Another week, another much-changed Wales team.
We have reached the stage where the words ‘Gatland’ and ‘shake-up’ are fast losing the power to surprise.
But another six changes it is for the game with France in Paris, following on from six for the date with Italy, nine for the match against England and a further six for the date with Scotland.
For avoidance of doubt, that's 27 changes since the opening day selection versus Ireland.
Warren Gatland knows as well as anyone the importance of continuity but he has been using this Six Nations to assess players ahead of the World Cup. If it has sometimes appeared as if a tombola has been there or thereabouts at selection meetings, the New Zealander can argue a decent World Cup effort would justify all the turbulence.
Experience is the name of the game for him at Stade de France, with Wales packing 997 caps into their starting line-up. Only one player, Rio Dyer, is not into double figures when it comes to Test appearances.
Will it be enough to keep a tight rein on the French, who demolished England last time out?
We’ll see. Here are the main headlines from the selection:
Wainwright's return
Patience can reap rewards. It certainly has done for Aaron Wainwright, who finds himself back in the Wales team as a starter for the first time since the game with Ireland 13 months ago.
The Dragons back rower didn’t feature in any of the first four rounds of this Six Nations. Presumably, his brief might have involved holding tackle bags and providing some opposition for those who were being picked. He looked destined to play out the tournament without seeing a single minute of action.
With Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric staying fit, and Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell and Chris Tshiunza as options, Wainwright's chances of a turn in the run-on XV looked bleak — not quite on a par with a potholer's chances of being hit by a bit of space debris, perhaps, but you get the picture.
But he has evidently stayed positive and he stood out for his region when they played Connacht recently.
Gatland has also long enjoyed what he brings to the table, once referring to him as “an X-factor special player, a young boy who has something about him”.
So in he comes, his chance arising after an injury to Morgan in training, with the Osprey damaging an ankle. Wales will miss Morgan’s ability at the breakdown, but Wainwright carries hard, beats defenders and also makes his tackles. The chance is there for him to put down a marker for the World Cup.
Who will win France v Wales? Have your say here
A last Six Nations dance for Alun Wyn
Certainly, it’s hard to imagine Alun Wyn Jones being on the Test scene at the start of the next rugby cycle, after the World Cup, when he will be 38 and Wales will start building for the next global tournament.
Because however you cut it, all good things have to eventually come to an end.
The old warrior returns for his 158th Wales cap, replacing Dafydd Jenkins at lock. Barring any surprises, the match with France in Paris will be his final Six Nations game.
Probably, the World Cup will be his Test rugby swansong.
Gatland has recalled him to the starting line-up because he still has belief in the Osprey. Former England full-back Mike Brown may have taken aim at Jones after Wales played England recently, but Jones wasn't the worst player on the pitch that day — far from it, with 10 tackles and no misses over 63 minutes, two turnovers, a lineout steal, six passes and carrying that took him into double figures in terms of metres made. Statistics prove only so much, but it seems reasonable to suggest such an effort didn’t deserve to be the focus for a heavy-duty attack from Brown, who accused Jones of “just walking around”.
Anyway, the former captain returns for the date with a side who put 53 points on England last weekend.
Wales can’t allow France to enjoy a steady flow of possession and they need Jones to disrupt and help cut the supply line. It will not be easy, but international rugby isn’t easy. The plus is no-one will have a clearer idea of what’s required than world rugby’s cap record holder.
The Biggar picture
It’s been a strange old Six Nations for Dan Biggar, who was being acclaimed for his captaincy of Wales last summer. Benched for the England game, he missed the cut for the Italy match because of a “tight back” and now he’s back for the final act against France.
Two years ago, he had an excellent game in Paris as Wales came close to completing a Grand Slam.
It’s a shade tough on Owen Williams, who played an important role in the win over Italy last time out, with his tackle on Tomasso Menoncello just before half-time vital to the success.
But he is still settling as a Test fly-half, whereas Biggar has done the job for Wales 106 times and experience will matter as Wales look to conjure a competitive performance against a side whose effort against England raised the bar.
There is also the point that Biggar being Biggar, he will disregard the idea that Wales have zero chance in the French capital.
Bookmakers may be giving Warren Gatland’s team a 20-point start, but being written off will only galvanise their 33-year-old No. 10.
Gatland will enjoy such an attitude.
Rees-Zammit's new role
No major experience as a full-back in senior rugby. What’s a man to do with his first touch of the ball as a Test No. 15, then?
History shows that Louis Rees-Zammit declined to lump it back upfield when he figured as last line of defence against Argentina last autumn. Instead, he glided through a gap, touched on the accelerator and made 30 metres before the Argentine defence properly knew what was happening. You can read more about his performance here.
There was the odd issue under the high ball in that game, but the pluses far outweighed the minuses.
A week later Rees-Zammit had a trickier time at the back against Georgia.
Such is rugby.
Potentially, he could pep Wales’ attacking game because the Gloucester man has the pace to trouble any defence.
His defence has improved over the past year and he put in some important tackles off the bench against Italy. If he’s not the finished article in that respect, he is a player who France will be concerned about and his selection is a positive one in Liam Williams’ absence.
Old guard replace young guns in the middle
No country for young men? That would be harsh, because Wales have given opportunities to Test L-platers in this Six Nations.
Joe Hawkins has played every minute of every game and Mason Grady has started the last two Tests.
“I think they have been brilliant,” Wales assistant coach and attack specialist Alex King is on record as saying.
“It is not easy, international rugby, and for two 20-year-olds to go in against England and then Italy, they have learnt a huge amount already. They are going to form the nucleus of a midfield for Wales going forward.”
Hawkins, in particular, has developed significantly in this Six Nations, emerging as a carrying option at 12 and also as a distributor who has a kicking game. Grady, too, will have learned a lot. Both are going to win a lot more caps for Wales.
But Gatland has stood them down for this weekend, with the coach erring on the side of pragmatism.
For all the pair’s promise, Wales’ midfield defence was awry against Italy, with eight missed tackles.
Wales just need to tighten up. In all, the Azzurri made 11 clean breaks but scored just two tries.
If France make 11 clean breaks, Wales will spend a lot of the afternoon lining up beneath their posts.
Gatland has turned to Nick Tompkins at inside centre with George North outside him — experience for the job of taking on one of the most dangerous midfield partnerships in world rugby in Jonathan Danty and Gael Fickou.
It’s a surprise Tompkins hasn’t started in this edition of the Six Nations before now, given that he made an impact off the bench against England. He is an organiser with a big workrate who consistently delivers for Saracens, England’s top-performing club.
And Gatland will hope North plays as he can.
The big man has not won 112 Wales caps by chance. Coaches trust him to make an impact and keep opposition defences honest. Saturday in Paris will be an opportunity to remind us all what he can do. He’ll want to take it and end a fairly low-key Six Nations for himself on a positive note.
Is the selection of so much experience in the side a pointer towards Gatland's thinking for the World Cup?
It depends on how quickly some of the youngsters develop in the coming months.
But this weekend the floor is open for some of Wales' seasoned campaigners.
All have chances to make statements.
How they perform will be fascinating to see.
READ MORE:
Wales warned of 70-point thrashing but coach backs young duo after issues
Justin Tipuric's speech to Wales' players and the celebration routine that brought back smiles
Wales duo set to reunite in England as they leave Welsh rugby
