Wayne Pivac has named his team for the game against France at the Principality Stadium on Saturday at 1645. These are my thoughts on the selection.
1 Wyn Jones (Scarlets)- The man from farming stock will relish the challenge of the French pack. Jones has not had it all his own way so far in the six nations and he will have put the work in with Jon Humphreys since the defeat in Dublin two weeks ago.
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets)- His place in the team was never in doubt, the Sheriff is a busy ball carrier for Wales. But he will want to have a more successful day in the lineout than last time out.
3 Dillon Lewis (Blues)- I’m very pleased to see Lewis retain his place. The media and a lot of supporters have singled him out for criticism for the scrum penalty given against him in Dublin. World Rugby have since admitted that this was an incorrect decision. Lewis adds more around the field than any of the other options at tight head. He competes for the ball at the breakdown, which allows the team to have more time to set their defensive line. His scrummaging is a work in progress and he will need tests like this game to improve.
4 Jake Ball (Scarlets)- Another bruiser who is important to the cause as a ball carrier. Ball has worked his way back from an injury hit 2018/2019 to become first choice partner to Alun Wyn Jones.
5 Alun Wyn Jones (c) (Ospreys)- still looking to hit his top form. The most capped Welshman of all time is still going strong and will need to have a top performance on Saturday.

6 Ross Moriarty (Dragons)- Brought into the starting team after his noticeable impact off the bench in the first two fixtures. Moriarty always walks a disciplinary tight rope, but when he gets the balance of physicality and aggression right he takes some stopping. Has played his best rugby for Wales at 6.
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)- Still a classy player who didn’t have much game time under his belt heading into the tournament. Has been popping up in the back line as a receiver and distributor. Vital to Stephen Jones attacking plan.
8 Taulupe Faletau (Bath)- still working his way back to full fitness and confidence, such is his quality that he plays himself in at test level. A big game is coming for the ex Dragons number 8.
9 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)- A live wire who missed the first game with a quad injury. Davies is back and can offer his speed and explosiveness in attack and defence. Not as strong a box kicker as Williams but offers a significant threat to the try line.

10 Dan Biggar (Northampton)- There has been some controversy about Biggar being picked after his third concussion in the last 5 months. But he has cleared all the protocol and has been passed fit by a world leading expert on concussion. Biggar is playing some sublime Rugby in the East Midlands and brought that form to the Italy game.
11 Josh Adams (Blues)- Limped off in Dublin with a hip injury. Adams has been in White hot form and has been the leading wing in world rugby over the last 12 months in my opinion. Adams is always hungry for the ball and will come off his wing looking for the ball.
12 Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets)- Has seemed to be the only fit centre Wales have for the last few months. Parkes had a very good game against Ireland and was inches away from scoring a well deserved try. Will want a big carrying game running into the two young Frenchmen at 12 and 10.
13 Nick Tompkins (Saracens)- A mixed bag in his two international tests so far, sublime against Italy with the ball on hand, he had a much harder day at the office against Ireland. Tompkins will look to keep Virimi Vakatatwa quiet in midfield which is easier said than done at times. I have faith that the Sarries man will prove his worth this weekend.
14 George North(Ospreys)- North had a poor game last time out by anyone’s standards. He was criticised for his performance in defense against Italy and did nothing to quiet his critics in Dublin. North has always come out and proved a point when returning home to face his doubters. He scored two against France last year and will look to shut a lot of people up.
15 Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets)- He is playing some of his best Rugby in the last four years at the moment. A very good defensive player with a world class kicking game. Halfpenny doesn’t attack like he used too, but is still a world class operator.

Replacements:

16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets)- He hasn’t put a foot wrong so far coming off the bench in the last two games. Will come in to line up opposite the granite like Camille Chat, and will need to carry as much ball as his Scarlets team mate Ken Owens.

17 Rob Evans (Scarlets)- The man from the West Country missed out on selection to go to the World Cup in Japan, due to him battling an injury all summer. Evans is a world class Prop when fully fit and can add an extra dimension with ball in hand coming off the bench.

18 Leon Brown (Dragons)- The young tight head has showed up well so far as a replacement in the opening fixtures. A strong carrier whose scrummaging is improving with every cap.

19 Will Rowlands (Wasps)- Set to win his first cap off the bench, Rowlands was impressive for Wasps against Leicester last weekend With Lawrence Dallaglio singling him out for praise. Pivac is looking for his second row pairing post Alun Wyn Jones.

20 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)- Has burst onto the International scene over the last 14 months, he was very good in the World Cup and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. He has played a lot of International Rugby so far this year and will be able to empty the tank off the bench this weekend.

21 Tomos Williams (Blues)- Made some uncharacteristic errors against Ireland and has Gareth Davies as his main competition for the starting berth and Rhys Webb is third choice, which speaks volumes for the strength in depth at Scrum Half. He will look to make an impact and display his importance to the team.

22 Jarrod Evans (Blues)- Seemed to be the only fit Outside Half at the start of the week, Evans played well against Ireland in difficult conditions. A silky ball player and underrated in defence. Evans will let no one down coming on as a replacement

23 Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets)- Had longer on the pitch than he bargained for last time out when he replaced Josh Adams after 20 minutes. Appears to still be adapting to the pace and lack of space in International Rugby.

Overall a solid team for Wales, considering the amount of injuries the squad has suffered. Liam Williams and Owen Watkin will be looking to feature against England in two weeks time. Louis Rees Zammit has again missed out after he scored again for Gloucester last week. I’m happy Dillon Lewis has been backed by Wayne Pivac and it seems that it is not felt that Will Griff John is ready for Test Rugby just yet.

France who have finally found their best centre partnership in Gael Fickou and Virimi Vakatawa have disrupted this partnership due to injury, Fickou moves onto the wing and Arthur Vincent starts at 12. Vincent becomes the first International player to play at the Principality Stadium having been born after it was opened. Shaun Edwards will want a big performance from his team as they set their sights on a possible Grand Slam. This could be a quick attacking game, or it could equally be an arm wrestle between the forwards. Wales would back their fitness in a battle in the trenches.

My Heart says a Wales win, with big performances from George North and Taulupe Faletau. My Head is worried about this French Vintage visiting Cardiff. My hot take on the game is: Dillon Lewis will come of age and put his scrummaging doubts to bed, I also think Nick Tompkins will bounce back from last time out. This could be the game of the tournament.