Heredia will be out to uphold family honour in Sandown’s Virgin Bet Atalanta Stakes on Saturday.

It is eight seasons since the four-year-old’s dam Nakuti secured the Group Three prize and Heredia arrives at the Esher venue in peak condition following an impressive Listed success in the Dick Hern at Haydock three weeks ago.

Richard Hannon’s daughter of Dark Angel thrived for the return to a mile on that occasion, surging to a three-and-three-quarter-length victory over William Haggas’ reopposing Purplepay and the 2022 Royal Ascot scorer will seek further glory at the distance.

“She’s a homebred filly of Andrew’s (Stone, owner) and she gave us a tremendous day out at Ascot last year when she won the Sandringham,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.

“Then we’ve sort of played around with the trip a little bit, probably fairly unsuccessfully, so we’ve gone back to a mile.

“She did it nicely at Haydock in the Dick Hern and she was off to America after Haydock. She’s got herself a reprieve and we’ll have a go in the Group Three and see where we are after that.”

Heredia disappointed on her only previous visit to Sandown when sent off the odds-on favourite for last year’s Coral Distaff.

However, connections are confident of correcting the record in a race that was the obvious fit for the ultra-consistent performer.

“Her only real bad run was our fault and not hers when we ran her back too quickly after the Sandringham last year,” continued Brown.

“We’ve slightly spaced her races a bit more since. We’re probably a bit quicker back again this time, but she’s a four-year-old and it’s a bit different – and this was really the most obvious race for her.

“Interestingly, her mother won it so hopefully she can go and follow in her footsteps.”

Potapova was a ready winner of this contest 12 months ago and Sir Michael Stoute’s five-year-old returns to defend her crown in a race the Freemason Lodge handler has won four times in the last 11 years.

She has not been seen since not being disgraced at Royal Ascot as the wet summer has somewhat curtailed her campaign and connections will again be keeping a close eye on the weather.

“Sir Michael is very happy with her. On her day, she is great and Ryan Moore rides and she likes Sandown, so we just need a little luck with the weather,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.

“I’m a little bit nervous about the forecast and there’s a chance that if the forecast rain comes we might have to review things I suppose.

“Goodwood (earlier in the season) was a bit of a disaster when it was heavy and she pulled up so we know that is not going to suit her and if we get this rain forecast we won’t want to risk her again.

“But she’s an exciting filly with plenty of ability.”

Potapova denied John and Thady Gosden’s Grande Dame in this last year and Clarehaven are well represented once again with Sandringham scorer Coppice and the talented Queen For You.

Both have appeared in Group One contests this year, with the Juddmonte-owned Coppice a respectable fifth in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last month.

“It looks a nice race for her and she’s had a little freshen up since her last race at Newmarket,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“I thought she ran a nice race in the Falmouth, she got stuck out on the wing and that heavy shower just before racing probably just took the ground away from her a little bit. But I thought she ran a great race and Tom (Marquand) gave her a good ride and was very complimentary about her after.”

Connections had hoped Coppice would be a 1000 Guineas candidate earlier in the season and despite tasting success at Royal Ascot, she is remarkably still searching for her first piece of black type.

Mahon added: “We think this is a good opportunity and having started out the year with some big aspirations it would be nice to get some black type with her. We haven’t got any yet so it would be good to get some.

“We know she handles a mile and she won very well at Ascot and we know she likes fast ground so hopefully that will stay right. She appears in good form and both John and Thady are happy with her work at home so it looks a nice opportunity.

“It’s a competitive race and they are a good bunch of fillies in the line-up but we’re hopeful she can get the job done.”

Archie Watson’s Roman Mist enjoys cut in the ground and was back to near her best when beaten a neck in the Valiant Stakes in her most recent outing, while Richard Fahey’s Midnight Mile has been a model of consistency for her Malton-based handler and now drops back to a mile with options limited over 10 furlongs.

Fahey said: “She’s in good form. She does seem to travel well in her races so it is worth giving it a go and she did win a Group Three over seven furlongs.

“There’s not many options for her at the moment over a mile and a quarter. She’s been running OK all year and is in great form so fingers crossed.”

Ismail Mohammed’s Nibras Angel is unbeaten in two starts but this is without a doubt her toughest task to date, while Gary Moore’s Goodwood victor Novus and David Menuisier’s Mysterious Love complete the 10-strong field.

Dan Evans plans to fight fire with fire when he takes on defending champion and current world number one Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.

The British number two is through to the third round at Flushing Meadows for the sixth time in his career after a four-set win over Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

His ‘reward’ is a match-up with 20-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz, who picked up his first grand slam title in New York last year and added the Wimbledon crown earlier this summer.

Evans, seeded 26, said: “It’s a little annoying to have him in the top eight of the draw but it is what it is.

“It will be a good match. I am really looking forward to it and will play aggressively.

“It’s a very difficult draw. He will obviously be the overwhelming favourite but it’s a good opportunity to play a very good tennis player on a big stage. That is why you play tennis.”

Alcaraz has won both of their previous two meetings in straight sets, but Evans boasts a better record on the golf course after the pair played a few holes at Wimbledon.

“Of course, his golf is much better than mine, that’s for sure,” said Alcaraz. “We played a little bit before Wimbledon. We had such a great time at the course.”

Katie Boulter has reached the third round of an overseas grand slam for the first time and is on the brink of breaking into the world’s top 50.

The 27-year-old from Leicester faces Peyton Stearns, a young American who she lost to in three tie-breaks in a marathon match in Austin, Texas, in February.

“I actually played probably the longest match of my career against her in Austin this year,” she said. “It was a 7-6 in the third, five in the tie-break loss. It was a brutal match. Three hours and 25 minutes.

“I’m expecting a lot. I mean, she’s a real talent. She’s a great player. The courts suit her a lot here.

“Again, I know it’s going to be physical and I’m going to have to be ready and playing some of my best tennis to beat her.”

British number one Cameron Norrie has what looks like another winnable tie against Italian world number 61 Matteo Arnaldi.

But if he gets through, the 28-year-old will run into Alcaraz – or Evans – in the fourth round.

Jack Draper, who brilliantly accounted for 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday, faces American Michael Mmoh.

Starlore bids to add his name to an illustrious roll of honour in the Virgin Bet Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The Group Three contest has proved a breeding ground of champions in recent years, with star miler Kingman (2013), Derby hero Masar (2017) and triple Group One winner Too Darn Hot (2018) all on the winners’ board.

Like his sire Kingman, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Starlore carries the Juddmonte silks and is well fancied to successfully step up in class after making a winning debut over the course and distance.

While the margin of victory was only a nose, the form looks strong, with the third placed Arabian Crown now a Listed winner and the fifth home Devil’s Point subsequently scoring at Ffos Las.

“He’s had a nice amount of time since his first race and it’s going to be another stepping stone,” said Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon.

“Hopefully he’ll have improved. He’ll need to improve, but hopefully he will.”

David Menuisier’s Devil’s Point was only a length and a half behind Starlore in early July and is set to take him on again after a demolition job in Wales three and a half weeks ago.

His trainer would, however, like to see some rain in Esher.

Menuisier said: “Devil’s Point ran well at Sandown on his first start. He was a bit green, but the form of the race is good, with Arabian Crown subsequently winning a Listed race.

“I’m hoping that the rain comes and there’s a significant amount to make the ground slower than good, as that would help us.

“The horse has been absolutely fine and has improved after each race so we’ll see how he goes.”

The bang-in-form Ralph Beckett saddles impressive Leicester victor Mortlake, while Charlie Appleby is represented by Aablan, who justified cramped odds on his introduction at Newmarket.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “Aablan has done well since winning on his debut and we feel that the stiff seven at Sandown will suit.

“Like the rest of the field, we are dipping our toe at this level for the first time and it should hopefully provide a nice springboard into an autumn campaign.”

Cerulean Bay has his sights raised by David O’Meara following a couple of low-key wins north of the border, with maiden success at Hamilton followed by a novice victory at Ayr.

The field is completed by Brian Meehan’s Inishfallen, who turns out little over a week after finishing third in a valuable nursery at York.

Zoulu Chief will be given the chance to repeat his explosive front-running exploits in either the Flying Childers or the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes as Heather Main targets a step up in grade for her in-form youngster.

A shock 150-1 winner when blazing a trail at Newbury earlier in the season, he has left disappointments in both the Coventry Stakes and at Goodwood in the past by registering back-to-back nursery victories in devasting fashion recently, scoring in both the Racing League at Windsor and then a competitive event during York’s Ebor meeting.

Zoulu Chief will now be tried in Group company as he seeks to extend his winning run and although heading to Newbury on September 23 would see the Zoustar colt continue to ply his trade over the six furlongs he has made his name, Main is also considering a drop back to five furlongs at Doncaster on September 15 for the Carlsberg-sponsored Group Two.

“He’s an exciting horse,” said Main.

“We found out at Goodwood he doesn’t like soft ground and that was fact finding. At Ascot he was good enough to be in the race but things just didn’t go our way, so we have drawn a line through that. But we have never lost faith in him.

“We were thinking of the Mill Reef, but I’m slightly worried the ground might be gone by then.

“We are also thinking of the Flying Childers as well. It would be a drop back to five furlongs, but he is showing he has tons of pace and I don’t think it would be a bad thing to do.

“He deserves to be in a Group race, definitely.”

Zoulu Chief has been easy to spot when making all in each of his three victories so far and Main sees no reason to change successful front-running tactics aboard the thriving juvenile.

“He just loves doing it and he has such a strong natural pace it seems a shame to interfere with it,” she added. “That just seems to be the way he loves to race.

“Obviously if we stepped him up in trip we might have to think of different tactics, but it seems to be working at his current trip.

“He’s got this special stride where he really gets down and grabs the ground. It’s quite nice to watch.”

Tis Marvellous will bid to go out in a blaze of glory by securing a record third victory in the William Hill Beverley Bullet on Saturday.

A Group Two-winning juvenile some seven years ago, the Clive Cox-trained sprinter is set to be retired after his latest trip to the Westwood this weekend.

The winner of nine races in all, Tis Marvellous became the third horse to notch back-to-back Beverley Bullet wins 12 months ago after Chookie Heiton (2004 and 2005) and Take Cover (2017 and 2018).

The nine-year-old has been well held in three starts so far this season – finishing last in the Palace House at Newmarket and the Wokingham at Royal Ascot before coming home seventh of 10 at the Shergar Cup – but Cox believes the fire still burns bright.

“I think it’s fair to say his form has waned a small bit this year, but his work at home is better than ever,” said the Lambourn handler.

“I’m really proud and pleased that he’s been such a wonderful servant over the years and we’ve targeted this race, being a race he’s won the last two years, and I think it’s fair to say and let everyone know that this will be his swansong and we’ll be retiring him afterwards.

“He’s giving us every confidence in his well being at home and he’s getting to the time of life now where we’re keen to give him a last roll of the dice on a course that he loves so much.

“Hopefully he can put his best foot forwards. From what we’re seeing at home there’s no doubt he’s in good form with himself and it will be really nice to give him another opportunity to have another run on a track he’s been so productive on.”

Among those looking to deny Tis Marvellous the perfect send-off is his stablemate Kerdos, who was beaten just a neck in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot and was last seen finishing fifth behind star sprinter Highfield Princess at Goodwood.

Cox added: “Kerdos has been a work in progress, but he’s a horse we hold in high regard.

“He had an amazing run at Royal Ascot and hopefully this is a perfect step for him to take at this time of year really.

“Both horses deserve to be there, so we’ll see what happens.”

Other contenders include Julie Camacho’s 2019 Beverley Bullet hero Judicial, Karl Burke’s course and distance winner Silky Wilkie and the consistent Apollo One from the Newmarket yard of Peter Charalambous and James Clutterbuck.

Max Verstappen put down an early marker in his bid to win 10 consecutive races by setting the fastest time in practice for the Italian Grand Prix.

The double world champion edged out Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by 0.046 seconds in Monza with Sergio Perez third in the other Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari at the Italian team’s home event, one place ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton ended the opening running of the weekend in eighth.

Verstappen has dominated Formula One this season – winning 11 of the 13 rounds so far – and will make history on Sunday if he racks up another victory.

The Red Bull driver – already 138 points clear in his pursuit of a third world championship – is level with Sebastian Vettel on nine wins and, on the evidence of practice, is poised to land yet another win and set a new record.

Hamilton ended his long-running contract saga in the build-up to this weekend’s race by putting pen to paper on a new £50million-a-year deal.

But the seven-time world champion ended first practice six tenths back from Verstappen and a tenth adrift of team-mate Russell.

Ferrari have endured a poor season, but showed early promise in front of their fanatical supporters at the Temple of Speed with Sainz and Leclerc second and fourth respectively.

Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso, who finished runner-up to Verstappen at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, took sixth for Aston Martin, one place ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Second practice gets under way at 5pm local time (4pm BST).

Soul Sister’s three-year-old campaign has come to an end, with connections looking forward to the Oaks heroine returning to the track next season.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Frankel left a disappointing reappearance in the Fred Darling behind her when storming to Musidora Stakes glory at York, putting herself firmly in the picture for Classic success at Epsom the following month.

She thrived for the step up to 12 furlongs as she enjoyed her finest hour in the hands of Frankie Dettori on the famous Surrey Downs, handing her owner Lady Bamford a second victory in the fillies’ Classic, 14 years after the triumph of Sariska in 2009.

Soul Sister was last seen finishing a gallant third when taking on the colts in the Grand Prix de Paris but having suffered a small setback, she will now head to her owner-breeder’s Daylesford Stud before returning as a four-year-old.

“It’s only a temporary thing and precautionary and as we wanted to have her for next year it was the prudent thing to do,” said Charlie Gordon-Watson, racing manager to Lady Bamford.

“It’s the sensible thing to do and she will be better next year, she’s going to be stronger. She’s not the strongest but she’ll strengthen up for next year and it is the right thing to do.”

Although stealing all the headlines at Epsom when a stylish winner of the Oaks under an inspired Dettori, it was perhaps her one-and-a-quarter-length defeat at ParisLongchamp when mixing it with Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe candidate Feed The Flame and Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River that advertises Soul Sister’s star potential the most.

And with a winter of strengthening and developing ahead of her, there is plenty for connections to look forward to in 2024.

“I think the Longchamp run was a very good run looking back on it,” continued Gordon-Watson.

“The winner came wide of her and from behind her and Kieran Shoemark rode her very well. In hindsight it was probably a really good race.

“Looking back on it, the ground in Ireland in the Irish Oaks wouldn’t have suited her and as it turned out she ran in the right race.”

Highfield Princess is firmly on course to defend her crown the Flying Five Stakes in Ireland next weekend, having come close in her bid for back-to-back wins in the Nunthorpe at York.

John Quinn’s superstar sprinting mare completed a hat-trick of Group One wins last season, with her Nunthorpe and Flying Five victories following success in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

Having opened her account for the current campaign in dominant style at Goodwood, the six-year-old was a hot favourite to win her second Nunthorpe on the Knavesmire, but had to settle for the runner-up spot behind the front-running Live In The Dream.

Highfield Princess produced arguably her most impressive performance to date in the Flying Five 12 months ago, and Quinn is looking forward to seeing her return to the Curragh on September 10 for day two of the Irish Champions Festival.

“She’s come out of York well, touch wood she seems fine,” said the Malton-based trainer.

“We’re just ticking her over and all being well we’ll head to Ireland a week on Sunday. There’s no reason to change the plan just because she got beaten.”

Following her Flying Five triumph last season Highfield Princess was saved for a trip to the Breeders’ Cup, where she performed admirably in defeat in finishing fourth.

But whether she returns to America this year is open to question, with Quinn eyeing an appearance on Arc weekend in Paris on October 1.

He added: “All being well, if she comes out of the Curragh well, we’d like to run her in the Abbaye and we’ll see from there.”

Inspiral will skip a trip to the Irish Champions Festival in favour of seeking further Group One riches in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes later this autumn.

John and Thady Gosden’s daughter of Frankel bounced back to her very best at Deauville last month, providing her owners Cheveley Park Stud with a thrilling afternoon on the Normandy coast as Inspiral secured back-to-back victories in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

That victory secured her a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile later in the season, but before any Stateside ambitions enter the equation, the four-year-old has duties closer to home to attend to and she will head to the Rowley Mile on October 7 in search of a fifth top-level victory.

“We all enjoyed a real high that day (at Deauville) and Mrs Thompson was thrilled. Richard (Thompson) obviously represented her and what a fantastic day he had and they all enjoyed it, as did I,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud.

“She’s in good form and we are probably favouring Newmarket and the Sun Chariot is a possible race for her. I think that is favoured.”

The Sun Chariot would provide a four-week lead into the Breeders’ Cup if connections did elect to travel to Santa Anita in early November and it appears a season-ending swansong in California could well be on the cards.

“I think so and I suppose it really depends on what she is going to do next year,” continued Richardson when asked about the chances of Inspiral cashing in her ‘win and you’re in’ ticket to America.

“If she is going to retire, I can see her going to America and retiring, but if she was to stay in training then I don’t know, and maybe she will make the Breeders’ Cup, but it would depend on what Mrs Thompson would like to do.”

Cheveley Park’s Sacred could also have the Breeders’ Cup on her radar, but will have to prove her well being before that is seriously considered having failed to sparkle in the City Of York Stakes most recently.

Trained by William Haggas, the Royal Ascot runner-up has now failed to find the scoresheet in three visits to the Knavesmire and could head to the more favourable territory of Newbury for her next outing, where she could bid to get back on track in the Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes the five-year-old claimed last season.

“We now know she just does not want to perform at York. She was in great form going in there but she was never happy,” added Richardson.

“Tom (Marquand) came back and said she went down unhappy, was unsettled in the stalls and just took a hold and was never prepared to put her best foot forward.

“We’ve got various options and the Breeders’ Cup is a thought. At the moment it is at the back of our minds when we were hoping it would be at the forefront.

“We might go back for the Listed race at Newbury which she won last year. That could be another opportunity for her.”

One of the most eagerly-awaited tournaments in Rugby World Cup history will unfold in France during September and October.

It takes place across nine host cities – Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Nantes and Lille – with more than 2.5 million tickets sold.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the competition.

A wide-open tournament?

Only four countries – New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England – have won the World Cup during its nine previous stagings. The All Blacks and Springboks are once again expected to feature prominently, but Ireland and France can be confidently added to that mix. Six Nations champions Ireland, under the coaching direction of Andy Farrell, surged to top spot in rugby union’s world rankings, while Les Bleus’ thrilling playing style and power game are an irresistible combination. A lop-sided draw – it was carried out in December 2020 – has all the heavy-hitters in its top half, which could assist teams like the Wallabies and Wales merely adding to the intrigue.

England up against it

It is 20 years since England conquered the rugby world – a success built from an imposing platform provided by players like Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Robinson and Richard Hill. Two more finals followed in 2007 and 2019 – England lost both – and they will arrive in France following a difficult build-up. New head coach Steve Borthwick, appointed earlier this year, oversaw an underwhelming Six Nations campaign, while key players Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are suspended for opening World Cup pool action after being sent off during warm-up games. There is little to suggest that England will be title contenders.

Discipline in the spotlight

The widespread hope is that France 2023 will be remembered above anything else for the quality of rugby on show – but it is not guaranteed. High tackles, red cards, yellow cards and disciplinary hearings are an inevitability, while spectators are becoming accustomed with the foul play review bunker, where a second television match official can decide – on referral from the referee – if a yellow card should become red. Coaches will want consistency, too, on punishments handed out by disciplinary chiefs – England captain Farrell’s recent case highlighting that need – and all matters being efficiently and promptly dealt with.

Warren Gatland back for more

Gatland could not have imagined a year ago that he would be back as Wales head coach and preparing for a fourth World Cup. His original 11-year stint in the job ended after the last tournament in Japan, but the Welsh Rugby Union turned to him following Wayne Pivac’s departure after a miserable 2022 when Wales lost nine Tests, including demoralising home defeats against Italy and Georgia. Gatland’s World Cup record with Wales is impressive – two semi-final appearances and one quarter-final – while he relishes an underdog status that regularly accompanies his players. A 33-1 shot, Wales might not be expected to feature at the tournament’s business-end, but Gatland will have other ideas.

Magnifique! France to triumph

Since the first World Cup in 1987, France have won 11 Five and Six Nations titles, including five Grand Slams, yet the biggest prize of all has eluded them. World Cup finalists 36 years ago, then again in 1999 and 2011, they finished as runner-up each time. But if Les Bleus can cope with host nation expectation and pressure, something they failed to do when France last staged the tournament in 2007, then this could be their time. They have the players – Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou and Charles Ollivon, to name just five – and coaching team to thrive. If France beat New Zealand in game one, then their momentum could prove unstoppable.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell insists there is “no point turning up” to the Rugby World Cup in France without ambitions of claiming the ultimate prize.

Farrell has already helped his side scale new heights, having masterminded last summer’s unprecedented tour success in New Zealand.

Ireland rose to the top of the world rankings on the back of that historic triumph and have remained there ever since thanks in part to an autumn win over world champions South Africa and a Six Nations grand slam.

Yet they have never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage of the sport’s premier competition and, despite prolonged impressive form and an eye-catching brand of rugby, face a tough task to snap that statistic.

Ireland must negotiate arguably the tournament’s trickiest group – containing the Springboks and Scotland – and will then likely need to defeat either hosts France or the All Blacks in Paris in order to secure a maiden last-four berth.

Farrell regularly champions a no-excuses mentality and has urged his players to have unwavering belief as they bid to lift the Webb Ellis Cup at Stade de France on October 28.

Asked if Ireland are targeting the trophy, he replied: “Why wouldn’t we?

“There’s an attitude within the group that we chase every day to make sure we’re better as a team, better as individuals.

“But what we’ve done in the past adds to a little bit of belief, how we are pushing to get better.

“We’ll be judged in the coming weeks but the confidence that we hope to have going into a World Cup has to be rock solid.

“There’s no point turning up for a World Cup if we don’t believe we can win it.”

Ireland have beaten each of their major rivals since Farrell succeeded Joe Schmidt after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

They launch their campaign against rank outsiders Romania in Bordeaux on September 9 before taking on Tonga in Nantes a week later.

Paris showdowns with South Africa and Scotland will then provide far sterner tests as Pool B reaches its climax.

Ireland travel to the tournament on a 13-match winning streak, with away defeats to New Zealand and France the only blemishes during a remarkable run of 25 victories from 27 Tests stretching back to February 2021.

Farrell, who was assistant to Schmidt between 2016 and 2019, is striving for perfection and has an unrelenting desire for improvement.

“We have to keep evolving as a team,” said the 48-year-old Englishman. “I’m not saying we’re tinkering with things all the time but we have to keep evolving.

“And I know that this is a broken record but it’s the truth: no part of our game is anywhere near good enough.

“It’s not and nor will it be really, ever. We’re all striving for perfection, we’re all striving to reach our potential.

“It’s being able to roll with the punches and be at your best with whatever a Test match throws at you. Every single area of our game isn’t where it could be, isn’t where it needs to be.”

Given their form and their flair, Gregor Townsend’s swashbuckling Scotland side are heading to the Rugby World Cup in France with no fear and bags of belief.

The confidence within the squad is just as well because – due to the draw being made some three years ago – they have had the misfortune of being placed in a formidable pool along with two of the world’s established heavyweights in Ireland and South Africa.

Ordinarily, such a scenario would leave Scotland supporters resigned to a group-stage exit. Yet this team, ranked fifth in the world, has delivered enough under Townsend, particularly over the past year, to suggest it is ready to peak in France and find a way into the knockout phase.

That will almost certainly require a victory over one of the two powerhouses in the group, but three exhilarating showdowns with hosts France – a home win and two narrow away defeats – this calendar year allied to the fact they led New Zealand by nine points with less than 20 minutes to play last November have helped imbue the Scots with a belief that they can match any team on the planet.

Ireland and South Africa have proven particularly tough nuts for Townsend’s team to crack, but there is a growing feeling that the burgeoning Scots are now equipped to take the scalps of at least one of these big-hitters and give themselves a chance of going deep into the tournament.

“We have to look at it beyond the group stages,” experienced lock Grant Gilchrist told the PA news agency. “If you want to do well at a Rugby World Cup you’re going to have to play the best teams in the world.

“We have two of the best in the world in our group and we have to see that as a positive that we get to go out and really test ourselves against the best teams and prove we can beat them.

“We believe that if we get the best version of ourselves on the pitch at any given time we can beat these big teams.

“We’re going to have to produce the goods in the group stage if we want to progress but if you want to do really well in the tournament, you need to beat big teams.”

Gilchrist is going to his third-consecutive World Cup. In both 2015 and 2019 the Scots went into the tournament with high hopes before suffering quarter-final and group-stage exits respectively.

Gilchrist feels there is genuine evidence this time to support the belief that Scotland really are equipped to consistently deal with the world’s top teams – as well as the smaller ones like pool rivals Tonga and Romania – amid the intensity of a World Cup.

“We’ve shown we can compete with all the top nations but we probably haven’t put together that complete performance yet,” he said.

“That’s where we sit in a really good position because we’ve got real evidence to support our belief that we can beat anyone but we also have an understanding of what it takes and how hard it is to produce on the big stage in the big games.

“If we can do that in France, it’s going to be a great World Cup for this group.”

Gilchrist is one of 14 members of the current squad who were also involved four years ago as Townsend’s team suffered an ignominious group-stage exit in Japan following defeats to Ireland and the host nation.

“It was a long time ago and we’ve come a long way since then but I know the guys who felt the way we did after Japan – I know I will – will be driven to make sure we don’t feel like that again this time,” said Gilchrist.

As well as being fuelled by a desire to right the wrongs of 2019, Scotland, who finished third in the Six Nations this year, are also buoyed by a scintillating back-line that is the envy of most teams on the planet.

Duhan Van Der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Finn Russell, Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu are just some of the rampant backs who can cause panic in even the most-robust defences and whose presence adds to the notion that Scotland are now better placed to deliver than in previous World Cup campaigns.

“It’s hard to compare because I was part of all three squads (2015, 2019 and 2023) and I felt in both 2015 and 2019, we had a squad that was capable of doing well but we just didn’t quite achieve in both,” said Gilchrist.

“In 2015, we were very close. It’s hard to compare one team against the other because I was part of them all and I know how much we believed we were going to do well in Japan.

“But if we’re talking about this squad, we’re in a really good place. We’ve got a bit of work to do but if we can make sure we perform for 80 minutes, we can do something at this World Cup.

“That’s the belief within the group. We know the challenges we face but that excites us and I think we’re in a position to go and face them head on.”

Wales know they are in safe hands when Warren Gatland leads them to his fourth Rugby World Cup as head coach.

But it could prove to be the New Zealander’s biggest challenge of all after a difficult 12 months on and off the pitch.

Since Wales claimed a first victory over the Springboks in South Africa last year, they have won just three out of 13 Tests.

Wayne Pivac left his role as head coach following an autumn campaign when Wales lost at home to Georgia, before Gatland returned for a second stint in the top job.

There was also a significant backdrop of major financial issues and contractual uncertainty throughout the Welsh professional game, so much so that a threatened players’ strike dominated the build-up to Wales’ Guinness Six Nations clash with England in February.

A miserable fifth-placed finish in the tournament followed, but since naming an expanded training squad more than three months ago, Gatland has had time and space to gradually piece things back together through punishing camps in Switzerland and Turkey, plus through three World Cup warm-up games.

Underpinned by a World Cup record with Wales of two semi-final appearances and one quarter-final, Gatland knows the ropes and he is unquestionably relishing the task that lies ahead.

“I think if I look back on the Six Nations and all the things that were going on, I probably needed to let things unfold a bit and not be as direct or demanding as I might have normally been,” he said.

“The fact that things have settled down and a lot of new players have come in, the way that we’ve been so much more accountable for how we do things and demanding standards, that has been brilliant.

“As a group, we are in a good place. I promise you now, we will surprise some people.

“It is one step at a time. It’s about getting out of your pool first, and then see where you are. You don’t look too far ahead.

“I think every team is focusing on that – get out of your pool and take it one step at a time.”

Fiji are first up for Wales in Bordeaux, followed by Portugal, Australia and Georgia. Portugal are the only team not in Wales’ World Cup group of four years ago.

Gatland added: “We are pretty clear how we want to play against Fiji. We know how dangerous they are.

“They will have had five warm-up games before the World Cup, so they are going to be rugby-fit. We are all well aware of how important that first game is.

“If you can win that game you get some momentum, and then you can get some confidence, and hopefully you have a chance to win the group.”

Sixteen members of Gatland’s 33-strong World Cup squad, including co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, have never previously never set foot on rugby union’s biggest global stage.

But there are also four cap centurions in George North, who heads to a fourth World Cup, Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny and Taulupe Faletau, plus another six with more than 50 caps.

“It was trying to get the balance right with the experience,” Gatland said. “Some of the discussion was around what experienced players we felt we needed to take with some of the youngsters who have come into the squad.

“The beauty of this World Cup is that we do get some more breathing space with the time between games.

“The first game and the second games are a short turnaround, and then we’ve got an eight-day turnaround to Australia and then 13 days to the Georgia game.

“In the past it has been a challenge when you have had a four-day turnaround. It is a little bit more of a luxury in terms of that, so hopefully it gives us an opportunity to keep players fit and to freshen some players up between games.”