Canada's mettle to be tested

Last dance: Canada need to be mentally switched on for Scotland

Following one win and two losses in Europe, Canada coach Kieran Crowley believes his side's final Test against Scotland on Saturday will be the one to measure the mettle of the team and success of their tour.

With a win against Portugal to start the tour, the series took a hard bump in the road at Thomond Park against Ireland with a 55-0 loss.

Against Wales at the Millennium Stadium last Friday, it was a much improved Canadian performance on the pitch - both mentally and physically - holding two leads before falling 34-13.

As Crowley now prepares his side for their fourth international outing in as many weeks, he is balancing the physical needs of the players and trying to keep them mentally switched on as well.

"There was a lot of pleasing aspects but we still didn't play a lot of rugby as far as creating a lot of opportunities," Crowley said on the official Canada website.

"We did create a couple to be fair. At that level you only get a couple and you have got to take those. So overall a lot of progress but still room for improvement.

"We've made some progress in areas I think. The Ireland game was a bit of a setback so we've made progress.

"This week will tend to show the exact outcomes of the tour I think, because the game now has gotten so physically draining, but also mentally.

Crowley faces a difficult week lifting his players ahead of the Aberdeen clash against a Scotland outfit full of confidence after running the world champion Springboks to a near upset, and the next few days will be a crucial period for the New Zealand-born coach on tour.

"The guys put in a lot of work mentally. It'll be a big challenge for them to get up again this week, but that is our job as coaches to get them back up," said Crowley.

"The interest factor is always there. It's a Test match and you are playing for Canada so it's not a problem on that front.

"Come Saturday night when it is all over we can look and say, 'yes we have made big progress'."

The most important part of the team right now may be the medical team as they manage the myriad of bumps and bruises that accumulate with this much rugby and training over a four-week period.

"When you are playing at this level you get knocked around pretty badly so it's a case of managing them this week," said Crowley.

"There is four or five of them that have had a big work load over the past few weeks."

Scotland's back-line coach Sean Lineen told The Scotsman newspaper that they are wary of what Canada will bring to the pitch.

"Kieran Crowley is a very good coach and has them organised in defence," said Lineen.

"They are very physical and you have to respect them.

"It is 15 against 15 on a narrower pitch at Pittodrie. For us, it's important to take all the good stuff from the last two games and put it into practice against Canada. We have to win this game first and foremost."