Wales are unlikely to rip up the form book - and a quarter-final place could even prove beyond them.

Despite coach Steve Hansen's ongoing mood of optimism, there is apparently little for Welsh fans to get excited about.

Wales ended last season with an RBS 6 Nations whitewash and were then crushed 55-3 by New Zealand in Hamilton, just a week after losing 30-10 to Australia.

Prior to this month's World Cup warm-up Tests, their most recent victory came against Canada at the Millennium Stadium in November 2002.

Such a dismal run gives cause for pessimism, especially as Wales are in the same World Cup group as New Zealand and their likely quarter-final opponents are England.

To reach the knockout stages, Hansen's men will need to beat Canada and Tonga, plus Italy, who defeated them during the Six Nations Championship six months ago.

Then though, it is England or South Africa blocking the path to further progress but it would be no great surprise if Wales became pool stage casualties.

They possess players good enough to make an impact on the competition yet overall quality remains a real problem.

The chances are that Wales will secure quarter-final status, but are likely to leave the World Cup on the back of successive hammerings by New Zealand and England.

The feelgood factor is a long way from Wales' grasp at the moment, and World Cup 2003 looks like being nothing more than a damage-limitation exercise.

Squad: Huw Bennett, Colin Charvis, Brent Cockbain, Gareth Cooper, Mefin Davies, Garan Evans, Iestyn Harris, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Dafydd Jones, Duncan Jones, Mark Jones, Stephen Jones, Gareth Llewellyn, Robin McBryde, Kevin Morgan, Sonny Parker, Dwayne Peel, Alix Popham, Tom Shanklin, Robert Sidoli, Ceri Sweeney, Mark Taylor, Gareth Thomas, Iestyn Thomas, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Williams, Martyn Williams, Rhys Williams, Shane Williams, Chris Wyatt.