By James Candy
PLAYER WATCH...
WALES
1. ROB EVANS Passes like a fly-half and scrummages with intent. Gethin Jenkin’s natural successor Rating: 6.5 out of 10 2. KEN OWENS Made 13 tackles during another tough shift on the coal-face Rating: 6 3. TOMAS FRANCIS Shunted opposition back to win penalties and justify selection over Samson Lee Rating: 7.5 4. CORY HILL Another solid shift from the ever improving lock. Set the platform for Wales attack Rating: 7 5. ALUN WYN JONES (C) Celebrated his new deal with Ospreys and WRU with a captain’s performance Rating: 8 6. JUSTIN TIPURIC Got around the field but failed to have the desired impact wearing number six shirt Rating: 6 7. JOSH NAVIDI Made crucial steal when victory was in the balance, dangerous in the loose Rating: 7 8. TAULUPE FALETAU Made a searing second half break but couldn’t deliver the scoring pass, not yet 100 percent fit Rating: 6.5 9. GARETH DAVIES The live-wire No.9 couldn’t find a hole in the France defence to snipe through Rating: 6 10. DAN BIGGAR Did basics well without getting the backs firing. Made crucial hold-up tackle on Bastareaud Rating: 6.5 11. LIAM WILLIAMS Atoned for Italian nightmare with trademark poachers try to get Wales on board Rating: 6.5 12. HADLEIGH PARKES Uncharacteristic slice into touch and could not match his Italy showing Rating: 6 13. SCOTT WILLIAMS Perfectly weighted kick through for Williams’ try but found wanting when Fickou cut through Rating: 6 14. GEORGE NORTH Made forays into the defence but could not find daylight to make telling break Rating: 6.5 15. LEIGH HALFPENNY Booted nine vital points and made some important last ditch tackles Rating: 7 REPLACEMENTS 16. Elliot Dee – for Owens 69 - accurate 6 17. Smith – for Evans 64 - no time 5 18. Samson Lee – for Francis 64 - solid 6 19. Bradley Davies – for Hill 69 - strong 6 20. Aaron Shingler – for Tipuric 57 - dynamic 6 21. Aled Davies – not used 22. Gareth Anscombe – not used 23. Steff Evans – not used
FRANCE
1. JEFFERSON POIROT Made the hard yards in the first-half but was bullied at scrum-time and eventually replaced Rating: 6 out of 10 2. ADRIEN PELISSIE The hooker was playing in Pro D2 last year but looks right at home on Test stage Rating: 7 3. CEDATE GOMES SA Was found wanting at set-piece as France gave away a cascade of penalties up front Rating: 5 4. PAUL GABRILLAGUES Another guilty of offending in the tight. Dominated by Wales talisman Jones Rating: 5.5 5. SEBASTIEN VEHAAMAHINA Athleticism around the field kept France cogs turning, useful player to have Rating: 6 6. WENCESLAS LAURET Could not prevent Wales foraging possession at the breakdown. Quiet Rating: 5 7. YACOUBA CAMARA Showed pace and power before exiting due to injury after 26 minutes Rating: 6 8. MARCO TAULEIGNE Took 66 minutes for him to make an impact with rapid break to earn France a penalty Rating: 6 9. MAXIME MACHENAUD Marshalled proceedings but missed penalty before half-time that would have levelled it Rating: 9 10. FRANCOIS TRINH-DUC Catastrophic error for Williams’ score and missed crucial penalty with 15 minutes to go Rating: 4.5 11. REMY GROSSO Was less busy than colleague Fickou and failed to make a real impression Rating: 6 12. GEOFFREY DOUMAYROU Pressed his opposite number well in defence and gave his side some good go-forward Rating: 6.5 13. MATHIEU BASTAREAUD (C) Bashed into the Wales defence and got over the ball to win turnover. Bast is back. Rating: 7 14. GAEL FICKOU Started and finished clinical French attack to haul his side back into it Rating: 7 15. BENJAMIN FALL Did not get the service he needed to open the taps and turn on the gas Rating: 6 REPLACEMENTS 16. Camille Chat – for Pelisse 51 - power and pace 6 17. Dany Priso – for Poirot 60 - worked hard 6 18. Rabah Slimani – for Gomes Sa 51 - turned tide 7 19. Bernard Le Roux – for Gabrielagues 71 - dependable 6 20. Mathieu Babillot – for Camara 26 - missed chance 5 21. Baptiste Couillard – for Machenaud 62 - promising 6 22. Lionel Beauxis – for Trinh-Duc 69 - silky 6 23. Geoffrey Palis – not used