STORM WARNING
Embattled Welsh up for bruising opening clash
SHAUN EDWARDS was talking about a potential typhoon ripping through Toyota today — but he could have been discussing the week that was for Wales.
‘If a storm comes, there is nothing we can do about that,’ said the defence coach on the eve of Wales’ opening World Cup match against Georgia.
Thankfully Typhoon Tapah is dying down and not likely to whip Wales into as much of a frenzy as the saga of Rob Howley — the attack coach sent home for an alleged break of betting regulation — from which they have tried to move on.
There is a roof on the Toyota City Stadium, which folds over and looks like an armadillo’s back, but it will not close to protect Wales from the elements as crippling maintenance costs have meant it has not been shut for four years.
Never mind, historically Wales are good in a storm, whether metaphorical or meteorological.
Look at the week before they played Scotland in the Six Nations, when two Welsh regions almost merged just days before the Test, or the Ireland game in which Wales sealed the Grand Slam in a downpour.
‘We’re confident about the way we can play in the wet, we are a good wet-weather team,’ noted Edwards. ‘If it is wet and slippery, which it could be, we have to adapt our tactics and tighten things up.’
Boxed into the corner by the week’s events, Wales are likely to slug their way out against Georgia. But Edwards — a keen fan of the fight game — is wary today’s rivals possess a mighty hook that could unexpectedly fell them.
‘You can’t look too far ahead. Heavyweight boxing has proved that over the last few months,’ he said before being asked if Wales could fall into the trap Anthony Joshua did against unfancied underdog Andy Ruiz Jnr in June.
‘Tyson Fury the other night, too,’ said Edwards. ‘He had a bad cut and could have lost that fight. There’s no complacency in our team. Rugby is very emotive and you have to encourage that emotion, but we have to control that and use it in the right way.
‘We’ve been preparing for this for a very long time — two years in the making — and we’re fully focused against a formidable opponent and one that we have a lot of respect for.
‘They’re big men, they’re going to be physical but so are we.’
Coach Warren Gatland has assembled the oldest starting XV Wales have ever fielded in a World Cup match with an average age of 28 years and 331 days, so there is no lack of experience.
Wales should win convincingly.