Rugby-Wallabies prepared for Paris heat and Georgia challenge

Australia think their experience of playing in extreme heat back home will hold them in good stead when they take on Georgia in their World Cup Pool C opener on Saturday during a Paris heatwave. Temperatures in the French capital climbed to 35 degrees Celsius (95°F) ahead of the opening weekend of the tournament and World Rugby said on Friday that extra water breaks would be allowed during matches.

Australia think their experience of playing in extreme heat back home will hold them in good stead when they take on Georgia in their World Cup Pool C opener on Saturday during a Paris heatwave.

Temperatures in the French capital climbed to 35 degrees Celsius (95°F) ahead of the opening weekend of the tournament and World Rugby said on Friday that extra water breaks would be allowed during matches. Australia's replacement hooker Matt Faessler hails from the inland Queensland city of Toowoomba, where temperatures have been known to soar above 40 degrees Celsius, and he believes the Wallabies should have no problem handling the heat.

"There's something like seven Queenslanders in the matchday 23 and I think we're probably blessed that we've had a fair few tough pre-seasons in some pretty ridiculous heat," he told reporters at the team hotel outside Paris on Friday. "That on top of that prep week we had in Darwin, where it was pretty hot and pretty humid, the same sort of temperature it is here today, that should put us in good stead for these early pool games before it starts cooling down."

If Australia want to survive into the cooler climes of the knockout rounds of the tournament, they will need to beat a Georgia team that has added backline flair to their traditional scrummaging power over the last few years. After five losses from five tests this season, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has picked an inexperienced team for Saturday's match and flanker Fraser McReight said continued improvement for the young group was more important than a statement win.

"Eddie's touched on it in terms of what a good World Cup looks like, to build each week and develop that momentum," said McReight. "I'm sure going out there and winning by 30 would be nice but for us I think building on the foundation we've had put into us over the last eight or nine weeks (is the focus)."

McReight has 13 caps and Faessler only two and both are among the 17 Australians who will be playing in their first World Cup match at the Stade de France. "For me, I'm trying to enjoy every moment, every little thing I'm doing here," McReight added.

"Then when I cross that white line, and when the whistle blows, try to block everything out and just rip in."