Rio Dyer says that Wales will aim to keep a collective foot on the accelerator as they build towards their fourth successive Rugby World Cup quarter-final appearance.

Wales’ place in the last eight was confirmed through a record 40-6 win against Australia.

They require only a point from next Saturday’s appointment with Georgia in Nantes to guarantee finishing top of Pool C.

Japan or Argentina, who meet in what is effectively a group eliminator 24 hours after Wales tackle Georgia, are then set to await Warren Gatland’s team as quarter-final opponents.

“We taken learnings from every game previously, and we are chasing that perfection,” Wales wing Dyer said.

“Every game won’t be perfect, but there are things we can get better at. It is about not letting the foot off the gas and see how far we can push ourselves.

“Let the result take care of itself, because I am more than sure if we put the effort in during the week and take the learnings, we will get even better and hopefully top the group.

“The training we have been putting in is amazing. The competitiveness of the sessions has been phenomenal.

“No-one is sulking or moping about. We are a 33-man squad trying to get the same result, and everyone is helping everyone.”

Twelve of Wales’ World Cup group were involved when Georgia claimed an historic 13-12 victory in Cardiff during last year’s autumn internationals.

It came just eight months after Wales had lost at home to Italy, and effectively signalled the end for Gatland’s head coach predecessor Wayne Pivac.

A home loss to Australia the following weekend – Wales conceded 26 unanswered points after leading 34-13 – sealed his fate, before Gatland returned for a second stint in the job.

“They’re a good team,” Dyer said of Georgia. “They bring qualities throughout their forwards and backs.

“They have got very good players all around the park. Hopefully, we can put in a performance that we have put in during these three (pool) games and get the result against them.”

Dyer and company returned to the training pitch on Friday following four days off after the Australia match, with the majority of players enjoying French sightseeing, while some briefly returned home.

“Mason (Grady) and myself had a nice day around Paris on the bikes, then we went to Disneyland Paris together on a two-man mission. We went on all the rides there – I felt like a kid again,” he said.

Flanker Taine Basham, meanwhile, had time at home, adding: “I went back home to see the little one. He is nearly walking now, so no days off.

“He was keeping me busy, so I was not just laying back on the sofa waiting to go back out to France.

“I am getting better sleep out here, there is no doubt, but I can’t wait to see him again in the next couple of weeks.”

Jonathan Thomas says that Wales have hit “reset” after four days off as they set about trying to make a memorable Rugby World Cup campaign into something unforgettable.

Wales’ World Cup squad returned to the training pitch on Thursday with a public session watched by more than 1,000 people at Stade de Porchefontaine in Versailles.

Players and coaches were given time off to spend with their families after last weekend’s record 40-6 win against Australia that secured quarter-final status for the fourth successive World Cup campaign.

But minds have now switched to next weekend’s final Pool C appointment with Georgia – then a quarter-final against Argentina or Japan.

“Professional sport can be relentless,” Wales assistant coach Thomas said.

“Winning that Australia game was a huge moment for us in terms of qualifying, and having those days off was good to have that feel-good factor heading into time off.

“Professional sport is about being humble and hitting reset. For me, confidence comes from preparation and the work you do in the week.

“You can’t look back and say we are confident because of that victory. Confidence comes from preparation and the hard work.

“We need to hit reset, as the boys have done today. We’ve got a tough game next week, and we will be completely focused on that.

“The amazing thing I’ve seen with this squad is you have that edge in training, but as soon as they walk off the training field, there’s laughing, joking and they are taking the mick out of each other for what has just happened in the session.

“Getting that balance of a competitive edge and having really close relationships off the field is very difficult to strike.

“That is one of the real highlights of this campaign, going back 14 weeks since we came in for mini-camps. That chemistry is really powerful, and the balance between the edge and the family side of things.”

Thomas, meanwhile, has no doubt that an ability to strike the right balance comes from the top with the example set by head coach Warren Gatland.

“I played under Gats, and I take my hat off to him,” he added.

“He is probably one of the best I have come across in terms of being able to drive the players hard. He is very open and honest with them, with a no-nonsense attitude. The expectations are really clear.

“But he has also got this nurturing, kind side to him which is all about family and if players need to go home or need help.

“It’s quite a remarkable thing to have both abilities in your character. It all starts with him, and everything flows downstream.

“It flows through the coaching staff and the players, and eventually you end up with quite a content playing group. One, because they are fit and they’ve worked hard, but they are also happy because their families are happy.”

Local schoolchildren turned out in their hundreds to watch the Wales squad put through their paces, with players signing autographs and posing for pictures afterwards.

“Our whole experience in Versailles has been awesome,” Thomas said.

“Obviously, it’s a beautiful place, first and foremost, but we are here to train and train hard. The facilities have been great.

“The people have been incredible, really, and none more so than today. We really appreciate it. It has made a massive difference to us, how welcome we’ve been made to feel since being here.”

Wales captain Jac Morgan has been described as “phenomenal” following an immense contribution towards his country reaching the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

The 23-year-old flanker has proved Wales’ stand-out performer in the tournament, inspiring pivotal Pool C victories over Fiji and Australia.

Morgan’s level of leadership and all-round game defies a relative lack of experience on the Test-match stage that has seen him win 14 caps and captain Wales only four times.

But his efforts have gained comparison with former Wales and British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton, who oversaw a World Cup semi-final appearance at the age of 22 in 2011.

Wales have already confirmed a quarter-final spot this time around, and they are guaranteed to finish top of their group if they beat Georgia in Nantes next week

That would then set up a potential last-eight appointment with Argentina seven days later, with Wales having reached the knockout phase under head coach Warren Gatland for a fourth successive World Cup campaign.

“Jac is phenomenal,” Wales assistant coach and forwards specialist Jonathan Humphreys said.

“He is one of these guys where nothing fazes him. He is just the same kid all the way through the week, then two minutes before the game, just the same kid.

“He is brave, and he has such an impact on the game, such an impact on the group.

“Captaincy has not changed him one iota. He is a huge figure for us, and we are blessed in that (number seven) department with Tommy (Reffell), who is back fit now, and Taine (Basham).”

Morgan was appointed co-captain for the World Cup with hooker Dewi Lake, and Gatland said: “He is growing into this role. He is still a young man, and I threw him in at the deep end.

“He has been absolutely outstanding, and I have a huge amount of admiration for him.

“He is definitely a player who leads from the front. I thought he was outstanding (against Australia), and he did exactly that. It was a brilliant performance from him.”

Wales are preparing for a training ground return following a few days’ break after their record 40-6 win against Australia in Lyon that left the Wallabies close to pool-stage elimination.

They will reassemble at their Versailles base, from where preparations will begin for Georgia.

Wales full-back Liam Williams said: “To win by 34 points (margin) against Australia at a Rugby World Cup is a dream. On to the next game now.

“Our pack was outstanding (against Australia). They got us on the front foot, and there was nothing more you could ask from a pack of forwards.

“As the head coach said, it is about being a hard team to beat, and that is what we are being at the moment.”

And lock Will Rowlands added: “It is not always the most flashy rugby, but for us it was so satisfying.

“We put pressure on them (Australia) – good scrum, good maul and got the points and went again.

“We are really pleased with how the three games have gone. Now everyone is switched on and focused on doing a job on Georgia so we can top the pool.”

Gareth Bale will boost the bid from the UK and Ireland to host Euro 2028 by joining the Welsh delegation in Geneva next month.

Bale, the Wales men’s team’s most capped player and record goalscorer, retired from football in January after an illustrious career that saw him win five Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups at Real Madrid.

The 34-year-old has now offered a helping hand for Wales to become a Euro 2028 co-host alongside England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Republic of Ireland.

Turkey are also in the running to stage the tournament, with the final decision to be made in Geneva on October 10 when Bale will be present.

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney said: “We are hoping for a successful bid and Gareth is very much part of the FAW and what we do. He has been identified as one of the faces of the bid presentation.

“Gareth is globally famous. You can get into a taxi in Sydney or Peru and if you mention you are from Wales they will say ‘Gareth Bale’. It is an instant reaction.

“When I go home to the west of Ireland the first thing people say to me is ‘how is Gareth Bale?’

“Gareth is so good for us. We went to him and asked him if he would get involved in the Euro ’28 bid and he just said: ‘What can I do for Wales?’

“It was instant – ‘how can I help you get the bid over the line?'”

Ten stadia across the five nations would host matches if the Euro 2028 bid is successful – Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Etihad Stadium, Everton’s new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, Villa Park and St James’ Park being the venues in England.

A redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast, the Dublin Arena in the Republic, Hampden Park in Scotland and the Principality Stadium in Wales – the 74,500-capacity home of Welsh rugby – would also stage matches.

The Principality Stadium would be referred to as the Cardiff National Stadium during the tournament due to UEFA rules over sponsorship.

Wales hope to stage as many as six matches if the bid is successful, with Mooney having said last October that Cardiff could be in line to stage the opening game of the tournament.

Mooney said: “Six games for Wales has been mentioned before, but it is ultimately up to UEFA to decide on the division of games, qualification from the five host nations and things like that.

“We’re lucky in that we have a fantastic stadium to offer in a magnificent city. Cardiff hosted a very successful Champions League final in 2017 and UEFA were very happy with it.

“But we feel we can get more out of hosting a series of games than from a stand alone match.

“There were tens of thousands of Spanish and Italian fans in Cardiff for Real Madrid against Juventus, and they all had a great time. But they were gone the next day.

“What the 2016 Euros did for France as a brand, and 2024 will do for Germany, was fantastic.

“The Covid-hit Euros weren’t the same and the World Cup in Qatar was a different experience.”

Mooney is confident that work on upgrading the Principality Stadium to meet UEFA standards will be completed should the bid from the UK and Ireland prove successful.

He said: “Cardiff Council and the Welsh Government are backing the bid and are happy with the projected return on investment.

“Millions of pounds will need to be spent on the Principality Stadium to get it up to scratch. It needs new floodlights and a scoreboard.

“There are also issues over hospitality numbers and the TV compound. But these are all things that will be resolved.”

Alex King has hailed the hard work of Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad and says their quarter-final achievement has been “four months in the making”.

It was towards the end of May that head coach Warren Gatland and his assistants began work with an extended training group.

That came on the back of a dismal Six Nations campaign, where Wales only avoided the wooden spoon by beating Italy in Rome.

Off-field issues in the Welsh professional game such as finances and contractual uncertainty for players, meanwhile, almost led to a full-blown national squad strike ahead of Wales’ Six Nations clash against England.

But the transformation quietly began at Wales’ training base in the Vale of Glamorgan, before punishing camps in Switzerland and Turkey moved preparations to another level.

A record 40-6 victory over Australia confirmed Wales’ place in the last-eight for the fourth World Cup in a row, setting up a probable appointment with Argentina in Marseille on October 14.

“I am just delighted for the lads,” Wales assistant coach and attack specialist King said.

“They have worked so hard – four months in the making. We are now in the quarter-finals, but we want to really focus on Georgia next week to finish top of the group.

“We know how hard that Georgia game is going to be, and then we can see what happens, going forward, after that.

“It was awesome (against Australia), wasn’t it? We knew how important the game was for both countries.

“We scored a really good try early on, and it probably settled a few nerves.

“We then just managed to get control of the game, our set-piece got on top and we managed to keep the scoreboard keep ticking over.

“When you are playing a team that is low on confidence, the game just goes away from them. We were able to establish a good lead and stay in control to the end.”

Two of Wales’ three tries came from impressive creativity, with Gareth Davies scoring the first following captain Jac Morgan’s break, then Gareth Anscombe’s superbly-placed kick into space being finished off by Nick Tompkins.

On Davies’ score, King added: “The guys work hard, and it is nice when one comes off like that.

“It’s hard to break down defences at this level because they’re so well organised, but Gareth Davies did the support line and Jac was superb. It set the tone, really, and gave us a foothold in the game.

“All the teams that are going to go far (in the World Cup) will bring a balance of structured and unstructured (play).

“We realise that it wasn’t perfect, and no game ever is, and realise we have things to build on. But it is a good foundation to build from.

“If there is anything, there is some work in the 22 we need to tidy up on.

“It is one of the hardest places to attack because you have got a front line of 15 defenders.

“I thought Gareth finding space in the back-field for Nick Tompkins was an example of where we can go to with our kick-space.

“There are always things to work on, and we want to get Louis (Rees-Zammit), Josh (Adams), Rio (Dyer) and Liam (Williams) on the ball as much as possible.

“Sometimes a game works out that way, sometimes it doesn’t. But that is the plan.”

Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies says he is enjoying his rugby again during a World Cup campaign that has seen him produce record-breaking form.

Davies’ early touchdown in the 40-6 rout of Australia set a new World Cup best of eight tries for a scrum-half.

And it represents an impressive return to international rugby after he missed out on Wales’ South Africa tour last year, the 2022 autumn Tests and Six Nations campaign two months later.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland’s predecessor Wayne Pivac preferred players like Tomos Williams, Kieran Hardy and Dane Blacker in the scrum-half position.

And although Gatland was in charge for last season’s Six Nations, Williams, Hardy and Rhys Webb fought for the number nine shirt.

Crucially, though, a door opened for the 33-year-old when Gatland named Davies in the World Cup training squad, and he has not looked back.

He starred in the tournament warm-up victory over England and regained the number nine shirt for key Pool C wins against Fiji and Australia

“I love World Cups,” Davies said. “I love the build-up to them.

“It is the only time that we really get a full pre-season (with Wales). It has been a tough couple of months, but I have enjoyed it.

“Physically and mentally, I feel like I am in the best shape of my life. I am really enjoying my rugby again.

“We are all back to where we want to be under this management. We are fighting for each other, playing for each other and the environment is good, which is the main thing.

“We are enjoying our time off the pitch as well. We’ve got a good bunch of boys, and it shows.”

Davies, who made his Wales debut nine years ago and was the team’s starting scrum-half during the 2015 and 2019 tournaments, is once again excelling under Gatland’s direction.

He scored five tries at the 2015 World Cup, then two more in Japan four years later – including an interception effort in a pool-stage win against Australia.

“Warren has got his way,” Davies added. “It works for me and it obviously works for everyone else in the squad. It gets us all going.

“The other coaches as well, Mike (Forshaw) with defence, Kingy (Alex King) in attack and Humphs (Jonathan Humphreys) with the forwards. We’ve had a lot of changes with coaches, and I think that’s made the difference, to be honest.”

Wales’ crushing success against Australia secured a quarter-final place – the fourth World Cup in a row for them to achieve that under Gatland – and has set up a potential last-eight appointment with Argentina in Marseille on October 14.

“I thought our win in 2019 against Australia in the World Cup was big, but this is right up there,” Davies said.

“Momentum is key, especially in World Cups. We had a good week’s training preparing for the game, and I thought it showed on the pitch.

“We obviously won’t look too far ahead of ourselves. We have got a few days off to recover, and then we will focus on Georgia the following weekend.

“We have still got a job to do against them first, and then we will start looking at the quarter-final draw.”

Warren Gatland has hailed Wales’ ability to keep “punching above our weight” after clinching a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

It maintains Gatland’s 100 per record of reaching the last-eight in four World Cup campaigns as Wales head coach.

And the achievement is further underlined by where Wales were just six months ago on and off the pitch.

They finished fifth in the Six Nations, with a solitary win being against Italy, while Welsh professional rugby was engulfed by financial issues and contractual uncertainty for many players.

That scenario almost led to Gatland’s squad going on strike in protest over the situation just days before Wales faced England in Cardiff.

Now, though, they find themselves at the business end of a World Cup, having progressed from Pool C with one game to spare and seemingly on course for a quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille on October 14.

“There were a lot of things going on before the Six Nations,” Gatland said, following a record 40-6 victory over Australia that confirmed Wales’ progression to the knockout phase.

“Contract issues and the players getting offered them, and then just understanding the frustrations from them in terms of security, future, families and stuff.

“I probably didn’t realise at the time the impact that had on the coaching staff and probably even myself.

“I had to sit back and let things unfold until after the Six Nations, when you can get a squad together.

“We have been together for four months now. You know you can put the detail, preparation and hard work in that we always pride ourselves on.

“We are such a small nation as a tier one nation in terms of playing numbers, and we are proud that our success has been based on hard work and punching above our weight.

“Everyone has made a lot of sacrifices in the last four months, and the message from me beforehand was ‘you get what you deserve in life’ from putting that hard work and effort in.

“We have been through some pain and tough times. We have pushed some players right to the edge, and they have fronted up.

“We have got a brilliant balance in this group in terms of taking the mickey out of each other and some real banter, which is brilliant.

“But when they are asked to front up and perform at training, they get their heads on and they knuckle down.”

Wales were World Cup semi-finalists in 2011 – the first time for 24 years – and 2019, with that achievement now having an outstanding chance of being repeated.

Among Wales’ many successes in the tournament so far has been co-captain Jac Morgan’s form and leadership, which he highlighted through an immense display against Australia.

It evokes memories of New Zealand in 2011 when a 22-year-old Sam Warburton was handed the captaincy reins and delivered magnificently. At 23, flanker Morgan is so far ticking every box.

Gatland added: “He is still a young man, and I threw him in at the deep end. He has been absolutely outstanding.

“I have a huge amount of admiration for him. He is definitely a player who leads from the front, and he did exactly that (against Australia). It was a brilliant performance from him.”

Jonathan Humphreys says Wales are looking no further ahead than next opponents Georgia as their Rugby World Cup campaign continues to gather impressive momentum.

A record 40-6 victory over Eddie Jones’ Australia confirmed a quarter-final place one game inside the distance.

Wales will top the pool if they defeat Georgia in Nantes next week, before a last-eight clash potentially against Argentina in Marseille.

But while Wales have reached the tournament’s business end for a fourth successive World Cup, assistant coach Humphreys underlined that there are no thoughts beyond Georgia.

“We need to fully concentrate on Georgia. We know we are in the quarter-finals, but Georgia is a massive game for us,” Humphreys said.

“We want to keep momentum going and we don’t want to fall off the standards we are setting. We will just focus on them.

“We want to finish top of our group. It was only a few short months ago that Georgia beat us at the (Principality) stadium.

“We will be treating them with massive respect. Like we said in the changing rooms afterwards, our focus after a couple of days off will turn directly to Georgia.

“For us, the next thing is to finish top of our group, and then the quarter-final becomes the massive part for us. Literally, that’s it – I think it is dangerous to be thinking anything other than that.”

Georgia beat Wales 13-12 during last year’s autumn Tests, and Humphreys added: “They deserved it, they were excellent on the day.

“It is not about revenge or anything like that. It’s about making sure we’re at our best to win the game and top our group.”

Wales are a team transformed from the Six Nations earlier this year, when only Italy finished below them.

Significant momentum has been generated, a Welsh rugby nation believes again and there is every chance that a semi-final appearance will be Wales’ minimum World Cup return.

“He (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) has just taken us back to the DNA of this team – be fit, work hard.

“We believe that we work harder than anybody else, and that is a powerful tool. We are becoming a very tough team to beat.

“You see the team spirit here, you see everyone walking around with their families and kids. We are a very united group.

“In our meeting room yesterday where we have food, there was a big family event going on with all our kids, families and wives.

“You could hear them all laughing and joking and having a good time. We reiterate we do this for them – that’s what it is about. Right down to the bones, it is incorporated in everything we do.

“It was definitely a memory to cherish yesterday. Leaving the hotel with all the families clapping you on the bus, and then just seeing the excitement and seas of red as you are going in on the bus.

“It has been like that everywhere we’ve been. When you see a (fans) village in the middle of the city just full of people in red singing the national anthem, it is awesome, a great feeling.”

Warren Gatland says Wales will not start looking further down the track than necessary after they cruised into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a record 40-6 win against hapless Australia.

Wales made it three successive victories in Pool C, leaving Eddie Jones’ team close to group-stage elimination.

Gatland’s men are guaranteed to top the group if they defeat Georgia next month, setting up a likely quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille.

But Gatland said: “We haven’t looked past anything yet, it has been one game at a time.

“Australia came into this game feeling confident about winning. We felt confident to produce a performance today. I thought we were clinical.

“Our focus will be on Georgia, a team we lost against in the autumn (last year).

“We need to rectify that and we need to make sure we don’t drop our standards. I think these players are well aware of that – they have worked incredibly hard.

“We have put a lot of work in the last four months as a team together. We are a momentum team, we build on confidence in terms of performances.

“Today was an outstanding performance in terms of what we wanted to achieve. We were blowing a bit at half-time, but I thought we went out and controlled the second half fantastically well.”

Wales overcame the early loss of injured fly-half Dan Biggar to boss Australia in every key department and coast home through tries from scrum-half Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan, while Biggar, who kicked an early conversion, saw his replacement Gareth Anscombe boot 23 points.

It was Wales’ record win against Australia, overtaking a 25-point margin in 1975, and former England boss Jones will be left to face the music as the Wallabies lurch towards World Cup oblivion.

On Biggar, Gatland added: “Dan has stretched his pec. I haven’t spoken to the medics, but I spoke to Dan and they are saying it is probably a couple of weeks.

“We have got 13 days’ break before we take on Georgia, so that potentially rules him out of that match, just to recover. It’s not a significant injury, just a pec strain.”

Anscombe, who landed six penalties, a drop-goal and conversion after going on for Biggar in the 12th minute, said: “We talked a lot this week about family and the people we care about.

“We talk about the red wall, and to concede only six points against Australia is just remarkable.

“Dan Biggar means so much to this team, and I knew I had to just come on and do my role, and that was all I was focused on.

“The boys were really calm and we got off to a really good start. Our boys up-front were outstanding, they dominated the set-piece and I was just able to keep rolling forward.”

Eddie Jones believes he is still the right person for the job after his Australia side capitulated against Wales to leave their Rugby World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.

Jones had said before the crucial Pool C clash he had no doubt his team would win the game.

But Wales rammed those words down his throat with a dominant 40-6 success in Lyon, with two Ben Donaldson penalties Australia’s only scoring acts.

The defeat, following last week’s setback against Fiji, left the Wallabies facing a humiliating pool stage exit.

Jones apologised for his side’s performance but is confident he can turn things around.

“Firstly, I would just like to apologise to all the Australian supporters. Our performance was not up to the standard that was required,” the former England boss said.

“I came back to Australia trying to help. At the moment I am not giving much help, am I? But that doesn’t mean my commitment to helping has changed.

“I am a proud Australian. I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we have been doing, particularly under my reign.

“I think I have got the ability to turn things around. I was hoping we would be able to do it by now, but we haven’t been able to.

“I take full responsibility, I haven’t done a good enough job and I disappointed about that.

“A process unfortunately takes times, takes some pain. Sometimes it takes more pain than it does pleasure.

“While it looks at the moment like it’s a shambles, I can guarantee it is not.”

Warren Gatland says Wales will not start looking further down the track than necessary after they cruised into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a record 40-6 win against hapless Australia.

Wales made it three successive victories in Pool C, leaving Eddie Jones’ team close to group-stage elimination.

Gatland’s men are guaranteed to top the group if they defeat Georgia next month, setting up a likely quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille.

But Gatland said: “We haven’t looked past anything yet, it has been one game at a time.

“Australia came into this game feeling confident about winning. We felt confident to produce a performance today. I thought we were clinical.

“Our focus will be on Georgia, a team we lost against in the autumn (last year).

“We need to rectify that and we need to make sure we don’t drop our standards. I think these players are well aware of that – they have worked incredibly hard.

“We have put a lot of work in the last four months as a team together. We are a momentum team, we build on confidence in terms of performances.

“Today was an outstanding performance in terms of what we wanted to achieve. We were blowing a bit at half-time, but I thought we went out and controlled the second half fantastically well.”

Wales overcame the early loss of injured fly-half Dan Biggar to boss Australia in every key department and coast home through tries from scrum-half Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan, while Biggar, who kicked an early conversion, saw his replacement Gareth Anscombe boot 23 points.

It was Wales’ record win against Australia, overtaking a 25-point margin in 1975, and former England boss Jones will be left to face the music as the Wallabies lurch towards World Cup oblivion.

On Biggar, Gatland added: “Dan has stretched his pec. I haven’t spoken to the medics, but I spoke to Dan and they are saying it is probably a couple of weeks.

“We have got 13 days’ break before we take on Georgia, so that potentially rules him out of that match, just to recover. It’s not a significant injury, just a pec strain.”

Anscombe, who landed six penalties, a drop-goal and conversion after going on for Biggar in the 12th minute, said: “We talked a lot this week about family and the people we care about.

“We talk about the red wall, and to concede only six points against Australia is just remarkable.

“Dan Biggar means so much to this team, and I knew I had to just come on and do my role, and that was all I was focused on.

“The boys were really calm and we got off to a really good start. Our boys up-front were outstanding, they dominated the set-piece and I was just able to keep rolling forward.”

Dominant Wales booked a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after crushing Australia 40-6 and leaving Eddie Jones’ team close to pool-stage elimination.

A third successive Pool C victory sent Wales into the last-eight for a fourth successive World Cup under head coach Warren Gatland.

They are guaranteed to top the group if they defeat Georgia next month, setting up a likely quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille.

Wales overcame the early loss of injured fly-half Dan Biggar to boss Australia in every key department and coast home through tries from scrum-half Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan, while Biggar, who kicked an early conversion, saw his replacement Gareth Anscombe boot 23 points.

It was Wales’ record win against Australia, overtaking a 25-point margin in 1975, and former England boss Jones will be left to face the music as the Wallabies lurch towards World Cup oblivion.

The Wallabies boss said on Friday he had no doubt Australia would win the game, yet Wales rammed those words down his throat, with two Ben Donaldson penalties Australia’s only scoring acts.

It was an outstanding display by Gatland’s team as they delivered the goods through a performance that bristled with confidence, power and accuracy.

Gatland named the team that accounted for Fiji in their World Cup opener, with lock Adam Beard winning his 50th cap in a line-up skippered by flanker Morgan.

Australia showed three changes from the side beaten by Fiji last weekend as full-back Andrew Kellaway, scrum-half Tate McDermott and flanker Robert Leota were all handed starts.

Wales blasted out of the blocks and were ahead after just three minutes when Morgan broke through in midfield and Davies ran a brilliant supporting line before gathering the pass and diving over.

Biggar converted, with Wales asking immediate questions of Australia’s confidence.

The Wallabies then responded through a concerted spell of pressure inside Wales’ 22, before Biggar took a blow and required treatment and Donaldson kicked a short-range penalty that made it 7-3.

Biggar could not shake off what appeared to be a shoulder problem, being forced to leave the pitch after just 12 minutes and replaced by Anscombe.

A second Donaldson penalty cut the gap to a point as the Wallabies fought for their World Cup lives.

Anscombe hit the post with a 19th-minute penalty, but he made no mistake off the tee just two minutes later as Wales moved 10-6 ahead.

It was a fast and furious contest, and Wales had to defend resiliently at times as Australia utilised powerful back-row runners Leota and Rob Valetini.

Anscombe’s second successful penalty 12 minutes before half-time opened up a seven-point gap, and then he completed a hat-trick before Wales attacked from halfway and almost breached Australia’s defence through wing Louis Rees-Zammit.

Wales took a 10-point lead into the interval, and they were good value as the prize of a quarter-final place drew closer.

Wales extended their advantage just two minutes into the second period when Australia conceded a scrum penalty and Anscombe duly obliged with three points.

The Wallabies’ lineout also started to go astray, and Wales were turning the screw through a dominant pack superbly marshalled by Morgan and lock Will Rowlands.

And they claimed a second try after 48 minutes when Anscombe’s pinpoint chip over the top of Australia’s defensive line led to Tompkins touching down, with Anscombe converting to leave the Wallabies 26-6 adrift.

Two more Anscombe penalties took Wales past 30 points, and they were now almost toying with their hapless opponents.

Australia had no answer in the set-piece area, with Jones being loudly booed each time he appeared on the stadium’s giant screens.

Gatland was able to ring the changes with his team in so much control, and Anscombe dropped a goal 10 minutes from time that rubbed salt into gaping Australian wounds.

Wales fans were jubilant, and Morgan scored try number three from a driven lineout as Gatland’s men cruised to a remarkable landslide triumph.

Warren Gatland believes there will be degrees of desperation on both sides when Wales tackle Rugby World Cup rivals Australia on Sunday.

Victory for Wales would send them into a fourth successive World Cup quarter-final with one group game to spare.

Australia, meanwhile, know that defeat realistically condemns them to a pool-stage exit for the first time in World Cup history.

“It will be one hell of a game, and that will be down to not just them being desperate, but us being desperate to progress through this pool,” Wales head coach Gatland said.

“There is definitely desperation for us because a loss or no points and the group could potentially come down to points difference.

“That is the last position we want to be in. I think that, when you’ve worked so hard and made as many sacrifices as the coaches and players have made in the past four months, that creates its own desperation.

“Why give yourself a get out of jail card when you don’t need to do that? We are desperate for the right reasons.”

Wales co-captain and hooker Dewi Lake has missed out on a place in Wales’ matchday 23 for the Lyon showdown.

Gatland has named the same team that defeated Fiji 12 days ago, with Ryan Elias starting at hooker in a side skippered by flanker Jac Morgan.

Elliot Dee provides cover for Elias on the bench, while lock Adam Beard will win his 50th cap. There is also a spot among the replacements for former England prop Henry Thomas, who is on course to make his Wales World Cup debut.

Flanker Tommy Reffell, a late withdrawal due to a tight calf muscle before Wales faced Portugal last weekend, also misses out, with Taine Basham providing back-row bench cover.

“He (Lake) was disappointed. He hasn’t had a lot of rugby, he has been carrying an injury and that was probably the decision we made for that one,” Gatland added.

“I have always been a fan of Elliot Dee in terms of his lineout throwing and how he brings energy off the bench. I know Dewi was disappointed, but it doesn’t mean that he is not going to feature in further games.”

Gatland is relishing another coaching encounter with Australia head coach and former England boss Eddie Jones, who has come in for considerable criticism following the Wallabies’ 22-15 defeat against Fiji last weekend.

That result has left Australia in the last-chance saloon as they look to navigate their way out of Pool C and onwards in the competition.

“You have come to realise what to expect from an Eddie team,” Gatland said.

“With regards to the way they are going to play on Sunday, we have prepared for a couple of scenarios.

“I was surprised at their tactics against Fiji. There were 11 less minutes ball-in-play time to us (Wales against Fiji), so I am not 100 per cent sure tactically how they will come at us.

“As coaches, we all come under pressure at times – it is part of the job.

“In fairness to Eddie, he is trying to take as much pressure off the players as he can, saying he is responsible for the results and that things aren’t good enough.

“Our relationship has always been good. We have been out on a number of occasions and had meals together. I find his company good – he is engaging.

“If you look at the recent record of games between Wales and Australia, there is never much in it. They won’t lie down and roll over for us.

“What I am happy about at the moment is putting some pride back in that Welsh jersey. It doesn’t take long to lose it.

“I don’t think we had the respect of the rugby world in terms of performance and results. That has been an objective of ours over the last few months, and players have made a lot of sacrifices.”

Gareth Thomas says it would be “an amazing feeling” if Wales beat Australia and book a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place one game inside the distance.

Wales tackle the Wallabies in Lyon on Sunday knowing that victory would confirm one of the two qualifying spots from Pool C.

England or Argentina are then likely last-eight opponents in Marseille next month, with Wales maintaining a 100 per cent record of reaching the knock-out phase under head coach Warren Gatland during four successive World Cup campaigns.

Wales then have a break next week before completing their group schedule against Georgia in Nantes.

“When we came here we always wanted to win all the games in the group and nothing has changed,” Wales prop Thomas said.

“We’ve got the same mindset. We want to go out there and perform and get the win.

“That would be an amazing feeling wouldn’t it, getting the third win? We don’t want anything but that. We are looking forward to this weekend and then we will have a couple of days to recover after that.”

While Wales occupy the box-seat, Australia must win to have any chance of progressing from a pool that also includes Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.

A 22-15 defeat to Fiji in Saint-Etienne last weekend has elevated the prospect of Australia not progressing to the quarter-finals, which has been their minimum achievement in all nine previous World Cup campaigns.

Australia’s record in the tournament against Wales is a good one, though, having toppled them five times from seven attempts, but the latest meeting will undoubtedly see them weakened by injured forwards Taniela Tupou and Will Skelton missing out.

Thomas added: “They are always going to be dangerous when you play against them.

“We wanted to come here with the mindset of winning all the pool games, and nothing has changed for us. So whether they have won or lost, it doesn’t change anything for us.

“We take a lot of confidence from the Fiji game and Portugal game and what we’ve done all summer, really, and feel like we can only get better as well.

“We know it is going to be a big, physical contest and we are looking forward to getting out there.

“It doesn’t really make any difference to me whether they (Tupou and Skelton) are in or not.

“We’ve got our heavies behind us – Will (Rowlands) and Beardy (Adam Beard) and Daf (Dafydd Jenkins). They are all heavy boys and Christ (Tshiunza) as well. We’ve got plenty of power ourselves.”

Thomas is among 16 Wales players involved in a first World Cup campaign and he is relishing the experience on and off the pitch.

Wales assistant coach Alex King has compared the squad to a “band of brothers”, and Thomas said: “There is just something special about every game in the World Cup, so we are watching them and just enjoying them because there is a big buzz about everything.

“We have fines committees. The (latest) sheet came out with all the fines on it and Nick Tompkins racked up a decent bill.

“He wore the wrong T-shirt and he was a little bit late for monitoring after the Fiji game because his alarm didn’t go off. It’s all good fun.

“I am on environment, so making sure everything is clean and taking the empty bottles, putting them in the bin. That’s my job, the guy who tells everyone to clean up their own stuff.”

Wales assistant coach Jonathan Thomas has described Australia as “a wounded animal” ahead of Sunday’s Rugby World Cup clash that could see the Wallabies make unwanted history.

Eddie Jones’ team are teetering on the edge of a World Cup pool stage exit for the first time.

If Wales beat them in Lyon, then their quarter-final hopes will be over and head coach Eddie Jones left to face the music.

“It is a cliche, and I apologise, but you just have to focus on yourselves,” Thomas said.

“When you start thinking about permutations or selection of the opposition, you go down a rabbit hole, in my opinion.

“Confidence, for me, comes from the work you do during the week. That is where we get our focus from.

“We respect Australia as a rugby nation. They are a wounded animal, they can be dangerous.”

Australia hold a 5-2 lead across the countries’ seven previous World Cup meetings, but Wales will start as favourites this time around.

They have collected a maximum 10 points from their first two Pool C games – a record that only Ireland of any other team in the competition can match.

Wales’ pool stage win against Australia in Japan four years ago set them on a course to the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by South Africa in Yokohama.

Wales centre George North added: “I’ve been to quite a few World Cups now, and to get early results is good.

“I think if you had said to us we would have 10 points after the first two games, I think everyone would have bitten your hand off. It is a massive game that we have to go and win on Sunday.

“The quality we have got now is really showing. Each day everyone is trying to get better to fight for that jersey and that’s what drives you on.

“It (qualifying on Sunday) would certainly be a little weight off the shoulders, wouldn’t it? What has stood us in good stead is just focusing on every game as it comes.

“We will have had an eight-day turnaround, which helps, from the Portugal game. We’ve had that rotation and allowed everyone to have a game.

“The families have been out and we’ve seen them. Every week, we have a day off, and that ability to switch off is key. I think it has really showed.

“This week, boys are really chomping at the bit. Yesterday was what we would call a recovery day, but it was far from recovery. It was very much on full gas.

“I think if we can keep pushing that today and the rest of the week, it will put us in a great position come Sunday.”

Wales head coach Warren Gatland’s team selection looks unlikely to deviate far, if it all, from the one that defeated Fiji in Bordeaux 10 days ago.

He could, though, decide on naming two specialist openside flankers in the back row, with Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell starting alongside number eight Taulupe Faletau.

Reffell was due to feature against Portugal, but a tight calf muscle saw him withdrawn from the starting line-up just before kick-off.

Thomas said: “It was a prudent move not to play him. He is being assessed every day. He is the only one we will weigh up – everyone else is fit.

“The good thing we’ve got with our back-rowers is that they are versatile. All of them can play in different positions, pretty much, so those options are always there. We will see.”