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8.05am GMT
Warren Gatland doesn’t need World Cup victory to secure his legacy in Welsh rugby. Three Grand Slams and another Six Nations Championship are already in the trophy cabinet, but triumph in Japan would be the sweetest way to sign off from a glittering 12 years. Today, the Springboks stand between Gatland’s men and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of a final against England next week. As Prince Charles memorably observed of the Boks this week: “They’re bloody big buggers, aren’t they?”
In truth, Wales were below par in their final group match against Uruguay and decidedly poor for most of the quarter-final against France last week. But if there’s one thing Gatland and captain Alun Wyn-Jones have instilled in this Welsh team - evidenced by that late, edgy win against Les Bleus - it’s an ability to get over the line in high-pressure matches. They ground out a comeback victory in a Grand Slam decider against England in March, and saw off the Wallabies in a crunch Pool C encounter five weeks ago. To win today they will probably need to produce the best performance of Gatland’s reign. Continue reading...