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France v Wales: Everything you need to know

Sam Warburton goes for the try line against France last year

Wales will aim to continue their recent dominance over France in the Six Nations on Saturday, as Rob Howley’s team attempt to claim fourth place in the rankings ahead of the draw for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

A victory for the visitors in Paris, combined with England beating Ireland in Dublin, will see Wales potentially secure more favourable opponents in the pool stage for the next quadrennial showpiece tournament, which will be staged in Japan in 2019.

Wales survived a tough draw for the last World Cup, progressing from a group that also contained Australia and hosts England.

Eddie Jones and his side have already retained their Six Nations crown and are looking to wrap up a second successive Grand Slam by coming out on top at Aviva Stadium, leaving Les Bleus and their guests scrapping for the possible consolation prize of second spot, depending on other results, at Stade de France. 

Having defeated Ireland 22-9 in Cardiff last weekend, Wales are looking to make it six consecutive wins over France, who beat Italy 40-18 in Rome in their previous outing. 

 

HEAD TO HEAD

France: 43

Wales: 48

Draw: 3

 

WHAT HAPPENED IN 2016?

George North’s try and the boot of Dan Biggar settled last year’s meeting between these teams in favour of Wales, who won 19-10 in the third round in Cardiff to maintain an unbeaten start to the 2016 tournament.

France had beaten Italy and Ireland at home in their opening two games under Guy Noves, who then suffered the first defeat of his reign at Principality Stadium.

It was a mistake from Jules Plisson that gifted North the hosts’ only try, and while Guilhem Guirado crossed in the 78th minute for Les Bleus, that score arrived too late to trigger a comeback. 

 

KEY PLAYERS

Virimi Vakatawa (France)

Wales will have to be wary of the fleet-footed Vakatawa who, along with Italy’s Giovanbattista Venditti, has beaten 13 defenders in this season’s tournament, the joint most of any back. He averages a defender beaten every 15 minutes, the best ratio of any player to play more than 80 minutes in the 2017 competition, meaning the visitors must be wary of the Rugby Sevens star’s dropped shoulder and clever side-steps. 

Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) 

Touted by some as a potential British and Irish Lions captain, the leadership credentials of Jones were questioned in certain quarters after apparent indecision over whether to order his players to go for a penalty or kick for touch in the defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield last month. The focus will be on the new skipper’s longevity this weekend, though, as he becomes the first Wales player to make 100 starts.

 

THE LINE-UPS

France: Brice Dulin, Noa Nakaitaci, Remi Lamerat, Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Camille Lopez Baptiste Serin; Cyril Baille, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoann Maestri, Fabien Sanconnie, Kevin Gourdon, Louis Picamoles.

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Jake Ball, Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty.

 

COACH COMMENTS

Guy Noves (France): “When you see the intensity, the rigour, the pragmatism, the lucidity and the accuracy in all Wales’ movements, their defensive physicality… you saw the Irish, who are one of the best teams in the world, fell apart and couldn’t put in place their game.

“We still have a lot of work to do. If we play and make as many mistakes [as we did against Italy], we won’t survive against Wales. That’s for sure.”

 

Rob Howley (Wales): “We’re all aware of May, and the Rugby World Cup draw is pretty important.

“That’s been something in the back of our minds, things motivate us in different ways whether it’s through fear or through ambition, they [the players] will use it.”

 

OPTA STATS

Louis Picamoles has made 15 offloads so far, almost double that of any other player (Noa Nakaitaci – 8), while he has also beaten the most defenders of any player (20).

Liam Williams has made more clean breaks than any other player in the Six Nations this year (9) and is one of eight players tied at the top of the try scoring charts after four rounds (3).

– Should Brice Dulin score in this match he would be just the third Frenchman after Philippe Bernat-Salles (5 games in 2001) and Wesley Fofana (4 games in 2012) to score in four consecutive Six Nations matches; Dulin’s three previous tries have been spread over the last four seasons (2014, 2015, 2017).

George North has scored 10 tries in his last nine Six Nations games; his two tries against Ireland meant he became the first player to score 3-plus tries in four consecutive editions of the Five/Six Nations.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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