Warburton: Wales can still win World Cup despite injury blow

Captain Sam Warburton is confident Wales can deal with the absence of Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb as they bid to win the Rugby World Cup.

Full-back Halfpenny will miss the showpiece tournament, which gets underway next week, after suffering knee ligament damage against Italy last week.

Wales will also be without scrum-half Webb, who was ruled out of the World Cup on Tuesday due to a foot injury.

Despite the double-injury blow, Warburton believes Wales will cope as they prepare to face hosts England, Australia, Fiji and Uruguay in Pool A.

"People look at this as life and death but we have to move on," said Warburton, whose Wales tackle Uruguay in their opening game on September 20.

"Guys will be disappointed for the individuals because we are all friends, but as a team it won't affect our World Cup preparations.

"I believe we can still achieve what we set out to do. You don't just win a World Cup on two players.

"It is more than just a 15-man game and when we almost beat South Africa in the second Test last summer, neither Rhys nor Leigh were playing.

"We are quite used to playing in big matches where we have not had front-line players available and I believe we have the strength in depth to replace Rhys and Leigh.

"You just have to look at New Zealand in the last World Cup as who believed they could win after losing Dan Carter?"