Warren Gatland shifts team announcement for Australia Rugby World Cup Clash

Wales are weighing up the fitness of Tommy Reffell as they prepare to name their team to face Australia at the end of this week.

Having named their teams to face Fiji and Portugal three days before the respective matches so far in this tournament, Wales will revert to the more usual protocol of announcing their team two days before their clash against the Wallabies this weekend, with Warren Gatland set to hold a press conference at Rolland Garros on Friday.

No reason has been given so far for the change in tack, but the fitness of openside Reffell could be one reason. The Leicester Tigers openside pulled out of the clash with Portugal prior to kick-off, with the Wales coaching staff not willing to risk further injury as he deals with a tight calf.

The other injury concern had been prop Henry Thomas, with the tight-head prop the only Welsh player not to feature in the tournament so far as he battles a hamstring issue.

On Wednesday, coach Jonathan Thomas said everyone in the squad - including Reffell and Thomas - was still in contention, although the former was still being assessed daily.

"Tommy obviously pulled up, that is being assessed," Thomas said. "It was a tight calf. That's probably the only one we will weigh up. Everyone has a clean bill of health."

When asked if Wales would consider two opensides to get at the Australian breakdown, Thomas added: "It is something we looked at it in the Six Nations. You are asking for the team, aren't you? I am not going to give it to you. The good thing we've got with our back-rowers is that they are versatile. All of them can play in different positions, pretty much, so those options are always there. We'll see."

Thomas also described the Wallabies as a "wounded animal" as they bid to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Wales head into the match in Lyon knowing victory will secure a quarter-final place, while Australia need a victory to effectively stay in contention after their defeat to Fiji.

"It is a cliché, and I apologise, but you just have to focus on yourselves," he added. "When you start thinking about permutations or selection of the opposition, you go down a rabbit-hole, in my opinion. Confidence, for me, comes from the work you do during the week. That is where we get our focus from. We respect Australia as a rugby nation. They are a wounded animal, they can be dangerous."