Rees-Zammit grabs hat-trick as Wales beat Georgia to top World Cup Pool C

Louis Rees-Zammit scored a second-half hat-trick of tries to help Wales to a 43-19 victory over Georgia in Nantes on Saturday to finish top of Pool C at the Rugby World Cup.

Wales will now play the winners of the showdown between Argentina and Japan, who play in Nantes on Sunday, in the quarter-finals in Marseille next weekend.

Warren Gatland's team came into the game at a sun-kissed Stade de Beaujoire needing just a point to guarantee top spot in Pool C and made no mistake of the bonus-point win, albeit laboured and pedestrian at times.

The victory extended to eight Wales' winning streak in pool matches, but consigned Georgia - who registered a 35-15 loss to Australia, an 18-18 draw with Portugal and a 17-12 defeat by Fiji - to fourth-placed finish in the pool which means they miss out on an automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup.

A cagey opening spell saw both teams opting to kick as they tested each other out.

A Tommy Reffell turnover spurred Wales' first proper chance of crossing the Georgian whitewash, Sam Costelow tackled into touch as the ball was worked left.

Tomas Francis was on hand to crash over from short range after a kick to the corner, Costelow converting.

Georgia roared back up the pitch, flanker Beka Saginadze bouncing off three tackles like a wrecking ball before the attack was snuffed out.

Rio Dyer's fine chase and tackle on Lasha Khmaladze saw Georgia concede possession and from a penalty Costelow's precision-perfect pass found Liam Williams in space, the fullback stepping his way over the line.

Costelow converted and then kicked a penalty to stretch Wales' lead to 17 unanswered points.

Georgia were not done, however, skipper Merab Sharikadze, back at centre in one of five changes from last week's loss