Fiji 0 Wales 66: Emphatic Wales ease through the group stages with thumping win

Wales are two wins away from reaching their first World Cup final. And while much of their qualification for the last eight from Pool D can be put down to experienced campaigners like scrum-half Phillips, the younger generation has left its mark.

Skipper Sam Warburton, wings George North and Leigh Halfpenny and Phillips’ scrum-half replacement Lloyd Williams – a quartet with a combined age of just 84 – all scored tries in the 66-0 rout of Fiji at Waikato Stadium.

“It is absolutely immense,” Phillips said. “These guys are so physical and powerful in the contact area, busting through tackles and off-loading.

“The youngsters have come through academy systems, which weren’t set up for my generation. George has been doing weights since he was about eight, I think.

“He’s immense, and he is still only about 14 now and he’s bossing the tournament.

“Full credit to the structure in Wales with the academies and the work that has gone in. The boys are coming through thick and fast. When you are doing fitness testing you want to stick next to George and these boys. They are leading the way and it is inspiring for everyone.

“We have a good blend – it’s a great group. The atmosphere is great in the camp and there is no end of talent there.

“The boys have a quiet confidence about them – there is no arrogance at all. They just want to get on with the job and work hard, and it is a pleasure to be in the squad and to be around these great people.”

Wales will fly to Wellington today ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final appointment with Ireland, and they can head south reporting no fresh injury concerns.

Full-back James Hook (shoulder), wing Shane Williams (thigh strain) and flanker Dan Lydiate (ankle) missed the Fiji game, but they all look set to be in contention for Ireland.

“We play Ireland every year in the Six Nations and it’s always a battle against them,” added Phillips, who scored the winning try against them last season.

“It is going to be a great game, winner-takes-all, and there will be a massive focus.

“We’ve done well against them in previous years, but they have always been close encounters.

“When they won the Grand Slam (in 2009) they nicked it off us at the end. It’s going to be a close game, about taking opportunities and being very clinical like we were against Fiji.

“It was a superb performance again by the boys. We wanted to start well because we knew Fiji could fall away. We had to be clinical and deny them any hope in the first 20 minutes. We scored some early tries – it was a brutal performance. The job is done as far as the group goes, but we want to go all the way.”