Louis Rees-Zammit has underlined Wales’ “game by game mentality” as they target a second successive Rugby World Cup victory that would strengthen their quarter-final ambitions.
Wales, fresh from a thrilling bonus-point victory over Fiji, tackle Pool C minnows Portugal on Saturday.
A showdown with Australia follows eight days later in Lyon, then Georgia in Nantes as Wales chase a fourth last-eight appearance on the bounce.
“We got the win (against Fiji), which was the main thing, but there is a lot to improve,” Rees-Zammit said.
“We’ve got Portugal next and we know they have got great backs, so it’s going to be a tough game.
“We have got a game by game mentality, and that is our focus. You can’t slip up.
“We respect Portugal. We know they have got some great backs, so we are going to have to train hard this week and get the job done.”
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made 13 changes to the starting line-up, with only wing Rees-Zammit and number eight Taulupe Faletau remaining from last weekend.
Co-captain Dewi Lake leads Wales after recovering from a knee injury, while scrum-half Tomos Williams wins his 50th cap and there are first World Cup starts for the likes of centre Mason Grady, plus Exeter locks Dafydd Jenkins and lock Christ Tshiunza.
Lake suffered a knee problem during Wales’ World Cup warm-up game against England, but he now returns to pack down alongside front-row colleagues Nicky Smith and Dillon Lewis, and fly-half Gareth Anscombe is also back after injury.
Grady, meanwhile, is partnered in midfield by Johnny Williams, Leigh Halfpenny wins his 101st cap at full-back and another experienced campaigner – flanker Dan Lydiate – also features.
At the age of 34 years, eight months and 26 days, Halfpenny will become the oldest back to play a World Cup game for Wales, surpassing Shane Williams, who was a month younger against Australia in Auckland 12 years ago.
Prop Henry Thomas is the only player in Wales’ 33-strong World Cup squad who will not have started or been named on the bench across the first two games.
Wales’ bonus-point success against Fiji has set them up for a repeat performance against Portugal, who are the Pool C minnows.
They are at their first World Cup since 2007, although their pre-tournament form has been reasonable, including a 46-20 victory over the United States.
Gatland said: “We’ve made a few changes this week given the six-day turnaround.
“This is an opportunity now for this matchday 23. I have said before, but there is some great competition within the squad, which is what we want to see.
“There is a chance now for this group to go out on Saturday and to put down their own marker in the tournament.
“We’ve done a thorough debrief of last week’s game and know the areas we need to improve.
“We have a clear plan of how we want to play on Saturday, and it is about going out there and executing that as we have prepared.
“Portugal are a skilful side and will be raring to go this weekend in their first match of the tournament. We are excited to get back out there.”
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Jamaica and France sign landmark MOU for bilateral sports cooperation
As the world eagerly anticipates the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Jamaica and France have marked the occasion with a significant step towards enhancing their bilateral relations in the field of sport. On July 24, the Honourable Olivia Grange, Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and His Excellency Olivier Guyonvarch, the Ambassador of France in Jamaica, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Bilateral Cooperation in Sport.
Minister Grange highlighted the symbolic timing of the agreement, stating, “It is certainly significant that it is happening at the time of the 2024 Olympics in the French capital, Paris. It embodies the importance of sport in establishing cooperation and friendship between the two countries."
The agreement outlines several areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing both nations' sports capabilities. One key aspect of the MOU is the sharing of experiences and the development of joint initiatives in sports. This includes promoting common standards for organizing major sporting events and developing high sports performance through the exchange of best practices, coaching training, and research.
Additionally, the agreement focuses on boosting the sports economy and sports tourism in both countries by sharing valuable information and insights. A significant emphasis is also placed on promoting sports ethics, with both nations committing to collaborate in the fight against doping.
Minister Grange commended the diligent efforts of Ambassador Guyonvarch and the teams from both the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in finalizing the MOU. She also referenced the ongoing friendship between Jamaica and France, demonstrated by events like the "2024 Road to Paris Olympics," which featured a symbolic relay baton passed globally and included French students from schools across Jamaica.
The MOU also aims to facilitate exchanges in seminars, conferences, and symposia involving experts in various sports disciplines such as fencing, rugby, handball, athletics, canoe-kayak/sprint, sailing, and skateboarding, among others.
Ambassador Guyonvarch expressed his enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “On the eve of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the signing of this MOU on sports cooperation is a milestone in our bilateral relations, being the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement between our two countries in a strategic field of excellence. The implementation of this agreement, initiated by the Centre for Research on Sports Performance of Guadeloupe and the Faculty of Sports of UWI, will allow us to develop sports science, new practices, and more intense human exchanges between our two countries.”
The follow-up on the cooperation outlined in the MOU will be ensured by a Bilateral Steering Committee, which will meet annually in either of the two countries, ensuring that the goals and initiatives set forth are actively pursued and achieved.
This agreement not only strengthens the bond between Jamaica and France but also paves the way for enhanced sports performance, education, and ethical standards in both nations, promising a bright future for sports collaboration and excellence.
Paris Olympics: Home hero Dupont sends France into rugby sevens semi-finals
Antoine Dupont sealed hosts France's progression to the rugby sevens semi-finals as his late try clinched victory over Argentina at the Paris Olympics.
Dupont, voted the 2021 World Player of the Year, missed out on this year's Six Nations to prepare himself for the sevens at the Games.
And he scored a brilliant solo try in the dying seconds at a jam-packed Stade de France to wrap up a 26-14 triumph over Argentina on Thursday.
Aaron Grandidier had earlier crossed the line twice along with back-rower Andy Timo's opener in a dominant first half, though Argentina fought back after the break.
Rodrigo Isgro responded for Los Pumas before Marcos Moneta sneaked over after France were reduced to six when Jordan Sepho was sin-binned.
Yet home favourite Dupont stepped up in the decisive moment, whipping the crowd into frenzy after setting up a last-four meeting against South Africa, who overcame New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
South Africa finished third in Pool A as New Zealand topped the group, but the Springboks exacted revenge against the All Blacks to secure a semi-final berth.
The Springboks raced into a two-try lead before holding out for a 14-7 victory to stun one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Fiji, champions in 2016 when the event was first introduced and four years later in Tokyo, unexpectedly found themselves up against it as Chay Mullins bundled over twice to snatch a 10-7 lead for Ireland at half-time.
Zac Ward extended the Irish lead but two tries in less than 30 seconds from Selestino Ravutaumada and Terio Tamani snatched a 19-15 turnaround.
The two-time Olympic champions will meet Australia after the Wallabies downed the United States with ease.
Corey Toole and James Turner both crossed in the first half en route to a convincing 18-0 triumph in the final match of the day, sending Australia into their first rugby sevens semi-final at the Olympics.
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