Coach Steve Hansen insists Wales are confident of success against group rivals Italy despite conceding that the Azzurri have looked the better side in this World Cup so far.

Italy today beat a determined Canadian outfit 19-14 to set up a mouth-watering winner-takes-all clash with Wales on Saturday (kick-off 9-30am).

And Hansen's Tongan counterpart Jim Love last night claimed Italy were more physically dominant and aggressive than Wales after his men had stretched a desperate Welsh outfit to the limit.

Love's team have played both Italy and Wales in the tournament and he was in the ideal position to judge which side would be favourites heading into the crunch meeting this weekend.

Following Italy's win today, it is a match set up for the winner to claim a spot in the last eight alongside likely group winners New Zealand.

"He (Jim Love) has probably got it right on the last two performances," admitted Hansen, reflecting on Wales' unconvincing victory over the Tongans in Canberra.

"Having watched Italy, they were a lot more aggressive than we were. But you can't make the mistake of taking the results from one game into another game. I know come the day we will be ready to play."

Wales were outscored 3-2 on tries by the Tongans, who could have pulled off a shock win had kicker Pierre Hola been on his game.

Even Hansen admitted he feared the worst in the dying minutes as his side survived on last-gasp defence but he refused to be as downbeat as many supporters.

"We still got four points, which is what we came for," he said.

Italy beat Wales during this year's Six Nations and under John Kirwan have begun to impress a number of the game's more astute onlookers, including All Blacks boss John Mitchell and Canada's David Clark.

But skipper Colin Charvis insisted the result in Rome would have no bearing on Canberra this weekend.

"This is an entirely different competition and we are a team that has matured a hell of a lot since then," he said.