Match Preview – Wales vs France

Wayne Pivac’s Wales welcome unbeaten France to Cardiff in the Six Nations on Friday night

We look at some of the talking points ahead of Friday’s Six Nations clash between Wales and France at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff…

Pivac: Wales ready for entertaining clash vs world’s in-form team

Wayne Pivac believes Wales will be facing “the in-form team in the world” when they tackle Six Nations opponents France in Cardiff on Friday.

While Wales’ hopes of a successful title defence were effectively ended by defeat against England last time out, France remain on course for Six Nations silverware and a first Grand Slam since 2010.

They are unbeaten this season, having toppled the likes of New Zealand, Argentina, Ireland and Scotland, and arrive in Cardiff as red-hot favourites.

Wales head coach Pivac has labelled France the ‘in-form team in the world’ at present

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium could be some 10,000 short of hitting its 74,500 capacity – the Friday 8pm kick-off an inevitable hindrance to ticket sales – but a fascinating encounter looks in store.

The countries’ last five Six Nations meetings have produced an aggregate winning margin of just 14 points, and France can reflect on a solitary Cardiff triumph in the last 12 years.

“Both sides want to play an entertaining brand of rugby and I think you have got the side at the moment who are probably the in-form team in the world in France,” Pivac said.

“We certainly have had a couple of great games against them in recent times, so I think it will be a cracker.”

Wales all change: Back-row, front row and midfield altered

Pivac has never fielded an unchanged team during his 26-Test reign, with that sequence continuing as Jonathan Davies, Gareth Thomas, Seb Davies and a fit-again Josh Navidi have all been called into the starting line-up.

Navidi features in a reshaped back row alongside Davies and Taulupe Faletau, with the breakdown set to be a crucial factor behind which team finishes on top.

“We all know who the players are that have picked up some serious injuries. That’s the nature of the game. There have been certain times where we wouldn’t have wanted to make many changes, or any at all, if we were playing well enough,” Pivac added.

“It has been a little bit frustrating, but it is also part and parcel of it.

Josh Navidi returns to the Wales side as one of two changes made to the back row

“In a way, it is preparing you for anything that can happen, and if you just settle on 15 players it is probably going to come back and bite you somewhere further down the track.

“At the moment, what it is allowing us to do is look at other players and build depth, which we need to do regardless.

“We go through from one to 15 and are trying to build depth in all positions, so if we get multiple injuries in one position we can have someone who can come in with the skill-set required to play the way we want to play.

“I think come the (2023) World Cup we will hopefully be in a strong position across the squad from one to 15.”

Biggar: No thought given to France’s Grand Slam hopes

Pivac’s match-day 23 features 11 players involved when Wales suffered a Grand Slam-ending 32-30 defeat in Paris last season, being denied by Brice Dulin’s injury-time try.

The boot is on the other foot this time around, with France holding Grand Slam aspirations, but asked if stopping that clean sweep bid was a motivation, Wales captain Dan Biggar said: “We haven’t once mentioned it.

“We are really not bothered if us winning stops France winning the Grand Slam or championship. We really are just worried about making sure we finish on a high.

Wales skipper Dan Biggar says the squad have not mentioned defeat to France last year – when Wales’ Grand Slam aims were ended – in preparations

“The form they have shown over the last 12 months, they are playing some really exciting rugby underpinned by an incredible-sized pack and ball-carriers they’ve got.

“They are not going to dish too much up for you to feast on, and it is about being disciplined ourselves, matching them physically and starting the game well.”

Swashbuckling France seek to avoid throwing it away again

France’s 12-year wait for Six Nations silverware will end if they beat Wales and then topple England in Paris next week.

Not since the days of players like Clement Poitrenaud, Yannick Jauzion, Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy have they taken the honours, but odds are short on them achieving it this time around.

Fabien Galthie’s team, mixing vibrant attack with fierce defence and immense physical power up-front, are unbeaten in six Tests this season.

Antoine Dupont and France have looked very impressive in victories over Ireland and Scotland

If they can cope with the expectation and pressure that now surrounds them, then Six Nations success is surely just around the corner. But, in saying that, France threw away Six Nations titles in 2020 and 2021 despite beating eventual winners in both those years.

In 2020, they comfortably dispatched England in Round 1 and looked set to go on and claim a Grand Slam after beating Wales in Cardiff in Round 3, only to then go and lose in Scotland after a red card to tighthead Mohamed Haouas for punching.

Last year, they won in Dublin and beat Wales in Paris, but lost to England at Twickenham and when presented a chance to play for the title in their Round 5 fixture, messed things up again vs Scotland, this time losing in Paris.

Can Les Bleus claim a first Six Nations title since 2010?

A familiar face on Welsh shores in Shaun Edwards has also had a big part to play in France’s resurgence of recent times, with Les Bleus more alert and hard-working in defence than perhaps ever before.

Wales’ former defence coach is a serial winner, whether as a rugby league playing great or in accomplished track-suited roles with Wasps, Wales and France.

Edwards was part of Warren Gatland’s Wales coaching team between 2008 and 2019, a period which delivered four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and a World Cup semi-final appearance.

France defence coach Shaun Edwards has done a superb job since departing his post with Wales

He left to join the France set-up more than two years ago, and has transformed Les Bleus’ defensive structure and attitude. The Wales players know exactly what they are up against.

Team News

Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 Josh Adams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Seb Davies, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Ross Moriarty, 20 Jac Morgan, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit.

France: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Yoram Moefana, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Gabin Villiere, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont; 1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Uini Atonio, 4 Cameron Woki, 5 Paul Willemse, 6 Francois Cros, 7 Anthony Jelonch, 8 Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Jean Baptiste Gros, 18 Mohamed Haouas, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Dylan Cretin, 21 Maxime Lucu, 22 Thomas Ramos, 23 Matthis Lebel.