Paris platform: Gatland believes opening wintees uptitle shot

Not many teams could start their Six Nations campaign without two leading British & Irish Lions and still be confident of success, but as Wales get ready to kick-off the tournament against France in Paris tonight, Warren Gatland’s are full of belief – rightly – that they can be title challengers.

The injured Leigh Halfpenny and Taulupe Faletau are absent due to a concussion and a broken arm respectively and there is no doubt both men would walk into Gatland’s first-choice XV.

In years gone by, such absentees would have hit Wales hard. Now, things are different. Gatland boasts enviable strength in depth. Liam Williams and Ross Moriarty are fine replacements for Halfpenny and Faletau and Adam Beard, Josh Adams and Tomos Williams are all fine prospects.

France is no straightforward opener – as Ireland found in Paris this time last year – but Wales believe they can topple a juggernaut Les Bleus side and push forward from there.

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It will be old school rugby,” said Wales flanker Josh Navidi, who will take on a starting French pack weighing in at more than 150 stone.

“It is the same when we play French teams in regional rugby – we know they are going to be big and physical and their back-line will have a lot of flair. You just know what is coming; a lot of drives, one-out runners, and confrontation. We know how big they are and we have to try and match them.

“We have got to keep our momentum going. We need to keep focused on Friday and get the win in France to start the Six Nations. I hope we can tire out a big pack and get the result.”

Gatland has seen his team win their last nine matches. Wales are ranked third in the world. They are in fine fettle in what is their head coach’s last year in charge.

“I’ve been pretty open in my view that we have a good chance of winning the Six Nations. I think if we win this first game, we can do it,” said Gatland, who has been consistent in this narrative.

I haven’t really contemplated anything other than winning the Six Nations. I haven’t talked or thought about our finishing position. We came second last year which was OK.

“It would be great for us to win. France are in a transition phase and it looks like they are starting to introduce some of the players from their U20 side which won the World Cup.

“They will, no doubt, come into the fold in the next few years. We’ve had a settled side and it’s one which is playing with some confidence and self-belief. We want to build on what we did last year, have a good Six Nations, and look forward to the World Cup warm-up games and then Japan.” What lies in wait for Wales in Paris is a potentially lethal opponent. On paper, France look dangerous with a monstrous pack designed to provide ball for some deadly backs.

The selection of 19-year-old rookie Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack – the son of legendary French wing Emile – at centre is an intriguing one. Gatland admitted this week Wales will look to exploit him.

Wales have nonetheless earned the right to purely focus on themselves and that they have done. Their pack is bang up for a battle in Saint-Denis after being blown away in the first quarter of a controversial 100-minute clash on their last visit to the Stade de France in 2017.

Captain Alun Wyn Jones and the equally experienced Ken Owens will have crucial roles to play. The back-row also has a nice balance to it with Navidi and Justin Tipuric on the flanks and Moriarty at No 8. They should match the French and then it will be over to the backs to do their stuff.

Scrum-half Tomos Williams is the most intriguing of the selections. The 24-year-old grew up as a talented basketball player and represented Wales in the sport before devoting himself to rugby.

He is a real talent; still raw, but spiky, combative, and a real running threat. France beware.

“All my family play basketball. I think playing it contributed to my skill-set and ball-handling,” said Williams, who has six caps but is preparing for his biggest international challenge yet.

“I had to give up one sport when Cardiff Blues Academy called me in when I was about 18. Naturally, I went the way of rugby.

“The Six Nations is a bigger stage than what I’ve played in before and France are a strong team. There is going to be a bit of pressure, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited and just want to get out there. Everyone knows how good a tournament the Six Nations is and we want to make a good start and get a win to stand us in good stead moving forward.

“We will look to pull France about the park a bit. They have named a big pack, but we’re not taking anything away from them. We know they are going to be good.”

Last week, Gatland revealed he considers a handful of his young players more than capable of shifting his regular starting incumbents from their position. Williams has already done that with Gareth Davies – who has been nursing a quadriceps strain – among the replacements for France.

Everywhere you look in this Wales squad, there is competition. This is a team with hugely experienced leaders in the likes of Jones, Owens and centre Jonathan Davies.

There is the X-Factor in flying wing George North and out-half Gareth Anscombe who is growing day-by-day on the Test stage having ousted Dan Biggar. Adams, too, is still young but exhibiting all the markings of a fine international winger. They will all need to perform to get a win in Paris.

Victory would make it seven Welsh successes out of their last eight with Les Bleus.

“Tomos is a livewire and a threat off the base as well. Hopefully, he will do a good job,” said Navidi, a teammate of Williams at the Blues.

He’s got flair and is quite aggressive for a scrum-half – it’s good when your No 9 is a bit feisty.

Williams added: “Warren has been good, relaxed, and he hasn’t put much pressure on me. He says to just enjoy it and do what I’m good at. At the end of the day, it’s a game of rugby and I play it every week. I’ve never tried to base my game on anyone. I’ve always tried to put my own print on things.

“I try to be aggressive on the pitch, but I’m different off it. As soon as I get on the pitch, I get a bit of an edge and that’s a good thing, but you have to find a balance.”

That’s a key word – balance. Wales must couple their willingness to run France around the field with a robust forward effort. Crucially, Gatland and his players know they can do exactly that.

Wales are in a good place and are justly confident. After a sublime 2018, their first game of the New Year is crucial.