Wales v France:
FRANCE MAY have hired a sports psychologist this week but it is Wales who merit introspection over their lack of success since they went to Paris in last year’s Six Nations looking for a record ninth successive victory in the tournament and blew an early lead.
Wales were champions then but defeat tonight would leave them in a potential battle to avoid the wooden spoon when they face Italy in the final round. It is an understatement to say their Six Nations campaign so far has been eventful: they conceded 17 points at Twickenham after Alun Wyn Jones had been sent to the sin-bin, with the secondrow later blamed for the defeat by his coach, Warren Gatland; they scored 17 points in the last seven minutes after Scotland lost two to the sin-bin to record an unlikely victory; and 12 hours later the backrow, Andy Powell, fancied the a la carte menu at a service station off the M4 and was charged with drink-driving after getting there on a golf buggy.
Add to that the doubt about whether the fullback, Lee Byrne, would be available for Twickenham, after he had been banned for re-entering the field without permission during the Ospreys’ Heineken Cup win over Leicester, and it is hardly surprising that the Wales captain, Ryan Jones, describes the last month as an emotional roller-coaster.
“It has been a strange few weeks,” he said, “and it ends with a massive mountain in the shape of France.”
If France were the most dangerous team in the opening two rounds of the championship, combining flair with resolute defence and forward power, Wales were the most erratic, often veering from the sublime to the abject in the same movement. They made more than 400 passes in their first two matches but unforced errors and turnovers meant they had to play catch-up.
The signature of their 2008 grand slam was their defensive solidity – they conceded only two tries – but, taking in Australia last November, they have leaked nine in three games and it is 10 Tests since they kept their line intact.
Gatland this week took his back row to one side and demanded an improvement. “They missed 10 tackles,” he said. “It was not good enough.”
Powell would probably have been dropped and Wales will have to be more effective at the breakdown and more selective about when they go wide if they are to thwart France’s grand slam push.
Marc Lievremont arranged for sessions with a psychologist for his players this week because in his 26 months in charge France have not won three consecutive matches.
“I didn’t feel the need to meet a psychologist but I have to admit I found the experience enriching and interesting,” said the fullback Clement Poitrenaud.
“It’s a new tool that can only help us improve our performances.”
The last thing Wales, buffeted by injuries and with two uncapped frontrow players on the bench, need is an improved France but Lievremont’s men have a focus that has been lacking since the last World Cup. The coach has, until now, used the championship as a means of assessing his strength in depth: last year’s victory over Wales may have been deemed worthy of a lap of honour around Stade de France but the side was changed for the next game, at Twickenham, and defeat duly followed.
“It is not enough to be good just one time,” said the France centre, Yannick Jauzion.
“We showed solidity and determination against Ireland but there are a few things we have had to look at.”
Jauzion’s centre partner, Mathieu Bastareaud, will be up against someone of the same weight, if not shape, in Jamie Roberts. Ireland created space in Paris but failed to take early chances and were worn down up front. Wales, who have struggled in the lineout, have a new secondrow partnership and have again had to reshuffle their frontrow because of injury.
If they need to improve their defence, they also have to create a better platform for their backs.
“We have to be positive but smart,” said Gatland. “The fact that a South African referee [Jonathan Kaplan] is in charge should see positive play rewarded.”
With the roof set to be shut, the rain forecast for today should not inhibit ambition but Gatland and his captain have different views on the merits of a Friday night kick-off.
Gatland is in favour but to Jones “playing on a Saturday afternoon adds to the magic of the tournament”. Hotels in the centre of Cardiff may be booked out but spectators looking to return home by train tonight may find themselves needing to find an alternative mode of transport with no extra local services laid on.
If there is likely to be chaos outside Cardiff Central Station, Wales will need to find some order against the leaders. The immediate return of Mike Phillips, albeit only to the bench, after four months out with an ankle injury smacks of quiet desperation and, if Wales v France is usually a meeting of like minds, it is the men in red who look in greater need of a shrink, even if they are at their most dangerous when written off.
WALES: L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Ospreys), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), R Rees (Cardiff Blues); P James (Ospreys), H Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys, capt).
Replacements: K Owens (Scarlets), R Gill (Saracens), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), M Phillips (Ospreys), A Bishop (Ospreys), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).
FRANCE: C Poitrenaud (Toulouse); J Malzieu (Clermont Auvergne), M Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), A Palisson (Brive); F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), W Servat (Toulouse), N Mas (Perpignan), L Nallet (Racing-Metro), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz).
Replacements: D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), J-B Poux (Toulouse), S Chabal (Racing-Metro), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), F Michalak (Toulouse), D Marty (Perpignan), M Andreu (Castres).
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa).
Assistant referees: Alan Lewis and Simon McDowell (both Ireland).
