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Canada takes the first steps to the 2015 Rugby World Cup on Saturday, a qualifying journey that can be short or long. Standing in its way is a longtime rival in the form of the U.S. Eagles. The two-match total points series opens at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., before wrapping up Aug. 24 at Torontos BMO Field. Canada is ranked 15th in the world by the International Rugby Board, compared to No. 18 for the U.S. Four years ago, the Eagles defeated Canada 12-6 in South Carolina, only to lose 41-18 in the finale in Edmonton. The U.S. went on to beat Uruguay 27-22 and 27-6 to join the Canadian men at the World Cup in New Zealand. The Canada-U.S. winner will play in Pool D at the World Cup alongside No. 5 France, No. 8 Ireland, No. 12 Italy and Europe 2. The loser moves on to play Uruguay in another qualifying series, whose winner will play in Pool B with No. 2 Africa, No. 7 Samoa, No. 9 Scotland and Asia 1, likely No. 14 Japan. The team beaten by Uruguay has one last chance to book its ticket to the World Cup via a repechage tournament. No. 10 Argentina is an automatic qualifier from the Americas. Canada has most of its arsenal available for the U.S. series. Missing are prop Hubert Buydens, who is playing professionally in New Zealand, and injured back Trainor. But back in action are hard-nosed lock forward Jamie Cudmore and winger DTH van der Merwe. In-form flanker John Moonlight retains his place in a back row that also features captain Aaron Carpenter and Tyler Ardron, who has signed a pro deal with the Ospreys in Wales. Cudmore partners Jebb Sinclair of London Irish in the second row behind props Andrew Tiedemann and Jason Marshall and hooker Ryan Hamilton. Mobile scrum half Phil Mack earns the No. 9 shirt with Harry Jones winning the battle at fly half. Nick Blevins and Ciaran Hearn pair up in the centre with van der Merwe and Matt Evans on the wing. Dependable kicker James Pritchard starts at fullback. The Canadian starting 15 features eight who play professionally overseas. Saturdays game marks the 50th meeting between the North American rivals. Canada leads the series 36-12-1. The U.S. has lost its last five matches in 2013 including a 16-9 defeat at the hands of Canada in Edmonton in May. Under coach Kieran Crowley, Canada is coming off losses to Japan and Ireland but impressed earlier in the summer with wins over Fiji and Tonga. NOTES -- Jeff Hassler has been replaced by Sean Duke on the Canadian roster due to illness ... The Canadians are slated to leave Oakville, Ont., on Thursday for South Carolina ... Canada captain Aaron Carpenter threw out the opening pitch before the Blue Jays game Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox. --- Canada Andrew Tiedemann, Castaway Wanderers, St. Albert, Alta.; Ryan Hamilton, Capilano RFC, Vancouver; Jason Marshall, Atlantique Stade Rochelais (France), Vancouver; Jebb Sinclair, London Irish (England), Fredericton; Jamie Cudmore, ASM Clermont Auvergne (France), Squamish, B.C.; Tyler Ardron, Ospreys (Wales), Lakefield, Ont.; John Moonlight, James Bay AA, Pickering, Ont.; Aaron Carpenter (capt.), Cornish Pirates (England), Brantford, Ont.; Phil Mack, Uvic Vikes, Victoria; Harry Jones, Capilano RFC, West Vancouver; DTH van der Merwe, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland), Regina; Nick Blevins, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Ciaran Hearn, Castaway Wanderers, Conception Bay, N.L.; Matt Evans, Cornish Pirates (England), Maple Bay, B.C.; James Pritchard, Bedford Blues (England), Parkes, Australia. Reserves Ray Barkwill, Niagara Wasps RFC, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Tom Dolezel, London St. Georges, London, Ont.; Doug Wooldridge, Lindsay RFC, Lindsay, Ont.; Tyler Hotson, London Scottish (England), Vancouver; Nanyak Dala, Castaway Wanderers RFC, Saskatoon; Sean White, James Bay AA, Victoria; Nathan Hirayama, UVIC Vikes, Richmond, B.C.; Phil Mackenzie, Sale Sharks (England), Oakville, Ont.Josh James Astros Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Jim Bouton Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. https://www.cheapastros.com/2483o-george-springer-jersey-astros.html . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Ryan Pressly Jersey . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Jose Altuve Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago.As the San Antonio Spurs prepare to retire Tim Duncans No. 21 jersey Sunday night, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has described Duncan ?as like my son.I love him dearly, Popovich told ESPNs SportsCenter in an interview earlier this week.Told that Spurs president R.C. Buford once described the two as soulmates to ESPN.com, Popovich said: Were more soulmates in life than we are in basketball. Ive been on his fanny so many times throughout his 19 years, and half the time he agrees with me and half the time he thinks Im a nut. And he just is polite enough and mature enough to just ignore me and go back out on the court, which allowed me to coach everybody else all those years. But off the court, thats where were soulmates.Popovich, though, said he and Spurs veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili try to bring up Duncans absence very rarely after the big mans 19 stellar seasons in which he led San Antonio to five championships.?I think about it more off the court than I do during games or practices, Popovich told SportsCenter. You get busy, you get into what youre doing, but I miss him on the plane and on the bus trips and in the locker room after a win or a loss. Just the banter back and forth that weve had for, whatever, 19 or 20 years. I miss all of that.We might be somewhere at a certain moment in time and somebody says something [about Duncan] in a melancholy manner or reminiscing about such and such because we were all there at some point. But thats only happened a couple of times. Everybody has to move on.?Duncan, though, has been a relatively frequent guest at Spurs practices this season, working out with former teammates or new Spurs like center Pau Gasol, or counseling younger players such as forward Jonathon Simmons.He jumps in and out, Popovich said. A little bit of scouting [to] tell us what he thinks about this player or that player. Little bit of one-on-one here and there. Little bit of coaching, what were doing in pick-and-roll and what were doing here. Just hanging around -- just jumping in, putting a toe in the water, wherever he feels like it. Its great.We never know [when Duncan will show up], honestly. Its totally random. Everything is extemporaneous. Hes there or hes not. We might walk through the building and all of a sudden hes in there lifting weights. We put a locker for him in the coachs locker room in the practice facility and at the AT&T Center so he comes whenever he feels like it.Popovich, the only head coach Duncan has ever known in the pros, says now that he had a strong inkling the 40-year-old was bound for retirement after San AAntonios second-round elimination in the playoffs last season against Oklahoma City.ddddddddddddI was pretty sure that it was [the end], Popovich said. I knew hed take time during the summer to make a final decision and wed talk now and then, but I know he was frustrated because he had told me a couple years earlier, When I cant do what I need to do to help the team, I dont want to do it anymore. And it would frustrate him if some young whipper-snapper would make a move on him or do something and look at him like, Yeah, I got you. I wanted to run on the court [and say]: No, no, no. That wasnt Tim Duncan that you just did that to. But the young kid would have the gall to act that way, and I know that frustrated the hell out of him.??Duncans No. 21 will be the eighth Spurs jersey in franchise history to be hoisted to the rafters, joining David Robinson (50), George Gervin (44), James Silas (13), Johnny Moore (00), Sean Elliott (32), Avery Johnson (6) and Bruce Bowen (12).In addition to his role in the Spurs five titles, Duncan is the clubs all-time leader in points (26,496), rebounds (15,091), blocked shots (3,020), minutes (47,368) and games played (1,392). Hes the 14th-ranked scorer in NBA history and won two regular-season MVP awards as a Spur.Popovich, though, acknowledged that the famously media-shy Duncan had to be talked into Sunday nights postgame ceremony after San Antonio takes on the New Orleans Pelicans.It was a tough one, Popovich said. He knew that, in the end, he had to do it because he knows he owes it to the fans, more than anything, whove come out and supported him through all those years. But thats really the only reason hes doing it. He doesnt want any of the accolades, he doesnt want to sit there in a chair and listen to us talk about him. Hes dreading it. I even had to convince him, you know, Theyre going to have quite a few people in, so I thought, you know afterwards, well go get a bite or a Coke or a glass of wine or a beer or something and add a little food. [Duncan said,] Nah, Im not sure I want to do that. So I said: Timmy, wait a minute. All of these people are going to come from everywhere and theyre going to pay for flights and hotel rooms and youre going to shake their hand and say take care, Im going home? He said, I guess I cant do that, can I? I said, No, you cant do that. So well have a little get-together afterwards.Saad Yousuf of ESPN Radio in Dallas (103.3 FM) contributed to this report.? 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