Wales must keep Georgia on their minds - Humphreys

Jac Morgan and Josh Adams were among the Wales players disconsolate in defeat by Georgia in November, 2022

Venue: Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Date: Saturday, 7 October Kick-off: 14:00 BST
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website & app; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app.

Jonathan Humphreys has a message for all those Wales fans who are revelling in the manner in which they breezed into the World Cup quarter-finals by blowing Australia's hopes apart in Lyon.

"It was only a few short months ago that Georgia beat us at the (Principality) Stadium," said Wales forwards coach Humphreys.

He was in charge of Wales' pack that day and is guiding them as a rare survivor of the Wayne Pivac regime under current boss Warren Gatland in France.

Eight of Wales' starting line up from that historic 13-12 Georgia win in Cardiff are also part of Gatland's squad at the World Cup, along with three replacements.

Captain Jac Morgan, who is on his way to being a current icon among Wales supporters, scored Wales' two tries against Los Lelos and the back division included Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Josh Adams and Tomos Williams.

Morgan had Adam Beard and Dillon Lewis alongside him in the Wales pack, while Taulupe Faletau and Dafydd Jenkins came off the bench.

And still Wales lost in a defeat that led to the end of Pivac's reign and Gatland's return.

Against Georgia, Wales have the chance to top their pool and remain unbeaten before the knockout stage begins.

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However, Humphreys wants minds focused on only one thing.

"We need to fully concentrate on Georgia. We know we are in the quarter-finals, but Georgia is a massive game for us," he said.

"We want to keep momentum going and we don't want to fall off the standards we are setting. We will just focus on them.

"We will be treating them with massive respect. Like we said in the changing rooms afterwards, our focus after a couple of days off will turn directly to Georgia.

"For us, the next thing is to finish top of our group, and then the quarter-final becomes the massive part for us. Literally, that's it - I think it is dangerous to be thinking anything other than that."

Georgia have yet to win in the tournament, having lost to Australia and drawn against Portugal, and will be underdogs against Fiji on Saturday, 30 September in Bordeaux - with the Fijians seeking to clinch a quarter-final spot of their own.

But Humphreys remains respectful of Georgia's November triumph against Wales.

"They deserved it, they were excellent on the day," he said.

"It is not about revenge or anything like that. It's about making sure we're at our best to win the game and top our group."

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If Wales perform as Humphreys hopes, he will put it down to Gatland's coaching influence allied with ensuring squad members and families are looked after off the field.

"He has just taken us back to the DNA of this team - be fit, work hard," said Humphreys.

"We believe that we work harder than anybody else, and that is a powerful tool. We are becoming a very tough team to beat.

"You see the team spirit here, you see everyone walking around with their families and kids. We are a very united group.

"In our meeting room yesterday where we have food, there was a big family event going on with all our kids, families and wives.

"You could hear them all laughing and joking and having a good time. We reiterate we do this for them - that's what it is about.

"Right down to the bones, it is incorporated in everything we do.

"It was definitely a memory to cherish yesterday (Sunday). Leaving the hotel with all the families clapping you on the bus, and then just seeing the excitement and sea of red as you are going in on the bus.

"It has been like that everywhere we've been. When you see a (fans') village in the middle of the city just full of people in red singing the national anthem, it is awesome, a great feeling."