Wales vs. France: Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Six Nations 2016 Preview
Wales and France will put their unbeaten 2016 RBS Six Nations runs on the line this Friday, when the pair clash at Cardiff's Principality Stadium with the chance of climbing to the top of the standings.
Head coach Warren Gatland's hosts have won their last four consecutive meetings with Les Bleus, but France have made a bright start to life under new chief Guy Noves, who is hoping to break that trend.
It's also been six years since Les Bleus last triumphed in the Welsh capital, but after scoring late to seal a slim 10-9 win over Ireland the last time out, could this be the beginning of Noves' French Revolution?
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Read on for a preview of Friday evening's Six Nations clash, complete with match details and information on where you can expect to watch the contest.
Date: Friday, February 26
Time: 8:05 p.m. GMT/3:05 p.m. ET
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
TV Info: BBC One (U.K.)
Live Stream: BBC Sport website (U.K.)
Gatland's Selection Statement
Wales fans were uplifted by the news on Tuesday that star centre Jonathan Davies had overcome a groin strain to start this Friday, per BBC Sport, meaning Jamie Roberts would have his usual partner in crime present alongside him.
Gatland also made some big calls by dropping Justin Tipuric—Dan Lydiate will start—and replacing winger Tom James with Alex Cuthbert.
Captain Sam Warburton evidently sees this as the best Wales team of the tournament yet, however, and expects another tough challenge from the French, per Jonathon Moar of Sky Sports:
"I have played France for the last five or six years in a row, and I have never found them easy.
Even though we have quite a good record against them in the Six Nations, it has always been a very tough set-piece battle, very physical, and they have individuals with a massive amount of skill and ability.
There is not a French team I have ever written off. I always rate them very highly.
It will be quite strange not playing against [Thierry] Dusautoir this year because he has been there for the last five or six years, but they have top players with experience at big clubs.
"
The decision to drop Tipuric in particular means a substantial change to the back row, with Lydiate coming in as a more natural No. 6, whose influence in the tackle count is sure to have some impact.
In any case, Paul Williams of Rugby World magazine has tipped this bit of tinkering to be a masterstroke from Gatland, with Tipuric ready to have a late, energetic impact off the bench:
On the other hand, Cuthbert could be something of a risk if some of his recent Wales form has been anything to go by, but it seems Cardiff Blues team-mate James didn't do enough to retain his spot.
Reinstated and full of motivation to recapture his form of old, Cuthbert will also be an essential defensive post against a French side that's been looking to rediscover a sense of back-line width so far under Noves.
Noves' Campaign Under Huge Strain
A trip to Cardiff never comes free of pressure, but after winning each of his first two games as France coach, Noves has a weight on his shoulders to ensure Les Bleus deliver on Friday.
Depending on the resolve of the travelling team, the burden on France has also grown after BBC Wales Sport confirmed on Tuesday that the roof would be closed for the Week 3 encounter:
While France are two for two under Noves, however, it's perhaps fair to say they've hardly hit third gear yet. A Jules Plisson penalty saved their 23-21 win over Italy, while one try was all it took for them to outdo Ireland 10-9.
What's more, rugby writer Andrew Baldock also pointed to Les Bleus' recent record against the Welsh and in Cardiff, which hardly makes for inspirational reading:
Ireland are a team dealing with their own issues at present, so perhaps that game was a difficult barometer. But Friday's Test match in Wales will go a long way to showing us just how strong this French side is.
Wales strutted their stuff last time out as they came from behind to defeat Scotland 27-23, but the fight for the Six Nations summit could coax the best out of France in time for Matchday 3.
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