Wales’ Rugby World Cup form has been years in the making, according to star wing Josh Adams.
The Cardiff Blues back is currently the tournament’s joint top try scorer, alongside Kotaro Matsushima, with five tries to his name.
He was one of only two players to start in all four pool stage games, with the other being centre Hadleigh Parkes, and once again lines up on the wing for Sunday’s crunch quarter final clash against France in Oita.
Adams believes their Six Nations form has given them momentum at the global showpiece and insists the younger squad members are at home on the international stage.
“Going into a tournament like the World Cup, on the back of a Grand Slam, means people will think that our chances of getting far in the tournament are good,” said the 18-times capped international.
“You don’t win Grand Slams by accident. We’ve put that reputation on ourselves, and that’s a good thing.
“Maybe there’s a little bit more youth in this side than in previous sides, and there’s a few boys in here who I’ve played at under-20 and under-18 level rugby with, so there’s a few boys who are around 24-25 or younger.
“We’ve been drip-fed into the squad as the years have gone by, and when a senior player gets injured it means the younger player comes in with a few caps under his belt and he knows what international rugby is about.
“That’s helped us going forward over the past 18 months.”
Having already surpassed Gethin Jenkins’ record number of caps for Wales, skipper Alun Wyn Jones will move joint third alongside Brian O’Driscoll on the all-time international appearances list on Sunday.
Adams has paid tribute to the talismanic lock, as well as to the influence of head coach Warren Gatland.
The former Worcester Warriors wing added: “You can see after games, when we’re in a huddle, when he’s [Jones] talking all eyes will be on him.
“Everybody respects him and regard him very highly because what he’s achieved with Wales is massive.
“It’s a massive achievement, which is thoroughly deserved, and it’s a testament to him as a bloke both on and off the field.
“He’s [Gatland] been massive since he took over after the 2007 Rugby World Cup and his record speaks for itself with what he’s achieved.
“He’s turned Wales around as a rugby nation and has put us up as number one in the world for a period of time.
“We gave him a good Six Nations send-off with the Grand Slam and now we look forward to hopefully doing the same thing here in Japan.”
The Cardiff Blues clubhouse will be open to ALL for a live showing of Sunday's encounter, with breakfast rolls available and buy one get one free on bottles of Heineken.