Canada makes changes to starting lineup to face Wales at Women's Rugby World Cup

Canada coach Kevin Rouet has made six changes to his starting lineup for Saturday's game against Wales at the Women's Rugby World Cup in England.

Five of the changes are in the forward pack with wing Asia Hogan-Rochester slotting into the backline.

"We know we will need 23 players," Rouet said, referencing the matchday roster. "It's kind of a rotation but also (a product of) having a very strong team."

The second-ranked Canadians ran in 11 tries in dispatching No. 14 Fiji 65-7 in their tournament opener Saturday in York. Wales, meanwhile, dropped one rung in the rankings to No. 10 after losing 38-8 to No. 6 Scotland.

Saturday's game is at Salford Community Stadium in Manchester, the site of Wales' first match.

Rouet has chosen an entirely new front row of McKinley Hunt, Emily Tuttosi and DaLeaka Menin with Brittany Kassil, Gillian Boag and Olivia DeMerchant shifting to the bench.

There is little drop in experience with Hunt, Tuttosi and Menin going into the game with a combined 133 caps compared to 140 for Kassil, Boag and DeMerchant.

Veteran Tyson Beukeboom will tie the retired Aaron Carpenter as Canada's most-capped Canadian rugby player when she earns her 80th cap.

"As an experienced player, she knows her role when she comes from the bench. She knows her role when she's starting," said the French-born Rouet. "And I think she's going to be a very valuable asset for our team because she can be as violent as she is smart on the field."

The 34-year-old Beukeboom slots in for Courtney O'Donnell in the second row while Karen Paquin, like Beukeboom in her fourth World Cup, replaces Fabiola Forteza at open-side flanker.

Hogan-Rochester makes her World Cup debut, starting in place of Fancy Bermudez, who had to leave the Fiji