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Welsh spirits high despite injuries

London - Wales are refusing to be downhearted by the injury problems that are threatening to undermine their Rugby World Cup campaign, flanker Dan Lydiate said on Monday.

Having lost fullback Leigh Halfpenny and scrumhalf Rhys Webb before the tournament, six Wales players suffered injuries in their opening win over Uruguay ahead of the Pool A showdown against hosts England on Saturday.

"We've had more injuries than we'd like but it is just the way it goes sometimes," Lydiate told reporters.

"There are boys to come in to fill those places and as a squad we're in a strong place. We've got a massive challenge this week and we've just got to focus on each day and each game as it comes."

Lydiate believes playing England on their home ground is just the challenge Wales need.

"It's hard but we've just got to focus on the task in hand and there's no better opportunity to come up here and play England in their own back yard," he said.

Wales lost at home to England in this year's Six Nations and have not fared well against their arch-rivals recently.

"The World Cup is always different," Lydiate said.

"We always love playing against England but the last run of games hasn't gone in our favour. We want to put that right this week."

Lydiate was impressed by England's performance in their opening 35-11 win over Fiji.

"England played well at the weekend and had a good result against a strong Fiji team," he said.

"We know we've got our work cut out but that adds to the flavour."

Lydiate sustained a head injury after coming on as a replacement against Uruguay but is fully fit.

"I was fine to come back on but there was only 10 seconds left in the game," he said.

"I passed my off-field test straight away to come back on so I'll just have another test now in the week. I feel fine."

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