France v Wales, Saturday March 18 (14:45pm)
France will be aiming to secure a bonus-point victory over Wales that would keep them in the
Six Nations title hunt ahead of leaders Ireland hosting England on Saturday evening.
And we are backing them to comfortably overpower Wales at the Stade de France, with Antoine
Dupont likely to be pulling the strings once again for Les Bleus.
Round one results:
- England 23 Scotland 29
- Italy 24 France 29
- Wales 10 Ireland 34
Round two results:
- Ireland 32 France 19
- Scotland 35 Wales 7
- England 31 Italy 14
Round three results:
- Italy 20 Ireland 34
- Wales 10 England 20
- France 32 Scotland 21
Round four results:
- Italy 17 Wales 29
- England 10 France 53
- Scotland 7 Ireland 22
Team news
France prop Uini Atonio returns following a three-match ban as one of two changes for
Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations game in Paris.
Atonio, who was suspended following a dangerous tackle on Ireland hooker Rob Herring last
month, replaces Dorian Aldegheri.
One other switch following Les Bleus’ 53-10 demolition of England at Twickenham sees lock
Romain Taofifenua start instead of Paul Willemse.
Willemse suffered a hamstring injury during the England game, so Taofifenua forges the
second-row partnership alongside Thibaud Flament.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made six changes to his team who face an uphill task
against a France line-up still basking in the glory of their 53-10 demolition of England at
Twickenham.
Louis Rees-Zammit replaces full-back Liam Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury during the
29-17 victory over Italy last weekend, while there are also starts for centres George North and
Nick Tompkins, plus fly-half Dan Biggar, lock Alun Wyn Jones and flanker Aaron Wainwright.
North and Tompkins are preferred to Wales’ inexperienced combination of Mason Grady and
Joe Hawkins, with Biggar replacing Owen Williams and Jones starting instead of Dafydd
Jenkins. Wainwright takes over from Jac Morgan, who suffered an ankle injury in training.
Number eight Taulupe Faletau will win his 100th cap, joining fellow Welsh centurions Jones,
North, Biggar, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams.
Elsewhere, replacement prop Dillon Lewis is in line to win his 50th cap, with full-back Leigh
Halfpenny also among those players providing bench cover.
It will be Gloucester wing Rees-Zammit’s third Wales start at full-back, having featured there
twice during this season’s Autumn Nations Series.
Wales have lost their last four Tests against France, and are likely to be on the end of another
drubbing from the French, who should win both halves and have clear daylight on the
scoreboard.
