I like the changes Wayne Pivac has made for the monumentally difficult game against France. They are positive selections, designed to make Wales a more threatening side.
France are averaging 34 points a game in this Six Nations, having put 40 points on New Zealand in the autumn. There is no sign they are slowing down.
For Wales to have any chance of winning Friday night they will need to score a lot of points, and they look like a side far more capable of throwing a few shots at the opposition than they did at the beginning of the campaign.
International rugby is in transition, its focus is on scoring tries.
Teams are declining easy shots at goal in favour of lineouts and tries. All three of Wales’ tries against England originated from lineouts five metres out as a result of penalties.
Wales’ only two other tries in the tournament came from a driving lineout and an interception.
Pivac's side are a bit laboured in possession further out, as if they are going through phases waiting to get a penalty to put them in position.
France’s defence and discipline may not be that charitable and so Wales will have to be more willing to create chances from halfway if the penalties are not forthcoming.
To do this, Wales need players that can carry with dynamism, control the collisions, enabling offloads or quick rucks. This is the only way to slow down France’s defensive line.
Pivac’s selections look bold, but we should not be surprised. He presents himself as a calm and pleasant head coach but that belies a ruthlessness that is never far from his thinking.
Last season, he replaced his long term defence coach Byron Hayward without ceremony, he bombed Adam Beard out of the squad, he dropped Rhys Webb for Kieran Hardy, which was a shock at the time, and he moved George North to play centre.
This season, he has dropped poster stars Louis Rees-Zammit and Taine Basham from the team, and Ellis Jenkins, who was captain only a few months ago, is out of the squad entirely.
Clearly, reputation counts for nothing. These are dispassionate, hard-headed decisions trying to get the side to do what he wants.
The inclusion of Gareth Thomas at prop is probably the best example of a coach having a clear and focused approach in team selection.
We saw that Thomas came on and carried well against England.
We saw the stats afterwards showing his involvement compared to Wyn Jones.
Yet we were all, myself included, trapped in collective group think that; (a) Wyn Jones is a Lion, and (b) he is a strong scrummager needed against France.
Pivac sees it differently. He sees Thomas coming on as sub and making significant contributions to the game. He is eager for the ball and wants to do more than just accept a tackle on the gain line.
He looks a good footballer too, someone who can occupy that pivotal role at first receiver deciding whether to carry, tip on or pass deep to the second line.
How quickly things change. A year ago Wyn Jones, returned after injury to shore up the scrum and provide Wales with the platform to win the championship. Now, it’s his turn to make the improvements to win back the shirt.
However, Thomas’ main duty as a prop is to provide a solid base from which to launch Wales’ attack. No doubt France will target him, but I’ve not seen anything that worries me unduly about that aspect of his game.
I am also pleased to see Seb Davies start at number six. It seems as though Pivac has been flirting with the idea of establishing him as a power blindside for a while but has been reluctant of getting him in.
He feels he has nothing to lose against France. Either way I think that Wales have to explore every avenue to get Davies into the side.
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Wales simply do not have many players of his size and athleticism. There are 18 months until the World Cup, so Pivac must start playing him to give him a chance of being the force Wales want him to be by then.
I have to spare a thought for those players left out, Basham in particular. He has exploded on to the scene and has been feted as Wales’ best ball carrier for three months.
Suddenly he’s out of the action completely. Pivac is renowned for his man-management skills, but no matter how you sugar coat it, this is a big blow for Basham.
It will be a massive challenge for Wales against France. The visitors have managed to combine some of their old Gallic attacking flair with a new found desire to defend, something Shaun Edwards has helped them discover.
I suspect they are just scared of him.
I think France will win but I really hope to see Wales being more confident and effective with the ball in hand. It is not a negative option to kick and turn France, especially when they are organised.
It will be an important element of the game plan. Wales do not want to be sitting ducks.
But Pivac has picked a side to be more threatening and I hope we see more of that as well.
Gwyn Jones is a part of S4C’s Clwb Rygbi Rhyngwladol team. S4C’s coverage of Wales v France gets underway at 7.30pm on Friday night. Also, watch coverage of Lions v Cardiff from 1.50pm on Sunday, English commentary available.
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