NEWPORT Gwent Dragons No 8 Toby Faletau admits the Welsh team were told to go low in the tackle against Ireland on Saturday in a bid to stop their tearaway breakaway unit.

The tactic paid handsome dividends, but it left a number of bruised and battered bodies as they made far more tackles than their Irish counterparts – 141 to 93.

And at half-time defence coach Shaun Edwards could be seen in the Welsh dressing-room laying the law down and demanding his side go low in the tackle.

"We like to be strong in defence," admitted Faletau, the Dragons 20-year-old who has played in every World Cup-tie so far and is set to maintain that record when Wales line up against France in Saturday’s semi-final.

"Ireland have got some strong ball-carriers and we were told to tackle them around their legs, that whatever moves, basically, hit it.

"We have tended to go low anyway so nothing has changed that much really, though it’s great that we are putting it together as such a young side. Dan Lydiate was awesome today.

"We thought we could come in and win after all the hard work we have put in throughout the team."

Faletau admitted it is "pretty special" to be involved in a Welsh team reaching the World Cup semi-finals in his first full season in top-class rugby.

"At the start of the summer I was just trying to get into the Dragons team and get fit after I’d had two foot injuries," he said.

"But this kind of thing doesn’t happen every day and I’d never have imagined I’d be so close to playing in a World Cup semi-final.

"But I’m fit and I’m lucky I haven’t had any new injuries, I feel fine."

Leigh Halfpenny, meanwhile, says he is delighted to have been picked in his favourite full-back position, and now that he has made the move from the wing successfully wants to stay there.

"Putting on the Welsh jersey is incredible and if possible I’d like to stay there (at full back) now," he said.

"There was an amazing feeling in the dressing-room with cheers from the boys, whoever won tonight it was going to be massive.

"It’s a dream come true playing for my country and I just wanted to concentrate on my own performance and make sure I did all the roles.

"I thoroughly enjoyed playing at full back, I did a lot of work to make sure the first high ball was a positive one for me, which gave me a massive confidence boost, I was pleased with my aerial work.

"The captain was unbelievable and Dan Lydiate was putting in huge hits, every single person made a contribution. We believe we can go all the way and we are determined to do that."

Coach Warren Gatland says his young guns have no fear factor, one reason why they are going so well in the World Cup.

"The boys knew they were either going home on Monday or were here until the end of the tournament so that was the motivation," he admitted.

"Wales should be very proud of these guys, I have said for the last four or five months now how hard they have worked, they are fantastic ambassadors here, but they are not ready to go home yet.

"It is no surprise to us we have done so well, we are in good shape physically so to us it has felt we have got better and better. There is no fear factor in the youngsters we have got playing, loose forwards who can carry, experience in the front five and backs who can play and are very confident.

"There is no baggage with the young players, no fear factor and the great thing about being in New Zealand is they are not in Wales in the bubble or with any of the negativity that sometimes comes out.

"No side in the world has worked as hard as we have in the last five months. When we were in Poland a group got up at 5am for training and they were throwing up, there has been some pain but that galvanised the team and it brings them together.

"It is the best-balanced side I’ve ever had." Gatland singled out Faletau for praise, saying: "He’ doesn’t need coaching, he reads the game incredibly well along with the other two" (Lydiate and skipper Sam Warburton).