Wales are taking no risks in their final pool stage game on Saturday afternoon as they seek to secure top spot in Pool C and exact revenge on an under par Georgia side.
Just 10 months after Georgia pinned all but the last nail in Wayne Pivac’s coffin, the two sides couldn’t look much further apart as Warren Gatland has restored the faith of the Welsh public and Georgia have fallen flat.
Despite Wales’ qualification for the quarter finals already being confirmed, their lineup, announced three days premature on Monday, reflects the importance they’re placing on the fixture.
Perhaps this is on a personal scale, with the wounds of Georgia’s first ever 13-12 win against Wales in Cardiff last November still fresh. Much more likely, however, is Gatland’s desire to secure top spot; the Welsh need just a point to disregard Fiji’s aspirations.
With the memory of Georgia’s upset still looming, a favourable schedule having just had a bye-week, and the importance of winning the pool not lost on them, Wales have named a near full-strength 23.
Winning the pool sets up a quarter-final against the runners up of Pool D, to be decided by Sunday’s shootout between underwhelming duo Argentina and Japan – as long as the improbable eventuality of them drawing isn’t aided by Samoa upsetting England.
The prospect of facing Argentina or Japan is far more relaxing than the excruciating pressure of a game against old foes England who also seem to be experiencing a renaissance.
Gatland has made just six changes to his starting line-up that decimated Australia 40-6 two weeks ago, with his side determined to prove that they are a different beast to the side beaten by Los Lelos in 2022.
Most prominently is the return of Dewi Lake, who solo-captains with Jac Morgan one of four full-strength starters sitting out completely.
With the other three boasting considerable experience in Dan Biggar, Adam Beard and Josh Adams, the onus is on Lake to step up as a leader to make sure memories of Georgia’s victory last year remain distant.
There will also be questions over Lake’s own performance. Having played just 51 minutes against Portugal so far, his line out success rate of just 67% has failed to settle any pre-tournament doubts.
His rivals Ryan Elias and Elliot Dee have been entrusted in both of Wales’ big games against Fiji and Australia, so he will no doubt have his own selection for the knockouts in mind.
Gareth Anscombe will play fly half in Dan Biggar’s injury absence. The talisman has insisted his pectoral strain will have healed come the quarter finals next weekend, but an indication of how sure Wales are in his return could be apparent in how many minutes substitute playmaker Sam Costelow gets.
The only omission of any controversy from the 23 is veteran fullback Leigh Halfpenny. His only minutes in the tournament came in Wales’ laboured victory over Portugal, and you’d have thought, with Halfpenny’s pedigree, Gatland might have been tempted to rest Liam Williams.
It also prevents Halfpenny from being able to join the vengeance tour against Georgia. Shane Williams wrote in the wake of Wales’ win against Australia that they had a ‘score to settle’, yet just seven of the players from last year’s loss have survived for Saturday’s match day squad. Ten players and a whole coaching team who didn’t make the Eurostar might look back at that day as the day their ticket went missing.
On the other hand, just four Georgians – two from their factory of front rowers – from last year’s wins haven’t featured as one of the 38 players that have travelled to France. Their famous win exasperated ever-present calls for their promotion to Tier 1 rugby since 2015 to almost overwhelming levels but they have really flattered to deceive this tournament.
Australia defied shouts for a loss to produce a false dawn in Georgia’s opener, and Los Lelos failed to recover in a draw against a Portugal side they were expected to beat. They were back to an expected level in their narrow loss to Fiji, but heading into this weekend, they’re looking for a result to save their World Cup and perhaps their future in rugby.
A comprehensive loss would surely be enough for World Rugby‘s hierarchies to dismiss aspirations for Tier 1 rugby in the foreseeable future.
The pre-tournament complexion of this fixture now seems other worldly. Whilst the stakes are high on an emotional level for both sides, the result feels pre-determined. Warrenball fever is high, and Wales are riding a wave of confidence. Revenge is in the cross-hares, and you doubt the Welsh dragon will show mercy to its vulnerable prey.
Written by Tom Jeffreys
WALES: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Francis, Rowlands, D Jenkins, Wainwright, Reffell, Faletau.
Replacements: Dee, Smith, H Thomas, Tshiunza, Basham, G Davies, Costelow, Grady.
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