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Just how much can Australia humiliate Canada?

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Betting experts Chicken Dinner tell us why Canada are in for a really tough afternoon today

Here are two teams not so much on a collision course as just heading in opposite directions, Australia to a quarter final date in the sunny south of France, Canada back home to the first snowfall and the knowledge they were one of the tournament's big underachievers who couldn't even beat Japan. Mentally, they may already be back amongst the lakes and mountains with an immense deer in the sights of their crossbow. In reality they still have to stand in the crosshairs themselves while Australia decide exactly what they want to do with them.

The last time their paths crossed, 11 years ago, Australia won 74-9. Apart from a 27-11 aberration in 1995, Australia have never scored fewer than 43 points against the Canadians. New Zealand's lowest score against them since 1991 is 64, and South Africa scored 51 against them last time they met. If Australia are more preoccupied with how to cook whoever lies in wait in their quarter final - either England or Tonga - then the Canadians may escape without significant psychological damage. If the Australians are feeling playful, however...

This is how the Australians have behaved on the last day of pool games in previous World Cups, generally with qualification assured and nothing to lose. One of these fates awaits Canada...

A Lazy Practice Match
1987: With England and the USA playing each other for second place, Australia had a lock on the Pool One top spot. Japan, who had lost 60-7 to England the week before, were placed quivering in Australia's cage and...Australia didn't bite, winning 42-23.

A Controlled Explosion
1991: Australia met Wales in Cardiff with plenty still to play for. After botching it against Samoa, Wales were fighting for their lives. If Australia lost they would fail to top Pool C, a disaster that would have sent them into the other half of the draw, where they would have met England in the semis and New Zealand in the final, instead of the other way round. Anyway, they blew Wales away, 38-3.

A Ruthlessly Efficient Demonstration
1995: With the Australians having to accept the humiliation of going through as runner-up in order to allow tournament hosts South Africa the honour of winning the group, Australia met perpetual doormat Romania on the last day of action in Pool A, and held them to a single flavourless penalty, while snacking on 42 points of their own.

The False Sense of Security
1999: Back on top and assured of top spot, Australia didn't seem to be too bothered in the first half of their game against the USA. Yet just as the USA thought the Wallabies weren't going to turn up, their languid opponents snuffed out American dreams of a respectable scoreline with five late tries to end it 55-19.

The Too Close for Comfort
2003: At last a match with drama, as Australia and Ireland grappled it out for top spot in Pool A at the Melbourne Telstra Dome. Ireland even had the nerve to get within a single point by the final whistle (17-16). Should Australia be in a similarly generous mood, however, Canada have never got within 16 points of them, making such a result impossible outside of Canada's weirdest fantasies. Sorry Canada, this dish is not on the menu.