Rugby World Cup: Wales in confident mood for France quarter-final, says Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland says Wales are in”optimistic” disposition before their quarter-final test with France, with defeated Les Blues in seven out of their last eight meetings.
The last time the two countries met in 2011 in a World Cup, Wales suffered a narrow 9-8 defeat in the semi-final stage in New Zealand against France.
Gatland, who will leave his job considers his squad are after four wins from four matches that saw them finish high in Pool D. going in a fantastic place
“We have trained well and prepared exceptionally well and enter this game with a lot of assurance,” Gatland said.
“As coaches and players this is exactly what you do all of the hard work and training for. It’s to attempt to get and all for moments to finals.
“As a training team we have had a great deal of success in big matches when it has truly counted and mattered, if that has been in Grand Slam games, European finals or Premiership finals with Wasps, or perhaps on Lions tours also.
“I believe we have got a very great formula for a group about getting things straight. It is not just about the prep, it’s about being mentally appropriate and those top two inches everyone talks about.
“If you get this right in large games it can often make a difference. I keep saying we’re in a place that is good, we have prepared well and the groundwork is completed.
“In another 24 hours, we’ll start building nicely, but we can not play the match before we’re ready, and that is essential.
“It’s all done from the training perspective today. It is down to the players in the next 24 to 48 hours to really take control and possession, and they’ve been doing this brilliantly already this week.”
Wales have won 19 out of their 22 Tests, which comprised a list 14-game unbeaten streak, and also their 100 percent Pool D record was their group stage performance in a World Cup since 1987.
Gatland also thinks his side can use their recent successes from Jacques Brunel’s group, including a 19-24 win away at the Stade de France through the 2019 Six Nations, as motivation going in their clash in Oita.
“We keep working hard, and about four of the last seven attempts (Wales scored) against France are situations where we kept working hard to pursue, and one of the players has made a mistake and we have capitalised,” he further added.
“Defensively, (Wales defence coach) Shaun (Edwards) has been a tiny bit more on edge nowadays. He’s fairly pumped up from a defensive point of view.
“we’ve been working hard defensively. He was not too pleased with a try against Uruguay, and that let the players know clearly from the changing room afterwards.”