{"id":290879,"date":"2023-10-12T10:56:22","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T10:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=290879"},"modified":"2023-10-12T10:56:22","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T10:56:22","slug":"warren-gatland-names-wales-team-to-face-argentina-with-taulupe-faletaus-replacement-confirmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/rugby-union\/warren-gatland-names-wales-team-to-face-argentina-with-taulupe-faletaus-replacement-confirmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Warren Gatland names Wales team to face Argentina with Taulupe Faletau\u2019s replacement confirmed"},"content":{"rendered":"
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has elected for two specialist sevens for Wales\u2019 World Cup quarter-final <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tommy Reffell will start for Wales in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Argentina with head coach Warren Gatland opting for two specialist openside flankers in the absence of the injured Taulupe Faletau.<\/p>\n
Reffell joins captain Jac Morgan on the flank, with Aaron Wainwright shifting to number eight after Faletau\u2019s tournament was ended by a broken arm.<\/p>\n
Fly half Dan Biggar has been passed fit to start at fly half and returns having overcome the pecoral muscle issue suffered early in Wales\u2019 win over Australia.<\/p>\n
The starting side picked bears a close resemblance to Gatland\u2019s preferred team during the pool stages, with Reffell\u2019s inclusion the sole alteration to the team that beat Australia in Lyon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a goal of making the quarter-finals which we have achieved,\u201d Gatland said. \u201cNow it\u2019s about building on that momentum. <\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to enter into the knock-out stages of the tournament and we are ready for the challenge of a quarter-final. All our preparation has been geared to getting to this spot and we\u2019re very much relishing the opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re expecting another tough encounter this weekend against a physical Argentina side. We haven\u2019t had the perfect performance yet, but we have shown that we are a hard team to beat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a lot more growth in this squad \u2013 collectively and individually \u2013 and we can\u2019t wait to get out there in Marseille on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Biggar is fit to play, there is no place in the 23 for Gareth Anscombe, who suffered a groin injury in the warm-up before the win over Georgia last weekend.<\/p>\n
Young Sam Costelow is thus Biggar\u2019s bench back-up at fly half.<\/p>\n
George North makes a 20th World Cup appearance and again unites with Nick Tompkins in the centres.<\/p>\n
Wales XV to face Argentina in Marseille (Saturday 14 October, 4pm BST)<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Tomas Francis; 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Adam Beard; 6. Jac Morgan (captain), 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Aaron Wainwright; 9. Gareth Davies, 10. Dan Biggar; 11. Josh Adams, 12. Nick Tompkins, 13. George North, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit; 15. Liam Williams.<\/p>\n Replacements: 16. Dewi Lake, 17. Corey Domachowski, 18. Dillon Lewis, 19. Dafydd Jenkins, 20. Christ Tshiunza; 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Sam Costelow, 23. Rio Dyer.<\/em><\/p>\n