WALES can now fully focus on a World Cup quarter-final against France, although it looked like they were already thinking about Les Bleus as they laboured to a 35-13 win against Uruguay that sealed Pool D top spot.

It wasn’t pretty, and Warren Gatland’s men led by a single point at half-time, but a penalty try and scores by prop Nicky Smith, wing Josh Adams, scrum-half Tomos Williams and makeshift winger Gareth Davies got the job done.

The success made it a perfect four from four to earn top spot ahead of Australia and a last-eight date against France next Sunday (kick-off 8.15am).

Wales can’t be as sloppy against Les Bleus, but they won’t be.

Gatland rang the changes after the bruising win against Fiji and challenged his players to give him a selection headache.

Few did and it was Uruguay that emerged with great credit after putting their bodies on the line in a huge defensive effort.

Los Teros have made great strides since being hammered by Wales in Cardiff four years ago – their fitness was impressive and they didn’t drop off in the final quarter.

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Yet Gatland won’t be happy with the inaccuracy of his team with former Dragons wing Hallam Amos having two tries chalked off for forward passes and then blowing another with needless acrobatics when diving for the line.

Wales caused Los Teros problems from the off with plenty of big men making yards in the wide channels, only for handling errors to frustrate.

Uruguay’s commitment in defence was admirable but they racked up the penalties inside their 22 and the pressure eventually told in the 17th minute when prop Nicky Smith battered over with the 14th phases of an assault on the line.

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny converted but Uruguay responded through the boot of Felipe Berchesi after flanker Aaron Shingler was pinged for offside.

Welsh frustration grew when former Dragons wing Hallam Amos had a try chalked off; the move was nice down the left flank but Hadleigh Parkes’ final pass was forward.

Berchesi knocked over another penalty in the 40th minute and the first half was summed up by Parkes being content to chip the ball out with Wales in possession on halfway.

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Gatland would have been hugely disappointed by the inaccuracy with seven handling errors totted up in the first 40.

Captain Justin Tipuric won a penalty at the start of the second half and pointed to the posts, something that few expected Wales to be doing in the 80 minutes against the minnows. Halfpenny hit the right post.

The full-back had more luck in the 50th minute, however, when he added the extras to a try by Josh Adams that could have been scored by plenty of others down the left.

A penalty was kicked to the 22 and after hard carries, fly-half Rhys Patchell flung a lovely pass out wide for the score.

Hopes the floodgates would open were dashed as the errors continued to tick along with Parkes the worst offender after a forward pass when Amos had a simple run-in down the left.

The game went into the final quarter with Wales still just 14-6 up and play almost exclusively in the South Americans’ half.

Referee Angus Gardner finally lost patience with the men in blue and flanker Santiago Civetta was sent to the sin bin for being off his feet at the breakdown.

Wales went to the corner and earned a penalty try, although Dragons hooker Elliot Dee looked a little miffed at being denied a first Test try.

Yet the 14 men responded with seven points of their own after hammering away at the Welsh line for hooker German Kessler to get the try his performance deserved.

Back came Wales and they had their bonus when Halfpenny burst into the 22 and replacement scrum-half Tomos Williams sniped over and another 9 finished the scoring, albeit Gareth Davies was playing on the wing.

With the clock in the red, the Scarlet tapped a penalty on halfway and weaved his way over for a lovely try to finish a scrappy game.

Wales: L Halfpenny; J Adams (G Davies 70), O Watkin, H Parkes, H Amos; R Patchell, A Davies (T Williams 59); N Smith (R Carre 51), R Elias (E Dee 51), D Lewis (W Jones 63), B Davies, A Beard, A Shingler, J Tipuric (captain, J Davies 59), A Wainwright (R Moriarty 59).

Scorers: tries – N Smith, J Adams, penalty, T Williams, G Davies; ; conversions – L Halfpenny (4)