{"id":31511,"date":"2019-02-01T14:01:08","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T14:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=31511"},"modified":"2019-02-01T14:01:08","modified_gmt":"2019-02-01T14:01:08","slug":"wales-breathing-fire-against-france-in-tonights-six-nations-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/02\/01\/wales-breathing-fire-against-france-in-tonights-six-nations-opener\/","title":{"rendered":"Wales hope to breathe fire against France in Six Nations opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

WALES head to Paris tonight hoping to breathe fire into their Six Nations bid and set a marker for the rest of the competition.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWales<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe game in the Stade De France will see Wales building on the momentum generated by their successful autumn series.
\nHaving won their last\u00a0nine\u00a0games, and all\u00a0four\u00a0of their autumn fixtures, Warren Gatland\u2019s team will be confident in their ability to beat the French.
\nWith just\u00a0four\u00a0changes from the team that trumped Australia, Wales\u00a0go into this match as certain\u00a0favourites.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nTomos\u00a0Williams will be playing at scrum-half ahead of the more experienced Gareth Davies,\u00a0who has been suffering with a thigh injury. Despite only six test caps to his name, Gatland believes\u00a0Tomos\u00a0has\u00a0\u201csome X-factor”.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWith first choice kicker Leigh Halfpenny injured, the pressure will be on Liam Williams who takes the No.15\u00a0shirt.
\nToo often Wales have relied on their kickers to win games, but\u00a0the game will be won or lost with effective ball-carrying. The Welsh will\u00a0need to overpower the French if they want to\u00a0come away from Paris with four points.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nExperienced players like Alun Wyn-Jones and Ken Owens will be invaluable in making sure the Welsh side dominate the French. France are renowned for their big, physical pack, and captain Wyn-Jones warned: \u201cThis is the most French side we have ever played against.”
\nOwens’ cap on Saturday will make him the most capped hooker for Wales, and he and Wyn-Jones have around 180 caps between them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWales have improved on controlling loose play over the past 18 months, and will be hoping that improvements in ball-carrying will earn them the tries their game has lacked.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nA victory in Paris would kick start their campaign and set them up for the tougher games against England and Ireland\u00a0later\u00a0in the tournament.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A post shared by Guinness Six Nations (@sixnationsrugby)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n