Hill in a race to recover from his ankle injury

CORY HILL could be flown home from the World Cup this week after struggling to recover from an ankle injury.

The Wales lock, 27, has not played since hurting his ankle in the Six Nations win over England in March but was taken to Japan in the hope that he would recover in time for Sunday’s game against Australia.

Asked at Wales’ post-match press conference following a 43-14 World Cup victory over Georgia if Hill was out of the tournament, head coach Warren Gatland said: ‘Possibly. If he doesn’t return to fitness, he will go back to the UK. We’re going to assess him tomorrow and see what sort of progress he has made. ‘If it’s not good news, he will go back. If they think he can recover, then he will stay out. We are going to assess that overnight.’ Gatland also revealed that centre Hadleigh Parkes suffered ‘a bit of a bone fracture’ in his hand against Georgia, but he is not expected to be a fitness issue for Sunday’s Pool D showdown against Australia. And fly-half Dan Biggar suffered a cut under his chin during the warm-up, but he went on to deliver a solid display as Wales began their campaign in six-try fashion. The Six Nations champions delivered a strong statement of intent less than a week before tackling Australia as they put Georgia to the sword during a dominant first-half display. Wales had a bonus point wrapped up by half-time after tries from centre Jonathan Davies, flanker Justin Tipuric, wing Josh Adams and full-back Liam Williams, with Biggar kicking three conversions and a penalty.

And although the second period proved a much tighter affair — tries by hooker Shalva Mamukashvili and replacement prop Levan Chilachava accurately reflected a stirring Georgia recovery — Wales were never threatened.

Fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze kicked two conversions, while Biggar added the extras to Wales’ fifth try from substitute scrum-half Tomos Williams before wing George North claimed a fine solo try that Leigh Halfpenny converted.

Wales went into the game in the wake of assistant coach Rob Howley being sent home from Japan last week for an alleged breach of World Rugby’s betting regulations.

And reflecting on the situation, Gatland said: ‘You just have to draw a line in the sand and move on. You can’t change the past and what has happened. You have to look forward.

‘I said to the players beforehand, I thought they’ve been outstanding this week. It was definitely strange (without Howley). You’ve just got to give Stephen (Jones, Howley’s replacement) as much support as you possibly can.’