The quarter-finals kick off with a banger in Marseille, as Wales meet Argentina for the right to face either Ireland or New Zealand in Saint-Denis in the last four.
Wales have yet to put a foot wrong in France, qualifying out of Pool C with 19 points and four wins in four matches, rounding off the first stage of the competition with a 43-19 win over Georgia in Nantes last Saturday.
Head coach Warren Gatland has made six personnel changes to his starting XV from the team that defeated Georgia last time out, with fit-again Dan Biggar starting at fly-half, and Tommy Reffell retained at openside flanker. Captain Jac Morgan moves to blindside flanker and Aaron Wainwright replaces the injured Taulupe Faletau at eight.
Wales fly-half Dan Biggar they are not ready to go home: "The first thing is the prize at the end of it. We have spoken all week about we’re not quite ready to go home yet. It’s funny how time changes as probably three, four or five months ago if somebody had said that we were going to win our pool and be in a really strong position to make a semi-final then people would have thought you were talking absolute madness.
"It just shows how much confidence and belief we have had in the group as the weeks have gone by and the more time we have spent together. This is the reason why you play rugby: big occasions, quarter-final of a World Cup.
"It has just been a real special week. It’s been brilliant being based where we have been. We’re all glad that we’re on this side of the draw for a few reasons, but also because we get to play in this magnificent stadium and sample something a bit different. The prize at the end of it is why we play rugby as we want to be involved in weeks like this."
After an opening-round defeat against England, Argentina recovered to claim the second Pool D quarter-final berth with a 39-27 win over Japan at Stade de la Beaujoire six days ago.
Scrum-half Tomás Cubelli has replaced Gonzalo Bertranou and Facundo Isa has come into Los Pumas’ back row for the injured Pablo Matera as head coach Michael Cheika makes two changes to his starting XV.
But Cheika’s reliance on experience hasn’t wavered. The side to face Wales in Marseille features nine survivors from the squad that beat Ireland in Cardiff at the same stage of Rugby World Cup 2015 – Matías Alemanno, Agustín Creevy, Tomás Cubelli, Facundo Isa, Tomas Lavanini, Julián Montoya, Matías Moroni, Guido Petti and Nicolás Sánchez.
Argentina assistant coach Felipe Contepomi said Wales must stop them and not Argentina stop Wales: “They are strategies; Wales' stand-up play is just one part of the dangerous team they are; They have good defence, good fixed formations. Our first plan is for them to stop us and not us to stop them; more focused on us.”
“Then, taking the precaution of understanding where they want to take the game. It will be to see who can impose the game strategy. If we can impose our strategy, which I think is good for this match, we can have some advantage. If they impose their strategy, the afternoon may be longer.”
Teams:
Wales: 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Jac Morgan (c), 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 9 Gareth Davies, 10 Dan Biggar, 11 Josh Adams, 12 Nick Tompkins, 13 George North, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 15 Liam Williams. Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Dafydd Jenkins, 20 Christ Tshiunza, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Rio Dyer.
Argentina: 1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Facundo Isa, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 15 Juan Cruz Mallia. Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Joel Sclavi, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Matías Moroni.
