packed stadium at Leeds. Good on them.

Italy and Canada have only played each other once before in a World Cup, in 2003 with the Italians winning 19-14. Martin Castrogiovanni and Jamie Cudmore are the only survivors from that match to play today.

Believe it or not though, Canada is the only one of the two to have reached the quarter-finals before, in 1991 having come second in Pool 4 to France. Italy have never made it past the group stage of the tournament.

Here's what Pascal thinks of today's game:
"It's not exactly must-win, but both of these sides know that victory today will give them an outside chance of sneaking into the quarter-finals. The pair faced the two strongest sides in the pool last week and both were comfortably beaten. Italy will start as favourites, but they actually have the lowest winning percentage of any team at the World Cup, claiming victory just once in nine Tests this year. Could Canada cause an upset?"

Big man Jamie 'Cuddles' Cudmore could equal a world record today with international yellow cards. Italian Marco Bortolami currently holds the honour with seven.

Italy, who really have dropped off the pace recently, are currently 15th in the World Rugby rankings, down one place from last week, while Canada are coming up behind in 18th.

Fancy winning a signed England shirt?

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Here's Pascal:
"The sun's out in the heart of Yorkshire and Elland Road is full to the brim. Rugby fans in these parts are usually all about league and they would have been delighted to see the Rhinos pick up the League Leader's Shield yesterday. It's all about union today though and the national anthems are moments away."

I must say I prefer the Canadian's variety of facial hair compared to their national anthem. The Italians have a lovely jingly number though.

And cracking facial hair too.

We are moments away from kickoff here at Elland Road.

KICKOFF! Tommaso Allan get's us underway.

Canada spill the ball from the start and Italy have an early chance to attack. The ball goes through the hands but they give away a penalty and Canada kick to touch.

They win the lineout but Italy rip the ball in the tackle and clear downfield.

Italy get ball in hand, with Giovanbattista Venditti looking strong, but Canada are stronger in the counter-ruck and win a penalty.

Canada go wide again from the lineout and some lovely looping wraparound opens up some space. Nathan Hirayama's chip through has too much on it though and Italy retain possession.

What does Pascal make of the opening minutes?
"A scrappy start from both teams. The only entertainment has been the oohs and aahs in the crowd nearby when the ball is ticked into touch. So far, two out of two for catches in the stands."

There's some early penalties for holding on here. A sign of things to come?

Samuela Vunisa powers out of a ruck to get Italy some momentum and they win a penalty as a red shirt has not rolled away. There's some potential foul play here as referee George Clancy goes to the TMO.

Scrum-half Edoardo Gori is penalised for stamping. Nobody saw it or reacted though...

So it's Canada's turn for a penalty and they boot the ball into Italy's 22.

Conor Braid rumbles into the Italian midfield but Canada are pushed into touch. Italy take it quickly but their clearance kick has too much on it and it goes dead.

It's our first scrum of the day and unsurprisingly it goes down. Apparently it's the ground's fault.

Braid's kick through has too much on it for van der Merwe and Luke McLean scoops it up. Canada are strong at the ruck again though and they have the scrum.

Ciaran Hearn crashes into the midfield and Canada are on top now. A long pass out wide to Nanyak Dala is spilled by the flanker though, but Canada have a penalty in front of the sticks.

Lovely try!! DTH van der Merwe catches the ball from the restart and flies down the wing. He cuts in field and passes to Hearn before recollecting the offload and scoring in the opposite corner. Hirayama converts.

© Getty Images

Flaming Nora, now it's Italy's turn. Gori collects Canada's clearance kick, dummies and makes a superb break right through the middle before offloading to Michele Rizzo a few metres short, with the prop doing well to hop over the line with a Canadian hanging onto his leg. Allan converts from out wide.

Let's see what Pascal makes of that frantic couple of minutes:
"Well the first 10 minutes wasn't much, but how about that! Two tries in as many minutes and you have to say that both head coaches will be scratching their head over some of the defensive work from both teams. Game on!"

Italy gain a penalty from the restart and kick for the corner five metres out.

They rumble close but Canada and van der Merwe do well to turn the ball over one metre out. Jamie Mackenzie slices his clearance kick though and Italy will go again.

Again Canada turn the ball over in the red zone. Vunisa breaks from the back of the lineout and Allan sees a small gap but he is crunched. Geldenhuys tries to drive on but he's driven back and the Canadians turn it into a maul before winning the penalty.

Canada clear but Italy counter-attack through Gori again. They pass out wide but Canadian prop Doug Wooldridge is being lazy and Italy win the penalty.

That's a routine kick for Allan in front of the posts.

Italy win a penalty and go for the corner. They get done for accidental offside though and Canada try and break through Conor Trainer - on for Conor Braid who is injured - before booting downfield.

Lovely little stat - Michele Rizzo's try means every jersey number from 1 to 15 has scored a try at this World Cup.

Canada win a penalty at a scrum but Hirayama's attempted kick is scooped high into the air and about 20 metres shot of the posts.

Pascal doesn't like it:
"We've had a contender for try of the tournament from Canada, but that kick just then from Hirayama might go down as the worst effort at the posts. He had been successful with every kick at the tournament before that, so a surprisingly bad mistake."

Italy try and break through Sarto and Carlo Canna's clearance kick is good. Canna is on for Allan who has gone off with a head injury.

Winger Venditti smashes his way through the defence again to put Italy in a great position. Dala is having none of it though and he smashes Cittadini before winning the turnover. Lovely play from the Malian/South African/Canadian.

Canada clear but Italy come back again through Sarto, and they win a penalty as the defender didn't roll away. Up steps Canna...

But the replacement pushes it wide.

Urgh! Kieran Hearn scoops the drop-out straight into touch and Italy get a scrum right in front of the posts on the 22.

Close! Vunisa picks up and feeds Gori who sends Canna flying down the blind touchline. The linesman puts his flag up and it doesn't look like a try but Clancy is going upstairs anyway.

No try! Obviously. Canada try and take the lineout early though but it's foolish and they give away a penalty right in front of the posts. Allan is back on and he steps up....

That penalty kick is simple enough for Allan and he slots it before George Clancy calls for the break. Italy look the stronger of the two teams but Canada are not making life easy for them. They do need to improve their discipline though and cut out the silly errors that have given their opposition some easy points and territory.

© Getty Images

Let's see what our man in Leeds makes of the first-half:
"Two tries in as many minutes lit up Elland Road, but the other 38 minutes were quite bitty as both teams failed to take control of the game. Canada will probably be the happier of the two and they have a real chance of ending their four-game losing streak against the Azzurri."

A stop-start first 40 but quite entertaining. Hopefully we'll see gaps open up after the break and a lot more running rugby will be on offer.

KICK-OFF! Hearn gets us back underway!

Hearn and Mackenzie pump their way into the midfield before Evans grubbers a ball into touch to put pressure on the Italians.

McLean does well to clear his lines though from the resulting lineout.

Again, Hearn and Mackenzie carry hard in the midfield from the lineout before the latter's offload finds Evans who breaks a tackle and coasts into the corner. Hirayama misses the extra two.

That was a 60 metre try that was.

Canada are on the front foot now. They turn over a ball and captain Ardron powers downfield. The ball is recycled and finds its way to Phil Mackenzie out wide who sprints for the line before stepping Gori and going over. They are going to the TMO though...

NO TRY! Apparently that last pass to Mackenzie was forward but Italy had best beware now.

Italy have made a whole host of substitutions now, with a new front-row coming on and changes in the backs.

Here's Pascal:
"Unlucky! That instant pass from Trainor was a brilliant bit of play but he just couldn't quite direct it backwards. The bulk of partizan Canadian supporters are nearby around the press box and they're loving the start their side is having at the beginning of the second half."

Replacement Gonzalo Garcia carries hard off a lineout but he leaves the ball behind. Canada fumble the counter-attack but they have a scrum deep in their half.

Canada attack again and DTH finds Hearn with a beautiful offload out the back, but support man Hirayama can only lose the ball in contact and Italy get the scrum.

Canada win the ball back and Hirayama breaks through two tackles to put the red shirts in a good position. The ball goes through the hands but Italy are doing well to repel the opposition forwards.

And now the Canadians knock on and it's Italy's scrum. Nice evasive work from the red fly-half there.

Zanni knocks the ball on from Italy's attempted attack and Canada are in a good position here.

They struggle to penetrate this defence though and are eventually pushed backwards, before Castro rips the ball and Allan slices the ball into touch. Canada still have the lineout in a dangerous position though.

But they knock on. Pascal has something for us:
"The attendance is announced as 33,120 inside Elland Road and the crowd instantly start a Mexican wave. At the moment it's the Canadian supporters who will go home smiling, but there's little in it and Italy will hope to mount a fightback."

Canada have a new front-row on and they look strong, Italy only just managing to get the ball away. And here comes Mauro Bergamasco for Vunisi. This is a record-equaling fifth World Cup for the back-row in a career that started 17 years ago.

Italy have a lineout in Canada's 22 and a smart move to the front sees Ghiraldini go close. Josh Furno drives on but the ball is recycled and Garcia crashes over from two yards out after Hearn flies out the line. Allan adds the extras.

Canada win the ball from the restart and attack from deep through Mackenzie. The red shirts are in the Italy 22 now and can der Merwe offloads to Jamie Cudmore who goes close.

Italy's defence is looking good though and they are getting pushed back.

15 phases comes to nothing though as Italy intercept and Allan clears all the way down to the Canadian tryline.

Italy catch the ball from the 22 restart but the Canadian defence is holding firm and Allan knows it. He goes for the drop goal but it ends up nowhere near the posts.

Canada have a dangerous lineout and van der Merwe crashes through a number of tackles. They pass the ball wide but the it's is dropped by Evans and the red shirts are driven into touch.

BIG HIT! van der Merwe is T-boned by Bergamasco before Mack breaks the line, but a blue hand is in the way of his potential-try pass and Canada get the scrum.

Canada are making metres now and Hearn and Hirayama are finding gaps. They are close...

They go wide but the ball is turned over. It doesn't matter though as the Italians are offside and Canada have a penalty pretty much in front of the sticks.

The deficit is down to two as the fly-half slots it.

Here's a look at that Rizzo try. Nice long reach by the prop.

© Getty Images

Here's Pascal at Elland Road:
"Close, but no cigar for Canada. Hirayama's kick is good and that sets up what should be a cracking final 10 minutes. The Maple Leafs have had more possession and territory and you have to say it would be harsh on them if they don't get anything from the match."

Hehe, the Maple Leafs...

Canada are ringing the changes now as they drop a potential counter-attack. Cudmore and Hirayama are both off.

Michele Campagnaro thinks he's through but Sarto's pass is well forward. A shame because that was a nice wraparound that had stretched Canada thin.

BIG HIT! Jones sends a hospital pass to Evans and Campagnaro smashes him as the ball rolls into touch. Italy are in a dangerous position now, but there's a knock on. There are five minutes left for someone to still score.

Oh, there's a penalty for Italy though. Van der Merwe has taken Sarto high before that ball was knocked on and Allan has pumped that into the corner rather than go for the points.

The forwards rumble on but there's another penalty and again Italy are looking to play down the clock. They go for the corner again.

And Castrogiovanni has knocked on. Last roll of the dice for Canada here.

The scrums are going down though and Italy are squeezing Canada out of this game. Just 30 seconds left.

Penalty to Italy! They win the scrum as the clock ticks over and surely now Allan will go for the points.

So that's it! Italy just do enough to win but Canada can take heart from that performance, despite thinking that they could have won the game. Alarm bells should be ringing for Italy though, that was not a Tier One performance by any means.

Here's Pascal with the last word:
"Four points for the Italians, then. Their quality just about told in the end, but Canada will feel that is a missed opportunity. The Maple Leafs just ran out of gas in the last 10 minutes after largely dominating the match but just failing to find that end product. Plenty of reaction from both camps to come later this afternoon."

Stay with Sports Mole though as we still have live commentary of the game between South Africa and Samoa to come.