Here are the latest rugby headlines on Saturday, March 12, after France beat Wales in the Six Nations.
France insist they expected Wales exam
France coach Fabien Galthie said Wales had played a "tactical" game on Friday night, but insisted he had been expecting the stern examination his side received.
And he was modest about plaudits coming the way of Les Bleus, whose 13-9 win at the Principality Stadium sets up a shot at the Grand Slam against England in Paris next weekend.
Told that the Welsh camp had labelled them the best in the world, Galthie said: “I am not sure we are asking ourselves this question! It is very flattering to be praised by other teams, but to know who is the best? We will see later.”
He added: “We felt Wales were very tactical. They made 36 kicks whereas we made 28, they tried to push us back with very long kicks and a lot of pressure all over the field. We managed most of the time to react well to their game.
“It was a different game. We were expecting it. They have won the competition several times and that is not by chance. We knew they would be very tactical.”
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Biggar: We were the better team
Wales captain Dan Biggar said he was "annoyed" by France's narrow Cardiff victory that left Les Bleus within touching distance of a first Six Nations title and Grand Slam since 2010, insisting the men in red were the better team.
France overcame Wales 13-9 at the Principality Stadium as the defending Six Nations champions lost for the third time in four games this season.
Victory over England in Paris next week will confirm France as European champions, but Biggar felt Wales should have ended their visitors' Grand Slam quest.
Outside-half Biggar, who kicked Wales' nine points, said: "I'm annoyed really is the bottom line, that we haven't picked up certainly one win in the last two games
"I'm frustrated, annoyed, disappointed - all those things. We said in the huddle after the game that we could have nicked it in Twickenham a couple of weeks ago, coming back after not starting well.
"I thought tonight we were the better team against the best team in the world at the moment. Big Test matches hinge on one or two big moments. We didn't quite nail ours and France took theirs."
Wales saw their own 2021 Grand Slam hopes ended by France in a heartbreaking 32-30 Paris defeat. This campaign has been far more of a struggle for a Welsh side who head into the final weekend with only one win, against Scotland, under their belt.
But Biggar said: "You know when you play well and you know when you play poorly. We played very poorly on the opening weekend in Dublin, and we've certainly got better as the tournament has gone on. We were one score away from beating France, we were one score away from beating England.
"That's annoying and frustrating, but there's no doubt we're in a much better place than when we kicked off against Ireland in Dublin. We've got to make sure we come here next Saturday, do a good job on Italy, and finish the campaign on a high."
Biggar could win his 100th Wales cap against bottom-placed Italy in Cardiff.
Alun Wyn Jones set for Wales return
Alun Wyn Jones, Test rugby's most-capped player with 161 appearances for Wales and the British and Irish Lions, is also set to feature against the Azzurri after undergoing shoulder surgery in the autumn.
Head coach Wayne Pivac said of long-time captain Jones: "He'll be officially added to the squad this weekend.
"He's worked very, very hard as Alun Wyn does. He's been training with the team, helping prepare the team for this week's game. He'll be available for selection."
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New Wales team in action as pros for first time
Wales Women run out for a Six Nations warm-up game on Saturday afternoon for the first time since players took up professional and semi-pro contracts.
Ioan Cunningham's Wales side face USA Falcons on Saturday, March 12, at 2pm at Parc y Scarlets.
A dozen Wales players became full-time pros in January with 11 more signing part-time retainer contracts. Talks are currently ongoing about awarding another retainer contract, while three more are up for grabs this weekend.
Forward Sioned Harries, capped 58 times, returns to Wales to take her place among the replacements. The 32-year-old back-rower last featured for Wales in the 2019 autumn internationals, has been to three World Cups and was a key player under former head coach Rowland Phillips.
Bristol Bears talent Kayleigh Powell lines up at full-back in a back-three completed by Lisa Neumann and Jasmine Joyce. Hannah Jones and Kerin Lake partner at centre while Robyn Wilkins and Keira Bevan are the half-backs. As for the forwards, Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones and Cerys Hale line up in the front row, while rising star Sisilia Tuipulotu packs down with Gwen Crabb in the second row and Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender and captain Siwan Lillicrap combine in the back-row.
There are no fewer than 17 replacements on the bench, with coaches set to give gametime to almost every player ahead of naming a Six Nations squad for their campaign kick-off away to Ireland on March 26.
Wales Women: 15. Kayleigh Powell; 14. Lisa Neumann, 13. Hannah Jones, 12. Kerin Lake, 11. Jasmine Joyce; 10. Robyn Wilkins, 9. Keira Bevan; 1. Gwenllian Pyrs, 2. Kelsey Jones, 3. Cerys Hale, 4. Sisilia Tuipulotu, 5. Gwen Crabb, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Alex Callender, 8. Siwan Lillicrap (capt).
Replacements: Cara Hope, Kat Evans, Carys Phillips, Donna Rose, Jenni Scoble, Natalia John (vice-capt), Liliana Podpadec, Beth Lewis, Manon Johnes, Sioned Harries, Ffion Lewis, Lleucu George, Flo Williams, Caitlin Lewis, Emma Hennessy, Gemma Rowland, Lowri Norkett.
Ireland admit Itoje loss would be huge for England
Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty admits Maro Itoje would be a major loss for England going into Saturday's crunch Guinness Six Nations clash.
Towering Saracens lock Itoje has emerged as a doubt for the Twickenham showdown due to illness, with Wasps' Joe Launchbury on standby.
Fogarty gave a wry smile when saying he hopes the 27-year-old recovers in time for a game which will result in the loser being eliminated from the championship title race.
"He's another experienced player, he's a difficult character to deal with because he's so involved - he tries to have lots of involvements in the game," Fogarty said of Itoje.
"He's a huge strength of theirs. He's a nuisance at times but he's excellent. He would be a loss, of course.
"They've got some strength in depth and they've got some size; Launchbury is an excellent player, he's got lots of experience and adds something different as well. But sure, he (Itoje) would be a loss."
Smiling, Fogarty added: "Let's hope he's all right."
England remain optimistic Itoje will be fit to feature.
Fogarty does not expect the potential absence of one of the opposition's star men to have a significant impact on Irish preparations.
"I think at this stage now, what our plan is, how we want to put it out there, it's not going to affect us," he said.
"That happens from time to time, players drop out. It won't have a major impact on how we're preparing to start tomorrow."
Depleted Scarlets turn in spirited display in defeat to Sharks
The Scarlets put on a spirited display but were left empty-handed as they fell to a 37-20 United Rugby Championship defeat to the Sharks in Durban.
A thrilling first half saw the Scarlets - shorn of their Wales internationals for the trip - denied two tries by the TMO, while the Sharks, whose starting XV was littered with Springboks, were held up over the line.
The Scarlets deservedly crossed for the game's first try six minutes after the break, with Aaron Shingler touching down.
However, the visitors' early exertions in humid conditions started to take their toll, and Aphelele Fassi and Curwin Bosch, who also kicked 13 points, both crossed before a penalty try and a Marius Louw score - either side of a Steff Evans consolation - delivered the decisive blow and earned the hosts a bonus point.
A breathless opening almost yielded a try for the Scarlets when Sam Costelow's determined chase saw him lose out to Fassi by the narrowest of margins.
The visiting fly-half did open the scoring with a penalty after eight minutes, before the visitors had another try chalked off for an Evans foot in touch.
The Scarlets were on top and Costelow added a second penalty to his tally before Bosch halved the deficit from the tee in the 19th minute.
The Sharks' share of possession and territory increased as the half progressed and Jaden Hendrikse was held up over the line following some desperate Scarlets defending four minutes from the break.
Bosch made it 6-6 at the interval, but the opening try finally arrived for the Scarlets six minutes into the second half when replacement Shingler applied the finish to a well-worked line-out move and Costelow added the extras.
Bosch then missed for a third time in the match but was on target when the Sharks touched down after Hendrikse's audacious no-look grubber sent Fassi through.
Dan Jones then hit a post as the Scarlets squandered an opportunity to re-take the lead just short of the hour mark, before Bosch showed quick reactions to go over as the Sharks edged clear.
He converted his own score and added another penalty before a tired Scarlets defence was punished with a penalty try.
Louw finished the job after Evans had given Dwayne Peel's men the narrowest glimmer of hope.
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