With just 15 months before Canada kicks off its Rugby World Cup campaign against Tonga in New Zealand, Canadian coach Kieran Crowley knows time is of the essence.
But there are a few obstacles in Canada's path first, starting Saturday with No. 20 Uruguay at the Churchill Cup in suburban Denver (Setanta Canada, 3 p.m. ET).
"It's about looking ahead to the World Cup, but also keeping your eye firmly on the present time, which is this Churchill Cup," Crowley said from the Canadian team hotel.
And a hard-nosed South American side coming off its continental championship.
"They're match-hard and have had a little time together," said Crowley. "They're very strong up front and in the set-piece of the scrum. ... I think they'e very combative, so we've got to be able to absorb that and put the pressure right back on them."
Under Crowley, 14th-ranked Canada posted its best performance at the Churchill Cup last year when it finished fourth at the six-team event.
Russia plays the U.S. Eagles in the other game Saturday. The Russians are back in action next Wednesday against England A (known as the Saxons) while Uruguay faces France A.
The Canadians take on the French on June 13, when the Saxons play the U.S.
Crowley is looking to the tournament to scrutinize the depth in his squad for the World Cup. So captain Pat Riordan finds himself sandwiched Saturday between two five-cap props in Doug Wooldridge and Andrew Tiedemann.
"They're both young props who we need to get as much rugby in as we can and see how they perform," said Crowley. "Because they're going to get a pretty stern test on Saturday."
The New Zealand-born coach reckons he has seven or eight props fighting to make the World Cup team.
"Now we've got to really focus in and try to see who's going to step up and make the most progress. It's like that in a lot of the positions."
Crowley also sees depth at back-row forward and in some areas of the backs. But hooker is one position where Crowley is looking for some insurance for Riordan and Mike Pletch.
"If one of those fell over and got injured, we've never exposed another hooker (at this level)," said Crowley. "You hope our players don't get injured but when you're coming towards a World Cup, you can't go with that mentality because you've got to know where your players sit."
So uncapped Canadian Ryan Hamilton gets a spot on the bench Saturday.
Veteran scrum half Ed Fairhurst will pair up with fly half Ander Monro. James Pritchard continues at fullback and will handle Canada's kicking duties.
Crowley had Kyle Hamilton, captain of Canada's Olympic champion rowing eight, in to speak to his players before they came down to Colorado.
Hamilton and the eight finished a disastrous fifth in the 2004 Olympic final before climbing back to win gold in Beijing.
"He's a person that's been through it, had a huge disappointment and (then) won an Olympics - the effort and the work required to get back to that level again and had a great performance at the next Olympics. That's about exposing these guys to those sort of different experiences from people and hopefully it just touched one or two of the players and possibly might help them in their own development, both on and off the field. It's all about opening their eyes to the experiences of others."
Crowley, who will bring 30 players to the World Cup, takes his team on tour to Europe in November. A group of domestic players will also go to Argentina in early October.
"There's a lot more opportunities for players to show what they're got," he said. "They're just got to make the most of very opportunity so that if they're good enough, they'll make it to the World Cup."
Canada Lineup
Doug Wooldridge, Ontario Blues; Pat Riordan (captain), B.C. Bears; Andrew Tiedemann, Prairie Wolf Pack; Luke Tait, unattached, Tyler Hotson, Plymouth Albion (England); Chauncey O'Toole, The Rock; Adam Kleeberger, Rotherham (England); Aaron Carpenter, unattached; Ed Fairhurst, B.C. Bears; Ander Monro, Ontario Blues; Justin Mensah-Coker, Moseley (England); Phil Mackenzie, Coventry (England); DTH van der Merwe, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland); Ciaran Hearn, The Rock; James Pritchard, Bedford (England).
Replacements: Ryan Hamilton, B.C. Bears; Jason Marshall, B.C. Bears; Tom Dolezel, Prairie Wolf Pack; Brian Erichsen, B.C. Bears; Nanyak Dala, Prairie Wolf Pack; Sean White, B.C. Bears; Matt Evans, Newport Gwent Dragons Wales).