Warren Gatland has name a strong side for Wales' final Rugby World Cup pool game this Saturday as they take on Georgia; Gatland has made six changes to the side that thrashed Australia last week, which confirmed Wales will be in the quarter-finals
Monday 2 October 2023 13:24, UK
Gareth Anscombe has replaced Dan Biggar at 10 as Tommy Reffell and Dewi Lake return to a strong Wales side that will face Georgia in their final World Cup pool stage match on Saturday.
Wales have already qualified for the quarter-finals and victory against Georgia in Nantes will ensure they top their group.
Hooker Lake will captain the team, while there are also starts for fly-half Anscombe, flanker Reffell, winger Rio Dyer, scrum-half Tomos Williams and lock Dafydd Jenkins.
Dyer earns a start instead of Josh Adams, with Lake in for Ryan Elias, Jenkins taking over from Adam Beard and Reffell replacing the rested Jac Morgan.
Anscombe scored 23 points in Wales' record 40-6 win against Australia and gets his chance as starting as playmaker, with Biggar suffering a pectoral strain.
Biggar went off in the 12th minute last Sunday and Wales are hopeful he will be back for the quarter-finals, which begin on October 14.
Should Wales beat Georgia, or claim a bonus points loss, they will face the runner-up from Pool D, which will be the winner of Argentina versus Japan.
If Wales lose to Georgia, without a bonus point, Fiji would have the opportunity to top the group with a bonus points win over Portugal on Sunday.
Australia currently occupy the runners-up spot in Pool C, but need Fiji to lose to Portugal to avoid being eliminated in the pool stage for the first time in the Rugby World Cup.
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Taine Basham, 21Gareth Davies, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Mason Grady