The Wales coach, Steve Tandy, has made four changes to his starting XV for the daunting visit of France to the Principality Stadium on Sunday, including Olly Cracknell at No 8 as they seek to arrest a 12-game losing streak in the Six Nations.
Following last weekend’s 48-7 defeat to England, beleaguered Wales have beefed up their pack with the inclusion of Cracknell for a first Six Nations start, and two changes in the front row as the props Rhys Carré and Tomas Francis replace Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin.
Aaron Wainwright moves from No 8 to the flank in order to accommodate Cracknell, with Alex Mann keeping his place among the loose-forwards. The captain, Dewi Lake, continues at hooker, with Adam Beard and Dafydd Jenkins the lock pairing.
There is one change to the backline, with Joe Hawkins taking over from Ben Thomas at inside centre, partnering Eddie James in the midfield. Dan Edwards continues at fly-half, with Tomos Williams keeping his place at scrum-half. The back three is made up of the wings Josh Adams and Ellis Mee, and Louis Rees-Zammit at full-back.
“We were bitterly disappointed with the performance last week,” said Tandy. “We’ve addressed it in meetings. The boys were open and honest around the fact that we didn’t put ourselves on the game. We felt we played into England’s hands a little bit and obviously the discipline was hugely disappointing. It’s a massive lesson for us. It’s something we need to correct and put more of our game out on the field on Sunday.”
Wales’s wretched run of form has brought only two wins in their past 24 Tests, both against Japan. But speaking on Thursday, the France coach, Fabien Galthié, was keen to ensure his team don’t take the hosts lightly in Cardiff.
“For me [it is] the most beautiful stadium in the world, with those Welsh chants that never stop,” he said. “It’s special and, in my opinion, it levels the playing field. It gives the Welsh an extra spark.”
Before that, Ireland host Italy on Saturday and their captain, Caelan Doris, has said they cannot afford to have any “passengers” and urged teammates to take greater individual responsibility. Andy Farrell’s side are under pressure to produce a performance in Dublin against the Azzurri in the wake of a dispiriting round-one defeat away to the reigning champions, France.
Farrell, the head coach, has made six changes to his starting XV, including handing championship debuts to the flanker Cormac Izuchukwu and the wing Robert Baloucoune and naming the uncapped lock Edwin Edogbo on the bench.
Doris, who switches from No 8 to openside flanker, said: “It’s an exciting team we’ve got. There’s obviously a few changes, so getting cohesion through the week has been important. The message to those guys [coming into the team] is to trust themselves.
“Same with all of us really off the back of a defeat like that; doubling down on what we’re good at, doing things properly with intent, enjoying it and enjoying it from doing things properly with intent as well. Creating a feeling through how we show up with actions, and it can be infectious that. But also to the new guys it’s making sure they own it and make it feel like it’s properly theirs. You can’t have any passengers tomorrow, so, yeah, full ownership from everyone.”
