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Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Guinness Six Nations match between Wales and France at Principality Stadium.
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Here are some main talking points ahead of the game in Cardiff:
Can Wales unlock a Shaun Edwards-inspired French defence?
Shaun Edwards coached and organised Wales’ defensive structure for twelve Six Nations campaigns, proving an integral part of the Warren Gatland era that produced Grand Slams and World Cup semi-final appearances.
(Continue reading below…)
Jim Hamilton and Darren Cave preview Wales’ clash with France
The former rugby league star, though, is now performing the same job with France and he returns to Cardiff following an impressive opening that saw Les Bleus see off England and Italy. The Wales players and Edwards know plenty about each other, and the sub-plot is an intriguing one to what is a crucial match in this season’s tournament.
The scrums should be lively
Wales prop Wyn Jones said this week he is prepared for a French scrum that will “hit and chase and cheat.” His comments did not go unnoticed at Les Bleus’ training base, with head coach Fabien Galthie and team manager Raphael Ibanez both returning verbal fire, and English referee Matt Carley could have his hands full early on if ‘pleasantries’ are exchanged.
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“This is the Six Nations tournament and in the Six Nations tournament there is no room for these kind of remarks.”https://t.co/9IoCqAKDQM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2020
Wales perceived some inconsistencies at the scrum so far during the Six Nations, with Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong being highlighted following his scrummaging against them in Dublin last weekend, and Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys stating: “The laws are clear. They are very clear that you must push straight. That’s what it says.” The scrum will be under an intense spotlight.
Will it be more away-day misery for France in Cardiff?
France might be on the trail of a possible first Six Nations title since 2010, but their recent away form against Wales is poor. Les Bleus’ last Cardiff victory came ten years ago, when the likes of Thierry Dusautoir, Yannick Jauzion and Clement Poitrenaud helped inspire a Grand Slam campaign.
Shaun Edwards brings his unbeaten team to Wales this weekend, with a very strong side in the backs department #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/jyF2h9pBWC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2020
Their record in Paris is not much better either, and Wales have won eight of the last nine meetings, which includes a World Cup quarter-final triumph in Japan four months ago. Galthie’s team are off and running following victories over England and Italy at Stade de France, but how they fare on the road is likely to define their campaign.
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Can George North’s star shine again?
Wales wing North has enjoyed a stellar international career, scoring 40 tries for his country – only Shane Williams has scored more – in 93 appearances, while also starting all three Tests of the 2013 British and Irish Lions’ Australia tour.
At the age of just 27, a caps century is looming large, yet critics were in plentiful supply after he failed to make an impact during a 24-14 loss to Ireland two weeks ago. North, though, was not alone that day in Dublin and it would be no surprise to see him blast out of the blocks, underlining how form is temporary and class is permanent.
“My contract is up with the RFU at the end of the season… but I’m fit as I have ever been – that’s what my scores tell me”
– veteran match official Wayne Barnes talks to @heagneyl ahead of his latest Six Nations assignment #WALvFRA 🏴🇫🇷https://t.co/R6KYLJ5svz— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 22, 2020
Home sweet home for Wales?
Wales’ recent Six Nations home record is something to behold, having gone unbeaten in the tournament at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium since England toppled them in February 2017.
England repeated their feat of two years earlier that day, and it is 2013 since any other rival – Ireland – prevailed on Welsh soil in Six Nations action. Victory over France would make it eight successive Six Nations home wins, while also keeping Wales firmly in title contention. It will be a true test for a new-look Les Bleus team that has yet to be examined away from Paris.
WATCH: ‘Spectacular’ TV numbers recorded in France on the back of Galthie’s revival
Comments on RugbyPass
Proctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
4 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
4 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to comments