France v Wales - teams and predictions
SIX NATIONS, ROUND FOUR: Grand Slam-hunting France head to Wales for a crunch match on Friday on the back of their best Test-winning streak since 2006, bolstered by their captain marvellous, Antoine Dupont.
Dupont has been a key pin in a French side that have won their last six matches, marshalling his side in gritty defence and fleet-footed attack.
Last season, France secured a last-gasp 32-30 win over Wales in Paris to deny the visitors a Grand Slam, although Wayne Pivac’s team did eventually claim the Six Nations title.
Wales have struggled this campaign, however, with just a solitary win over Scotland (20-17) in three games, having lost to Ireland (7-29) and England (19-23).
It has been a different story for France, who have racked up convincing wins over Italy (37-10), Ireland (30-24) and Scotland (36-17), and will be hoping they are not peaking too soon before they host the 2023 World Cup.
“We’re taking things match by match,” said France wing Gabin Villiere, the sole change in Fabien Galthie’s starting XV, coming in for COVID-hit Damian Penaud.
“We know Wales will be a big match, but we’re going there to win, we mustn’t lie about that. We’ll need to stay confident and remain focused.”
France, whose midfield defence has been magnificently led by a rejuvenated Gael Fickou, have been given a touch of steel by Shaun Edwards, the former Rugby League star-turned-defence coach and long-time assistant to Warren Gatland with Wales.
“Shaun is the first to want to beat Wales and he’s putting us under extra pressure to pull it off,” Villiere said of the fiercely competitive Englishman who also transformed Wales’ defence.
Galthie acknowledged that a game would be a daunting prospect, dubbing Cardiff “a lung, a vital organ of the Six Nations”.
“It’s a show, but it’s sublime, marvellous,” he said of the cauldron-like atmosphere in the city centre stadium.
Pivac was under no illusion about what was in store for his players, saying they were up against the “in-form team in the world”.
The New Zealander singled out scrumhalf Dupont as “world-class, probably the form player in the world”.
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“Even when you are sitting in the opposition coaches’ box, some of the things he does on the field you find yourself just saying well done,” he said.
“He is just great to watch but hopefully we will be able to contain him because he is world-class.”
Unlike Galthie, Pivac rang the changes in his team, bringing in Josh Navidi and Seb Davies in the back row at the expense of Taine Basham and Ross Moriarty.
Veteran Jonathan Davies was named at centre in place of concussion victim Nick Tompkins and Gareth Thomas preferred at loosehead prop over British and Irish Lion, Wyn Jones.
Pivac had no problem in picking tighthead prop Tomas Francis, who sustained a heavy head knock in the England game and whose treatment raised criticism from a player welfare lobby group.
“We have got a very, very experienced medical team who we think are world-class,” Pivac said.
“The follow-up protocols they go through post the match, their return-to-play protocols are quite clearly set by World Rugby. Those have been followed.”
France, whose Six Nations campaign rounds off against England in Paris on March 19, will be hoping to have seen the back of the COVID-19 outbreak that saw Penaud and replacement lock Romain Taofifenua dropped from the match-day squad.
Galthie said he was preparing for the worst. “We are waiting for information from the Six Nations Committee to find out if and when we will be retested.”
Players to watch
For Wales: Josh Navidi at openside flank and the return of veteran centre Jonathan Davies in the midfield are two of the big talking points. Navidi only returned to the squad earlier this week following a shoulder injury that saw him ruled out for five months and it will be his first for Wales since facing the French in last year’s Six Nations. Seb Davies is selected at blindside flank and Taulupe Faletau at No.8 completes an impressive back row. In other changes, Gareth Thomas is given a run-on start ahead of Wyn Jones at loosehead prop, joining hooker Ryan Elias and tighthead Tomas Francis in the front row. Will Rowlands and Adam Beard continue in the second row. Among the replacements, Dillon Lewis returns as tighthead cover and Louis Rees-Zammit is also named.
For France: With Antoine Dupont captaining the team, they will have their key playmaker and master brain at the helm. Dupont almost missed the trip to Cardiff after sustaining a ‘stinger’ in training on Tuesday. Star wing Damian Penaud misses out after a positive COVID test, his place taken by the free-scoring Gabin Villiere, who sat out the Scotland win through injury. Villiere is the sole change from the team run-out in Murrayfield. The pack is unaltered – New Zealand-born Uini Atonio and Cyril Baille propping up hooker Julien Marchand, while Cameron Woki and South African-born Paul Willemse are named in the second row.
Head to head
Prediction
@rugby365com: France by seven points
Teams
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar (captain), 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Seb Davies, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Gareth Thomas.
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 (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Gregory Alldritt, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
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.
Date: Friday, March 11
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 20.00 (21.00 French time; 20.00 GMT)
Expected weather: Light rain and a moderate breeze. High of 11°C and low of 6°C
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
