Coach: Warren Gatland
Co-captains: Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake
One of the more interested spectators at England's tussle with Fiji last weekend was Warren Gatland. Wales's head coach had a dual interest with the islanders being his team's first opponents in the World Cup and the home side being potential quarter-final opposition.
Wales seem to be grouped with Fiji every World Cup – 2003 was the last time they were kept apart. The result has gone the way of Gatland's side in the last three tournaments, but in 2007 the islanders prevailed in Nantes to qualify for the quarter-finals at Wales's expense.
The defeat prompted the Welsh Rugby Union to fly officials to New Zealand to persuade Gatland, who had taken Ireland to the 1999 World Cup, to take charge of a side that had missed the cut in three of the previous five World Cups.
The rest is history, but will the wheel complete its circle in Bordeaux next Sunday night when Wales take on a Fiji side who last month pushed France close in Nantes before beating England for the first time, and who go into the tournament as the leading non-championship nation.
Gatland has a strong World Cup record. Wales made the semi-finals in 2011 and 2019, unfortunate first to lose to France by a point in Auckland after Sam Warburton's early dismissal. They were left to rue missed kicks and four years ago they were drawing 16-16 with South Africa when a penalty that could have gone either way was awarded to the Springboks and Handre Pollard's boot took them to the final.
South Africa eliminated Wales in 2015 at the quarter-final stage at Twickenham, a point down with five minutes to go when Fourie du Preez scored a try from a scrum to finally unlock a defiant defence.
It makes for three hard luck stories. Wales went into each of those tournaments talking themselves up having won a Grand Slam in each of the cycles, but this year they struggled in the Six Nations, winning only one game, and three warm-up matches last month showed that, like 2007, they did not have a nailed on starting XV.
If there is a parallel with Gatland's other World Cup campaigns with Wales it is 2011 when he promoted a number of young players and dumped some experience because he felt the side had flatlined. Taulupe Faletau, George North and Leigh Halfpenny all started the 66-0 group victory over Fiji in Hamilton 12 years ago and they, along with Dan Lydiate who missed that match, are among the 33 in France.
There are eight survivors from the 2015 squad and 12 from four years ago but six players who featured in the final match of this year's Six Nations against France in Paris are missing, including Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Ken Owens and Wyn Jones, four players chosen by the 2021 Lions.
Opponents knew what was coming during Gatland's first 12 years in charge of Wales. A gameplan based on achieving physical superiority, coming out on top in the aerial battle and conditioning the side to last for 80 minutes held few surprises but was highly effective – until it met stiffened resistance and a lack of creative ability was at times exposed.
Wales still kick a lot and the players have again been pushed to their mental and physical limits in training camps this summer, but the raw power they had is no longer there. North is now a centre rather than a marauding wing, a defensive anchor, but Wales have used four players inside him this year with three others tried in the position last year.
Jamie Roberts was the inside-centre in 2011 and 2015 with Hadleigh Parkes taking over four years ago. The choice against Fiji looks to be between Nick Tompkins, who although not a traditional second-five is a link player, or Johnny Williams, a direct runner who played against South Africa last month having been dogged by injury.
Wales's strength looks in the back three. Liam Williams was back to his most imposing at Twickenham, Louis Rees-Zammit is one of the deadliest finishers around and Josh Adams is a proven try scorer who claimed a hattrick against Fiji in the last World Cup. Having lost Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones, two former captains who announced their retirement from international rugby in the summer, and the skipper in this year's Six Nations, Ken Owens, through injury, Gatland has to replace key figures in his leadership group.
An added problem is injuries with hookers Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias picking up knocks in the warm-up matches along with second row Dafydd Jenkins while No.8 Faletau has not played since last season because of a calf problem.
It has been a difficult last year for Wales, routed at home by New Zealand and South Africa, admittedly with a weakened team against the latter, and pipped by group rivals Australia and Georgia. If the talk four years ago was about going all the way and winning the World Cup for the first time (a month before the start of the World Cup they briefly topped the world rankings), the focus now is on making the quarter-finals and taking it from there.
The only form side in the group is Fiji and it says a lot that they are the highest ranked side in 7th. Australia, who have lost five out of five under Eddie Jones, are 9th, Wales 10th and Georgia 11th. There are no favourites and momentum will be everything.
Which is where Gatland comes in. Having stood down after the last World Cup, he was tempted back when his successor, Wayne Pivac, departed after a poor autumn campaign.
He was used to the politics of Welsh rugby, but he had not expected the breakdown in the relationship between union and regions and chaos at boardroom level that saw the chief executive resign and an independent chairman appointed.
The only way is up. Gatland has spent his entire coaching career with sides regarded as underdogs rather than big hitters but few have been more successful and he is Wales's biggest asset.
Wales are in virtually the same group as they were in Japan, Portugal for Uruguay being the only change. They conquered all then, but bonus points this time will be crucial.
ONE TO WATCH
Jac Morgan
Tyro skipper tackles hard and is a major threat over the ball
