Canada have blooded a relatively inexperienced 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup, with no less than 18 players bound for World Rugby's showpiece for the first time.

Coach Kieran Crowley is preparing for his fifth World Cup - second as coach of the North American minnows, after two as a player with the All Blacks and one as a New Zealand selector.

Captain Tyler Ardron is among the 18 preparing for their maiden World Cup, named despite still trying to overcome a knee injury sustained at the Pacific Nations Cup in July.

Aaron Carpenter captained the side in Ardron's absence in their 41-23 loss to the United States on Saturday, and he joins Ardron as two of the 11 Ontario-based players in the squad - the most represented province, just ahead of British Columbia (10).

Crowley said he is backing in 24-year-old Ardron to handle the big stage.

"Tyler is part of the leadership group at Ospreys and captained them during the Six Nations this year," Crowley said in a statement.

"He's young but will call on the experience of Jamie Cudmore, Aaron Carpenter, Hubert Buydens and DTH Van Der Merwe, who all have World Cup experience, to help provide leadership."

Cudmore, 36, is set to appear at a record-equalling fourth World Cup, joining Gareth Rees, Rod Snow, Mike James and Al Charron as the only Canadians to appear at four showpieces.

Canada have warm-up clashes with Glasgow Warriors, Georgia and Fiji to come, before they open their Pool D campaign against Ireland in Cardiff on September 19.