Galtand confident Wales can do 'something special' at World Cup

Warren Gatland has underlined Wales' desire to go one better than in three previous Rugby World Cup campaigns and reach the final.

They were semi-finalists in 1987, and then twice under Gatland – 2011 and 2019 – bowing out at that stage on each occasion.

A bonus-point victory over Pool C rivals Fiji last weekend sent Wales off and running, and if they repeat the feat against Portugal on Saturday it would further strengthen quarter-final ambitions.

Australia and Georgia still await, before a possible last-eight appointment with England or Argentina in Marseille next month.

"We have always been confident in the past about World Cups and the opportunity to get the team together for an extended period," Wales head coach Gatland said.

"We think that we have done well in previous World Cups and would like to get to a final of a World Cup.

"I stated beforehand don’t write us off and that this team is capable of doing something special, and I still believe that.

"Part of the key themes and key message before this World Cup was to make sure we are a hard team to beat, and if we are a hard team to beat then things can happen for you.

"The first priority is to be a really tough team to beat, and if we do that and get things right and our preparation is good and we don’t pick up too many injuries, then there is no reason why we can’t continue to progress a long way into this tournament. That is the plan."

Portugal are next up, with Gatland making 13 changes to the team that started against Fiji, retaining only wing Louis Rees-Zammit and number eight Taulupe Faletau.

The countries have met just once before – a World Cup qualifier in Lisbon 29 years ago that Wales won 102-11 – with Portugal making a first appearance in the tournament’s pool