4 wins. 19 out of 20 factors. Victors of Pool C. Wales’ info and figures within the 2023 World Cup couldn’t be rather more spectacular.
The 43-19 victory over Georgia was a 3rd bonus-point win as Warren Gatland’s aspect topped the pool whereas a quarter-final place was secured one sport inside the gap.
It highlights how dominant Gatland’s workforce have been. Wales’ World Cup kind has proved a far cry from the distress of final season’s Six Nations, once they solely prevented the wood spoon by beating Italy in Rome.
Wales will now face Argentina or Japan in Marseille subsequent Saturday with the 2 sides going through one another in a Pool D runners-up decider in Nantes on Sunday.
There have been doubts whether or not Wales even would progress from a pool that additionally included Australia, Fiji and Georgia. Given their struggles of earlier within the 12 months, few may have anticipated this exceptional revival.
The Gatland impact
When Gatland changed Wayne Pivac and returned for a second stint as Wales head coach in December 2022 – his first was laden with Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and World Cup consistency – he took cost at a time when outcomes had dropped by way of the ground and confidence plummeted.
The Six Nations performed out towards a back-drop of monetary considerations in Welsh skilled rugby and contractual worries for gamers, with strike motion solely averted simply days earlier than Wales met England in Cardiff.
However after an uninterrupted World Cup preparation interval that began in late Might, Gatland has moulded a squad that’s in rivalry for a 3rd semi-final look over the last 4 international tournaments, underlining his standing among the many sport’s best coaches of any period.
Gatland has now led Wales to 4 successive quarter-finals and boasts a exceptional pool document of 14 wins in 16 video games.
The one two defeats got here towards South Africa in 2011 in Wellington, when a James Hook penalty kick was controversially not awarded, and Australia at Twickenham 4 years later.
Wales have received their final eight pool matches after ending unbeaten and profitable the pool in each 2019 and 2023.
“We received a pool in 2019 so to repeat that from the place we had been is numerous credit score to the gamers and the work they’ve put in with the coaches and assist workers,” mentioned Gatland.
“I feel we could be fairly happy with what we have finished as a nation within the final 4 World Cups.
“We have received 14 out of 16 video games in our pool. The very first one was towards South Africa once we misplaced by some extent. We nonetheless dispute whether or not that kick by James Hook was over.
“Then we misplaced a decent one towards Australia in 2015. We in all probability ought to have put that sport away.”
Not sufficient credit score
There have been fixed themes in Gatland’s private and non-private messaging from even earlier than the match began.
It has been doubling down on predictions Wales would “shock individuals” and do “one thing particular” on this match and emphasising how onerous the gamers have labored in pre-season camps in Switzerland and Turkey.
The obvious recurring message has been the assertion Wales didn’t really feel they got sufficient credit score for the opening 32-26 win over Fiji and the 28-8 victory over Portugal with a much-changed aspect.
Gamers and coaches have lined as much as repeat this message with it being talked about in most press conferences, so clearly a well-liked opinion that has been shared across the squad.
“As a gaggle of gamers, we ought to be happy with what we have achieved,” mentioned Gatland.
“A giant a part of that’s once we’ve been collectively as a gaggle, the preparation time and the onerous work has helped us in preparation for World Cups.
“We knew final week we had been within the quarter-finals. That in all probability made at present a little bit of a problem as a result of, regardless that we have had the coaching, there wasn’t that edge that there was for Fiji or Australia.
“But it surely was sufficient to get the job finished. Generally that is the place you see the progress of groups.
“We will go away figuring out it was a little bit bit ugly at instances and we had been underneath stress, however we received the job finished.”
Counting the price
Victory towards Georgia got here at a price although. Wales had been doing so properly on the health entrance earlier than the Georgia sport with only a few accidents as solely Henry Thomas and Tommy Reffell initially missed pool matches due to minor knocks.
That was earlier than the harm nightmare of Nantes. Quantity eight Taulupe Faletau was ruled out of the tournament with a damaged arm after beginning his fourth successive World Cup sport, whereas fly-half Gareth Anscombe is an harm doubt for the remainder of the World Cup after struggling a groin harm within the warm-up.
Full-back Liam Williams additionally left the stadium on crutches after struggling a knee harm and is a doubt for the quarter-finals subsequent weekend.
“I feel I spoke about earlier than the sport about having a full invoice of well being with 33 hopefully absolutely match,” mentioned Gatland.
“We lose Gareth within the warm-up after which Faletau which is disappointing. However we’re in all probability in a greater place than now we have been prior to now.
“That is a key for us, making an attempt to maintain the gamers as match as we are able to and never decide up too many accidents. It is the identical for each workforce.
“We have seen numerous groups decide up accidents. Fingers crossed we do not decide up too many extra.”
Gatland has managed to rotate the squad with all people within the 33-man social gathering having been concerned, whereas solely Thomas, Corey Domochaowski, Elliot Dee, Christ Tshiunza and Taine Basham didn’t begin any of the pool matches.
Gatland has managed to ascertain a settled aspect after beginning the identical workforce within the victories towards Fiji and Australia, whereas additionally making 12 adjustments towards Portugal.
Wing Louis Rees-Zammit has scored 5 tries after beginning all 4 video games, whereas flanker Jac Morgan has been a revelation in his co-captaincy position he holds with Dewi Lake.
Morgan has been one of many stars of the World Cup pool levels having performed each minute of the primary three matches earlier than being given a relaxation for the Georgia sport.
Reffell stepped into the quantity seven position in Nantes and produced a player-of-the-match efficiency and will likely be a candidate to try to fill Faletau’s absence in a rejigged again row.
Japan or Argentina?
Wales’ World Cup document towards potential quarter-finalists Argentina and Japan is robust – performed 5, received 5.
Whereas Wales received the job finished early by way of progressing from their group, a race for runners-up spot in Pool D will come right down to an eliminator between Argentina and Japan on Sunday.
The Pumas have proved underwhelming up to now, shedding comprehensively to 14-man England, earlier than edging out Samoa after which offering solely glimpses of kind once they eased previous minnows Chile.
Japan have arrange an intriguing encounter in Nantes for the best to face Gatland’s workforce at Stade Velodrome subsequent weekend.
“Tomorrow’s sport will likely be a detailed sport,” mentioned Gatland.
“Argentina and Japan have totally different types. We’ll watch that sport tomorrow. We return to Paris this night. The boys have a time without work tomorrow, some restoration, then we head to Marseille on Monday.”