Welsh on a high in second
WARREN GATLAND was happy with an “ugly win’ as Wales clinched second place in the Six Nations.
A Liam Williams try and three Leigh Halfpenny penalties swayed a forgettable contest Wales’s way as they completed a clean sweep of home wins.
France went the same way as Italy and Scotland before them, yet the visitors could – and probably should – have taken the spoils, given their dominance for much of the match.
Wing Gael Fickou’s try, an early Francois Trinh-Duc drop-goal, plus his halfback partner Maxime Machenaud’s penalty and conversion ensured Wales were stretched to the limit.
But a combination of Welsh resilience and French profligacy meant the game ultimately went Wales’s way, leaving France still without a win in Cardiff since 2010.
Gatland said: “It was definitely an ugly win. Sometimes you will take an ugly victory over the performance. We turned up today and it was all about winning.
“The performance was not the most important thing. We started off well but there were too many turnovers and mistakes.
“That is not a bad French team and they are going to get better. It is a tough competition to win or finish second, and we are pleased with where we are at the moment.
“We have got something to build on — some of the depth we have created in the squad is pleasing.”
Referring to the outcome of this year’s tournament, he added: “Congratulations to Ireland on the Grand Slam, they deserve it, but they will know you need a bit of luck.”