![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Wales play their final Rugby World Cup pool game when they tackle Georgia in Nantes on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Warren Gatland\u2019s team booked a quarter-final place by beating Australia in record-breaking fashion last time out and they require one point to finish top of the group.<\/p>\n
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points heading into the game at Stade de la Beaujoire.<\/p>\n
Wales\u2019 World Cup form has proved a far cry from the misery of last season\u2019s Six Nations, when they only avoided the wooden spoon by beating Italy in Rome. There were doubts whether Wales even would progress from a pool that also included Australia, Fiji and Georgia, but three-successive wins, a quarter-final place secured one game inside the distance and only one point now required to top the group highlight how dominant Gatland\u2019s team have been. Given their struggles of earlier in the year, few could have expected such an impressive revival.<\/p>\n
While Wales got the job done early in terms of progressing from their group, a race for runners-up spot in Pool D will come down to an eliminator between Argentina and Japan on Sunday. The Pumas have proved underwhelming so far, losing comprehensively to 14-man England, before edging out Samoa and then providing only glimpses of form when they eased past minnows Chile. Across their three games, Japan have looked more impressive, setting up an intriguing encounter in Nantes for the likely right to face Gatland\u2019s team at Stade Velodrome, Marseille next week. Wales\u2019 World Cup record against Argentina and Japan is strong \u2013 played five, won five.<\/p>\n
When Gatland returned for a second stint as Wales head coach at the start of 2023 \u2013 his first was laden with Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and World Cup consistency \u2013 he took charge at a time when results had dropped through the floor and confidence plummeted. The Six Nations played out against a back-drop of financial concerns in Welsh professional rugby and contractual worries for players, with strike action only averted just days before Wales met England in Cardiff. But after an uninterrupted World Cup preparation period that started in late May, Gatland has moulded a squad seemingly on course for a third semi-final appearance during the last four global tournaments, underlining his status among the game\u2019s finest coaches of any era.<\/p>\n
There would have been a collective holding of breath by Wales supporters when Dan Biggar went off injured after just 12 minutes during a record 40-6 victory over Australia in Lyon. A pectoral muscle strain forced the fly-half\u2019s early exit, but Wales were in safe hands as Gareth Anscombe replaced him and equalled Biggar\u2019s best of 23 points for Wales in one World Cup game, booting a drop-goal, conversion and six penalties. It was a wonderfully-assured display by Anscombe, who retains his place against Georgia, while Biggar recovers and remains on course to be available for the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
Wales know from painful experience exactly what Georgia are capable of. It was less than a year ago that Wales endured a calamity in Cardiff, losing 13-12 at the Principality Stadium as Georgia\u2019s shock victory effectively signalled the end of Wayne Pivac\u2019s coaching reign. It was an abject display, even allowing for Georgia\u2019s impressive second-half performance when their forwards took charge and pummelled Wales into submission. Four of that starting XV will be in the line-up on Saturday \u2013 Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Tomos Williams and Gareth Thomas \u2013 and while a repeat result looks highly unlikely, Wales know they must be on their guard.<\/p>\n