Wales hopeful back-line trio Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Dan Biggar will all be available for World Cup quarter-final crunch match with Argentina in Marseille

• Wales face Argentina in their highly anticipated World Cup quarter-final match 
• All three were doubts over their injuries, but Wales recieved a positive update
• Starting number 8 Taulupe Faletau suffered a broken arm in the win over Georgia

Wales have issued a positive fitness update on Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Dan Biggar, insisting they are hopeful the back-line trio will all be fit for their World Cup quarter-final.

Warren Gatland’s side face Argentina in Marseille in the first of the four knock-out clashes on Saturday afternoon but are sweating on the fitness of key players.

No 8 Taulupe Faletau has already flown home after being ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a broken arm suffered in the win over Georgia.

Full-back Williams (knee) and fly-halves Anscombe (groin) and Biggar (pectoral) are all nursing knocks too. Williams came off against Georgia while Anscombe suffered his injury in the warm-up.

Liam Williams was a doubt for Argentina after coming off against Georgia with a kneee injury

Dan Biggar took a nasty blow to the chest against Australia, and was benched against Georgia

Biggar took a nasty chest blow against Australia and came on to the bench for the Georgia game when Anscombe was forced to withdraw although he did not play.

‘As far as I’m aware everyone’s available for selection,’ Wales head of physical performance Huw Bennett said at his team’s training base in Versailles on Monday.

On Williams and Anscombe, the former hooker added: ‘They’re good, the boys are recovering well.

‘Liam was on crutches after the game but that was just precautionary and with Gareth it was upsetting to make a last-minute call, but he’s recovering well.

‘On Sunday, Wales called up scrum-half Kieran Hardy to replace Faletau – a move which suggested they are happy with their existing back-row and No 10 options.

Even if Anscombe is not fit for Argentina, Biggar should be and Wales also have Sam Costelow to act as a back-up playmaker if needed.

Aaron Wainwright is the favourite to replace Faletau at No 8 for Wales against Argentina who have also lost a key back-row in the shape of Pablo Matera.

Tough-tackling flanker Matera suffered a hamstring injury in Argentina’s win over Japan which sealed their quarter-final qualification. It means he is unlikely to face Wales.

Meanwhile, World Rugby have confirmed smart mouthguard technology will be used to improve the head injury assessment process as part of a £2million investment into player safety.

Smart mouthguards – which are worn by players on the field – contain a microchip that works in real time to send alerts of high forces to the independent matchday doctor. 

Gareth Anscombe also got injured during the warm-up of Wales pool game against Georgia

Taulupe Faletau broke his arm and had to get a flight home, missing the rest of the World Cup

This will, for the first time, enable players who have experienced a high acceleration event, but not shown symptoms or been seen by broadcast cameras, to be taken off and assessed.

The new protocol and technology will be debuted in elite women’s competition WXV from October and will be integrated into the head injury assessment process in the men’s game from January 2024. 

World Rugby’s chief medical officer Dr Eanna Falvey said: ‘The latest scientific research and expert opinion is telling us one thing – reduce the forces players experience on their heads at all levels of the game. That is exactly what we’re doing.

‘The advances in smart mouthguard technology mean elite players will be better cared for than ever before. 

‘We are taking smart mouthguards out of the realm of medical research and putting them into the world of everyday performance management to continue to manage player welfare in the best way possible.’

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