Eli Walker could still feature at Rugby World Cup for Wales
Tuesday 15 September 2015 17:38, UK
Warren Gatland says Eli Walker's Rugby World Cup dream is not necessarily over after the Ospreys wing withdrew from Wales' squad with a hamstring injury.
Walker has been replaced by Gloucester back-row Ross Moriarty but because his withdrawal has taken place before the tournament starts he could be recalled as injury cover later. Any players injured once the event is underway will not have that option.
The Wales head coach said: "He knows the door is not closed yet and there may be an opportunity later in the tournament. Eli's been very unfortunate in the past with the injuries he's picked up.
"He's obviously disappointed, but he understands that we have to put the team first and the process involved."
Moriarty made his debut in the 35-21 defeat by Ireland in August and came off the bench in the 23-19 warm-up win over Italy.
Gatland said: "Ross was unlucky in the first place to miss out on the squad, he made a huge amount of progress with us from where he started from with a condition point of view.
"He hadn't had a pre-season for the past three years. I just feel he's got a little bit of X-factor and it's a great opportunity to come back into the squad."
Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb will definitely miss the tournament after being injured in the game against Italy.Wales open their Pool A campaign against Uruguay in Cardiff on Sunday 20 September.
If you (media) can write us off as much as possible that's the best situation for a Wales team to be in
Gatland is happy for the media to dismiss his side's chances in pool A where Australia England and Fiji are the other contenders.
He said: "If you (media) can do your jobs and write us off as much as possible and we can come in there being written off, which seems to be happening at the moment, that's the best situation for a Wales team to be in.
"Sometimes those things galvanise us and make us stronger as a unit, so continue to do it. I believe this is going to be the closest World Cup. In 2011, we got through the pool stages and the quarter-final and we know how close we came to reaching the final.
"I think there are seven or eight teams who will fancy themselves if they get through to the quarter-finals."
