Rugby World Cup: Gareth Anscombe replaces Dan Biggar as Wales name strong side to face Georgia

By James On Oct 2, 2023

Warren Gatland has named a strong squad for Wales’ final Rugby World Cup pool match next Saturday against Georgia; Gatland has made six changes to the side that beat Australia last week, confirming Wales into the quarter-finals

Last updated: 02/23/10 12:58 PM

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Gareth Anscombe has replaced Dan Biggar at 10 while Tommy Reffell and Dewi Lake return to a strong Wales team that will play Georgia in their final World Cup pool match on Saturday.

Wales have already qualified for the quarter-finals and victory against Georgia in Nantes will see them top their group.

Hooker Lake will captain the team, while there are also starts for fly-half Anscombe, flanker Reffell, winger Rio Dyer, scrum-half Tomos Williams and lock Dafydd Jenkins.

Dyer earns a start in place of Josh Adams, with Lake replacing Ryan Elias, Jenkins taking over for Adam Beard and Reffell replacing the rested Jac Morgan.

Anscombe scored 23 points in Wales’ record 40-6 win over Australia and will be Warren Gatland’s center back with Biggar nursing a chest strain.

Biggar went off in the twelfth minute last Sunday and Wales will be hoping he will be back for the quarter-finals, which start on October 14.

Dan Biggar will be hoping to make a return for Wales when the quarter-finals begin on October 14

Should Wales beat Georgia, they will face the runners-up from Pool D, the winners of Argentina versus Japan.

If Wales lose to Georgia, Fiji would have the chance to top the group with a bonus-point victory over Portugal on Sunday.

Australia currently occupy second place in Pool C but need Fiji to lose to Portugal to avoid being eliminated in the pool stages for the first time in the Rugby World Cup.

Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau

Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Christus Tshiunza, 20 Taine Basham, 21Gareth Davies, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Mason Grady