Warren Gatland. Roman Peruccio/AFP
Very ambitious in the World Cup, Welsh coach Warren Gatland revealed his very modified squad in which he will face the Portuguese “Lelos” on Sunday.
Wales coach Warren Gatland made 13 changes to his starting lineup to face Portugal on Saturday at the Allianz Riviera Stadium, compared to the victorious Fiji team last weekend (32-26).
Winger Louis Rees-Zammit, author of the try against the Fijians, and third-choice Talope Faletau, who lacks playing time, are the only players to have been renewed. Behind young captain Dewi Leake (24), who will play his first match in the World Cup, the Welshman will also be able to count on several experienced players such as full-back Lee Halfpenny or third-row Dan Lydiate.
Off to a good start in Group C after beating Fiji in a stunning and ultimately inconclusive game, Wales will next face Australia and Georgia.
Wales vs Portugal lineup:
Halfpenny – Rees-Zammit, Grady, J. Williams, Dyer – (o) Anscombe, (m) T. Williams – Lydiate, Faletau, Reffell – Tshiunza, Jenkins – Smith, Lake (c), Lewis
Alternatives : Elias, Dormaczewski, Francis, Baird, Basham, Davies, Costello, Adams
“Don’t bury us”asked Gatland on Thursday, who dreams of leading his team to the first World Cup final in its history after failing to reach the semi-finals in 2011 and 2019.
“We performed well in the previous World Cup finals and we want to reach the final.”The New Zealander said in a press conference in Nice that he was recalled last December to the bedside of the Leek XV in poor condition. “This team is capable of doing something very special.”He said. “One of the priorities before the tournament was to make sure we became a difficult team to beat. Great things could happen if that was the case.”.
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