After the high of scoring four tries against England, the Welsh coaching and management team were unhappy at the five try return in the away win over Italy. Team manager Wayne Hall says he will be looking for a vast improvement when the side heads to France.
“We have got to be a lot more positive in our approach and step up from the game in Italy. The Italians dragged us down to their level in Italy and we can’t afford for that to happen again,” admitted Hall. “England have given us footage of their game against the French and we have looked at them very closely. We need to be strong in the scrum and it is bound to be a physical test for our players.
“The weather was atrocious for their 20-17 win over England in Northampton, yet they still looked to play an expansive game. We know we have to match them in all phases and believe we have the ability to do that.
“We are setting high standards for this team, which is full of experienced and talented players, and this game in particular will give us the best indication so far of how we can expect them to perform at the IRB Under 21 World Cup in the summer.”
The French will go into the game undefeated in their two outings to date this season – they beat Scotland 12-8 in their opening match – and are sure to be keen to avenge their defeat at the hands of the Welsh side in last summer’s World Cup in Scotland. Victory by 29-21 in that game gave the Welsh side fifth place overall and made it 8-5 to Wales in a series of fixtures that started with the first of three Welsh wins on French soil back in 1993. Ospreys outside half Matthew Jones scored 18 points in that victory in Edinburgh and he was also in the side that faced France in last year’s Six Nations campaign, along with James Merriman, Cai Griffiths, Ian Evans and Jonathan Mills.
The French were runaway winners in Wales on that occasion, 36-9, while a Gavin Henson super-show earned Wales the junior Grand Slam on their last visit to France in 2003 when he kicked all the points in a 21-16 victory.
U21 – FRANCE v WALES
15 Ricky Williams Newport
14 Aled Brew Ospreys
13 Gavin Evans Scarlets
12 Andrew Bishop Ospreys
11 Chris Czekaj Cardiff
10 Matthew Jones Ospreys
09 Wayne Evans Carmarthen Quins
01 Scott Roberts Bridgend
02 Duane Goodfield Pontypridd
03 Cai Griffiths Neath
04 Alun Wyn Jones Swansea
05 Ian Evans Neath / Ospreys
06 Chris Davies Bridgend
07 James Merriman Hartpury College / Gloucester (Captain)
08 Jonathan Mills Scarlets
Replacements
16 Rhys James UWIC
17 Ross Davies Newbridge
18 Ben Thomson Newport
19 Tom Smith Neath
20 Aled Thomas Carmarthen Quins
21 Tom Riley Pontypridd
22 Rhodri McAtee Penzance
