{"id":288644,"date":"2023-09-14T00:35:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T00:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=288644"},"modified":"2023-09-14T00:35:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T00:35:03","slug":"louis-rees-zammit-says-wales-have-a-lot-to-improve-when-they-face-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/rugby-union\/louis-rees-zammit-says-wales-have-a-lot-to-improve-when-they-face-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Louis Rees-Zammit says Wales have \u2018a lot to improve\u2019 when they face Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\" width=\"134\" height=\"134\" layout=\"responsive\"><\/p>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing<\/h3>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news<\/h3>\n<h2>Thanks for signing up to the<br \/> Sport email<\/h2>\n<p>Louis Rees-Zammit has underlined Wales\u2019 \u201cgame by game mentality\u201d as they target a second successive Rugby World Cup victory that would strengthen their quarter-final ambitions.<\/p>\n<p>Wales, fresh from a thrilling bonus-point victory over Fiji, tackle Pool C minnows Portugal on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe got the win (against Fiji), which was the main thing, but there is a lot to improve,\u201d Rees-Zammit said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got Portugal next and we know they have got great backs, so it\u2019s going to be a tough game.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/11\/30\/15\/GettyImages-1388382959%20copy.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/12\/01\/03\/GettyImages-1245251240.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have got a game by game mentality, and that is our focus. You can\u2019t slip up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Lake suffered a knee problem during Wales\u2019 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.<\/p>\n<p>Grady, meanwhile, is partnered in midfield by Johnny Williams, Leigh Halfpenny wins his 101st cap at full-back and another experienced campaigner \u2013 flanker Dan Lydiate \u2013 also features.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\" width=\"129\" height=\"56\"><\/p>\n<p>Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n<p>Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\" width=\"129\" height=\"56\"><\/p>\n<p>Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n<p>Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Prop Henry Thomas is the only player in Wales\u2019 33-strong World Cup squad who will not have started or been named on the bench across the first two games.<\/p>\n<p>Wales\u2019 bonus-point success against Fiji has set them up for a repeat performance against Portugal, who are the Pool C minnows.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Gatland said: \u201cWe\u2019ve made a few changes this week given the six-day turnaround.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a chance now for this group to go out on Saturday and to put down their own marker in the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve done a thorough debrief of last week\u2019s game and know the areas we need to improve.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/16\/c1667546a52601de6a09132f6120b610Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0NzAyODAy-2.69849509.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/16\/430319ba0f38d23096e6674e50662594Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0NzAzNDM2-2.67005672.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/16\/7243641088dcd39e7903ee151a98f84bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0NzAwOTE1-2.73710789.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPortugal 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-union\/louis-reeszammit-wales-portugal-leigh-halfpenny-shane-williams-b2410837.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/rugby-union\/louis-rees-zammit-says-wales-have-a-lot-to-improve-when-they-face-portugal\/\" title=\"Louis Rees-Zammit says Wales have \u2018a lot to improve\u2019 when they face Portugal\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":288643,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - 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