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Wales in ‘a positive place’ with injuries ahead of World Cup, says Warren Gatland
Wales in ‘a positive place’ with injuries ahead of World Cup, says Warren Gatland
Wales boss Warren Gatland has reported a clean bill of health among his World Cup squad heading into the crunch tournament opener against Fiji. Co-captain Dewi Lake and number eight Taulupe Faletau were among a handful of players who nursed injuries during Wales’ World Cup warm-up Tests. Number eight Faletau played no part in those fixtures due to a calf muscle problem, while hooker Lake went off after suffering a knee injury during Wales’ defeat against England at Twickenham. Ryan Elias, Dafydd Jenkins and Gareth Anscombe have also recovered to be available for Sunday’s Pool C clash in Bordeaux. “The last couple of weeks we’ve had a few niggles – we had eight or 10 players not taking a full part in training,” Gatland said. “Nothing serious, but just a few bumps. They’ve all been rehabbed and everyone is now fit, which is a positive place for us to be in. “He (Faletau) has been taking a full part in training for the past three weeks. “There is no doubt in the first week he was blowing pretty hard in terms of some of the set-piece stuff the boys have been doing for a number of weeks. “That has taken a little bit of time, but we’ve kept a close eye on his GPS figures and they have been excellent for him. “Even though he hasn’t been running around, he has done a lot of off-feet conditioning. Some of the work on the side of the pitch is harder than being on the pitch, and he is definitely in contention for the weekend.” Lake departed during the first half at Twickenham, and the hooker added: “It always plays on your mind when you come off injured 20 minutes into a game. “I am very grateful to be sat here, to the medical staff who got me through the three weeks at home and the coaching staff for selecting me post-injury. “A lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes to get me ready for this weekend.” Wales trained amid temperatures of more than 30 degrees on Tuesday, while the forecast for Sunday’s encounter is for 28 degrees at kick-off, even though the game does not start until 9pm local time. It is understood that World Cup organisers are considering water breaks during the opening round of pool fixtures. “We would like the ball on the park as often as we could. We think we’re in pretty good shape physically,” Gatland said. “In terms of that, we are not going to push back on water breaks if that’s what is decided. We won’t be arguing with World Rugby on that decision.” It will be a fifth successive World Cup for Wales and Fiji to meet in the pool stage, and Sunday’s victors will take a significant step towards the quarter-finals. Fiji are fresh from an outstanding away victory over England, and they are fancied by many to defeat a Wales side with just three wins from 13 Tests. “I thought they were excellent at Twickenham,” Gatland added. “They have got some great athletes, we are aware of that. “They are a lot more structured now as a team than they would traditionally have been in the past. “We’ve got to impose our game on them as well. We know they are a good side at the moment, and a lot of their side play in Super Rugby and in France as well. It’s going to be an exciting challenge. “They have always had incredibly world-class individual athletes who could open up a game. But bringing that organisation and structure makes them more dangerous. “I think from a coaching perspective, the ultimate pinnacle is the World Cup. It’s the one time in international windows that you get full preparation. “It feels like you’re working with a club side in having a pre-season. We’ve been able to work on a lot of things in the last few months in terms of the detail and putting together a strategy.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Clubs send out wrong message playing footballers accused of abuse – Women’s Aid Shane Lowry defends Ryder Cup selection and says Europe have ‘best 12 players’ Ireland trio Jack Conan, Dan Sheehan and Dave Kilcoyne out of World Cup opener
2023-09-06 00:34
Russell Brand scandal: 4 questions that need answers as police urge victims to come forward
Russell Brand scandal: 4 questions that need answers as police urge victims to come forward
Russell Brand has vehemently denied the allegations of rape and sexual assault brought against him by the four women
2023-09-17 18:58
MLB The Show 22 Generic Stances
MLB The Show 22 Generic Stances
Sometimes in MLB The Show, hitting better doesn't just depend on the player's stats. What really helps you hit better is the stance and swing of your player.
1970-01-01 08:00
'Today's Jenna Bush Hager's NSFW question about bizarre beauty product leaves co-host Hoda Kotb confused
'Today's Jenna Bush Hager's NSFW question about bizarre beauty product leaves co-host Hoda Kotb confused
Jenna Bush Hager attempted to decipher the purpose of the odd beauty product as she proceeded to ask the odd question
2023-08-29 14:09
India has the numbers, China still has more clout in sports
India has the numbers, China still has more clout in sports
India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation and has grand ambitions of becoming a major international player but it has a long way to go to match its Asian neighbor’s clout in the sports arena
1970-01-01 08:00
Have the Cubs been eliminated from the playoffs?
Have the Cubs been eliminated from the playoffs?
The Cubs have been struggling in the final month of the year, but has this cost them the postseason, or do they have a chance to still make it, even if it's just slim?
2023-10-01 00:47
Best Memes and Tweets after Rangers send Astros where they belong: Home
Best Memes and Tweets after Rangers send Astros where they belong: Home
It's World Series Time! Go Go Texas Rangers! The final battle of the season awaits in the Fall Classic for the Men in Blue from Dallas Fort-Worth. The 11-4 vic
2023-10-24 11:55
How Lakers new streaming service could change everything for fans
How Lakers new streaming service could change everything for fans
The Lakers are launching their streaming service in response to the decline of cable. Does this mean that Lakers fan can't watch their games on cable soon?
2023-10-31 09:54
An Elon Musk biopic is in the works – and no one's excited
An Elon Musk biopic is in the works – and no one's excited
It has been confirmed by Variety that an Elon Musk biopic is in the works at A24, and it doesn't seem many people are excited. The announcement came yesterday from Puck, with Darren Aronofsky on board to direct the film. Aronofsky is known for directing films such as The Whale, Black Swan, and Requiem for a Dream. The basis for the screenplay will be based on Walter Isaacson's authorised biography of the Twitter/X CEO. Isaacson's book on Steve Jobs was previously adapted into a movie by Universal. Musk responded to the announcement saying: "Glad Darren is doing it. He is one of the best." But whilst Musk may be happy about the news, he seems like one of the only ones. Many joked to "bring back the strike", in reference to the recent end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Another joked that the film was going to be a horror: One user gave their suggestion for a title: "How to Kill Twitter Without Really Trying". However, some felt hopeful that the portrayal of Musk would not be a favourable one: We'll just have to wait and see how the film turns out... Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel
2023-11-11 20:30
Costlier Rice Unlikely to Spur Indonesia, Philippine Rate Action
Costlier Rice Unlikely to Spur Indonesia, Philippine Rate Action
Central banks in Indonesia and the Philippines will likely leave borrowing costs unchanged as they weigh inflationary pressures
2023-09-21 06:00
Prosecutors have Trump's Twitter DMs and drafts
Prosecutors have Trump's Twitter DMs and drafts
The special counsel investigating Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 storming of
2023-08-17 05:44
North Korea's Kim received photos taken by spy satellite of White House, Pentagon -KCNA
North Korea's Kim received photos taken by spy satellite of White House, Pentagon -KCNA
SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received photos of the White House, Pentagon and U.S. aircraft carriers in
2023-11-28 05:57