Owens – Wales in a better position than four years ago

In 2015 Wales came through a group that featured Australia, Fiji and Uruguay to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

They have done the same again in Japan, but that is where the similarities end.

When they faced South Africa in the last eight, Wales had been decimated by injuries, to the point that Warren Gatland admitted he does not know how he would have put together a team if they had got through to the semi-finals.

They almost managed it, a late Fourie du Preez try denying them, but on Sunday against France, Gatland should have a full squad to select from.

Dan Biggar and Jonathan Davies are both back in full training, having missed the win over Uruguay, and for hooker Ken Owens, a clean bill of health puts Wales ahead of the eight ball.

He said: “Four years ago we had a tough run of injuries in the pool stages, so it’s great everybody has come through unscathed.

“We are in a good position and it’s extra numbers in training sessions which adds to the quality of the training we are able to do and gives that competitiveness. It’s great to have everybody fit and firing.

“It’s the World Cup quarter-final. As a player, you only get the chance to play in it once every four years and that’s only if you are extremely lucky and extremely well-prepared.

“It’s another game, granted a massive game, but we have worked really hard for this and we are just looking forward to the opportunity of playing in a World Cup quarter-final against a tough side like France.”

George North scored two tries as Wales fought back from 16 points down to beat France at the Stade de France in February. ©Inpho

Wales have enjoyed a fine recent record against Les Bleus, winning seven of the last eight meetings between the teams including the remarkable comeback in Paris in February.

But while that record will give Wales confidence, Owens insists that they cannot get carried away with it, particularly considering how close recent fixtures have been.

He said: “We’ll take confidence from that, but in the last eight games we have played against them there has only been a score in it (five of the last eight meetings have been decided by one score).

“There’s confidence, but it’s not arrogance as we know how good a team the French are. They have proved that against us in the past.”

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Source: 6 Nations