Ireland's head coach, Scott Bemand, has emphasized the importance of their upcoming warm-up game against Canada, describing it as an ideal opportunity to gauge his team's readiness for the Rugby World Cup 2025. The match, scheduled for Saturday, 9 August at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast, will be a critical test for Ireland as they prepare to face Japan, Spain, and reigning champions New Zealand in Pool C.

Canada, currently ranked second in the world, will provide a formidable challenge. They are placed in Pool B alongside Scotland, Wales, and Fiji. Bemand believes that facing such a high-caliber team is essential for Ireland's preparation.

"Them being number two in the world I think is well deserved. They have really taken their game up levels in the last four years and it is going to be a challenge, but we need that and we want a battle before we head into the World Cup," Bemand told BBC Sport NI.

Ireland is making 10 changes to the squad that recently defeated Scotland in Cork. Key players like Beibhinn Parsons, Dannagh O'Brien, and the back row of Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati, and Brittany Hogan will retain their spots. Bemand hopes these changes will help his team remain competitive against Canada, who defeated Ireland 21-8 in the WXV 1 series last year.

"We want to get rugby into people and it's a good chance for them to stake a claim," Bemand added. "Canada have got a physical threat, they are incredibly athletic as a team, but we want to be really hard to play against and we want to get set-piece and defensive pressure on them and fire shots in attack."

While winning the game is a priority, Bemand stressed that performance and momentum are the bigger goals. This match will be Ireland's final opportunity to fine-tune their strategies before the World Cup kicks off later this month.

Coverage: The game will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC website, with live text commentary available on the website and app.