Rugby World Cup: Wales in confident mood for France quarter-final, says Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland says Wales are inconfident disposition before the quarter-final test with France, with beaten Les Blues in seven out of their last eight encounters.
The previous time the two countries met in a World Cup in 2011, Wales suffered a narrow defeat in the semi-final stage in New Zealand against France.
Gatland, who will leave his role after this seasons championship in Japan, considers his squad are going into Sundays clash at the Showa Denko Dome, following four wins out of four games that saw them finish high in Pool D.
Weve trained well and prepared exceptionally well and enter this game with a lot of confidence, Gatland said.
As coaches and players this is exactly what you do all the hard work and coaching for. It is all for moments that are large and to try and get to finals.
As a training team weve had a lot of success in large games when it has really counted and mattered, if that has been in Grand Slam games, European finals or Premiership finals with Wasps, or on Lions tours also.
I believe weve got a very good formula as a group about getting things correct. It is not about the prep that is physical, it is about being mentally right and those two inches everybody talks about.
If you get that right into large games it can often make a major difference. I keep saying were in a location that is good, we have prepared and also the groundwork is finished.
At another 24 hours, well begin building well, but we cant play the game before were ready, and thats crucial.
Its all done in the coaching perspective now. It is down to the players at the following 24 to 48 hours to truly take control and possession, and they have been doing this brilliantly already this week
Wales have won 19 out of their past 22 Tests, which contained a record 14-game unbeaten run, along with their 100 per cent Pool D record was their group stage performance at a World Cup since 1987.
Gatland also thinks his side may use their current successes from Jacques Brunels group, such as a 19-24 win away at the Stade de France during the 2019 Six Nations, as inspiration going in their struggle in Oita.
We keep working hard, and roughly four of the previous seven attempts (Wales scored) against France are situations where we kept working hard to chase, and a few of their players has made a mistake and weve capitalised, he added.
Defensively, (Wales defence trainer ) Shaun (Edwards) has been a little bit more on edge nowadays. He is pretty pumped up by a defensive perspective.
weve been working hard defensively. He wasnt too pleased with conceding a try against Uruguay, and he let the players know clearly from the changing room afterwards.
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