Josh Adams believes Wales will face ‘probably the toughest Fiji team’ they have ever encountered in their pool opener – as he looks to build on impressive 2019 World Cup try record

• Josh Adams says Wales will play ‘probably the toughest Fiji team we have faced’
• Wales open their World Cup against Pool C’s top-ranked team on Sunday 
• Rugby World Cup 2023: Click here for Mail Sport’s latest coverage from France
• Latest Rugby World Cup 2023 news, including fixtures, live scores and results

Josh Adams wasn’t present for the arrival of his first child in 2021 and watched on Zoom from the Lions tour of South Africa as his partner Georgia gave birth alone.

The top try-scorer at the last World Cup in Japan was there as he and Georgia welcomed their new son Beauden prior to Adams flying to France.

It meant Adams departed for his second global showpiece with a spring in his step. He will need it on Sunday, as Wales target an opening win against Fiji in Bordeaux.

‘It was pretty straightforward,’ Adams said of his son’s arrival.

‘My partner had our baby boy two weeks ago. I was there for this one which was nice.

Josh Adams recently welcomed the arrival of his second child – and was able to be present for the birth this time around

Looking ahead to Wales’ World Cup opener, he said it would be ‘probably the toughest Fiji team we have faced’

‘Childbirth is a crazy thing and watching it on Zoom was probably a lot different to being there in person. They are both doing brilliant.’

Adams starred at the 2019 World Cup, scoring seven times. Wales faced Fiji in the pool stages in the Far East, Adams bagging a treble in a tricky encounter his team just edged after falling 10-0 behind and losing then hooker Ken Owens to a yellow card. ‘Another hat-trick would be nice,’ quipped Adams with a smile.

‘There were a couple of clips we’ve watched from 2019. You don’t blow them (Fiji) away early doors – they are competitive and have got a lot better since we played them in 2019.

‘This is probably the toughest Fiji team we have faced.

‘As a team, we are all just desperate to get out and play now.’

Fiji are the top-ranked team in Pool C and beat England at Twickenham last month.

The Pacific Islanders are hugely dangerous, but the loss of playmaker Caleb Muntz to a tournament-ending knee injury has disrupted them.

‘One of my catchphrases is play like a Fijian, so traditionally that’s the offloading, the quick touch and aggressive ball carrying,’ said their head coach Simon Raiwalui said.

‘That’s what I’ve really pushed – to play like a Fijian.’

That may well spell trouble for Wales and the likes of centre Nick Tompkins, who has the unenviable task of trying to keep Fijian magician Semi Radradra quiet.

Wales are preparing hard to open their campaign against the top-ranked team in Pool C

Fiji will be without playmaker Caleb Muntz, whose tournament-ending knee injury has disrupted them 

Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui said that he wants his team to ‘play like Fijians’ – though they have worked on areas where they were traditionally weaker 

‘Semi has played for Bristol and been outstanding. You watch the magic he can do. I won’t say I am intimidated by it – you have just got to be prepared for it,’ Tompkins said.

‘You have got to stop the off-load and you have got to front up.’

On Wales, Raiwalui added: ‘They’ll come very well prepared, they’ll be tactically astute, and they’ll be looking at things they can attack us with. They obviously have a very good tactical game.

‘But we’re a different Fijian team. We’ve worked on certain areas that have traditionally been a weakness for us so it’s going to be a good challenge.’

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