Friday night in Paris to start 2025 campaign
WALES will open the 2025 Six Nations against France in Paris on the last Friday in January and end with a Super Saturday clash against England in Cardiff.
For the first time since that unforgettable 30-3 hammering to seal the Six Nations title back in 2013, Warren Gatland’s side will face England in the final round of the tournament next year.
After kicking-off the competition with that Friday night clash in Paris, they head to Italy the following week.
After a round-three clash with Ireland, Wales head to Scotland in the penultimate weekend before that final-day showdown with Steve Borthwick’s team.
Over the years, Wales have been involved in the majority of the Friday night matches since they were introduced to the Six Nations in 2009.
At times, that’s been a point of contention for Wales, with the Welsh Rugby Union insisting they wouldn’t host any more back in 2017. Eventually, they relented, but the 2022 clash with France in Cardiff wasn’t a sell-out.
Friday night rugby in France is a little different though, with the French set to return next year to their traditional home of Stade de France, which is currently being renovated ahead of the Olympics in Paris later this year. This year’s tournament has seen them play games in Marseille, Lille and Lyon.
Meanwhile, Wales will play the Queensland Reds in July as part of their tour of Australia.
Warren Gatland’s side will play two Tests against Australia in Sydney (July 6), and Melbourne (July 13), before facing off against Super Rugby Pacific outfit the Reds at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
It’ll be the first time Wales have played a club or provincial side since losing to the Waikato Chiefs on their tour of New Zealand in 2016.
“Facing the Queensland Reds in Brisbane will provide the perfect climax to a summer on the road for Wales’ senior men’s side,” said WRU executive performance director Nigel Walker. “Tests against South Africa in London and Australia in Sydney and then Melbourne mean we should arrive in Brisbane battlehardened and ready for action.
“The game against the Reds is a nod to traditional tours when Test teams regularly took on club sides during their travels and we look forward to celebrating the end of a tough season in style at Suncorp Stadium on July 19.”
WARREN Gatland’s decision to move his captain Dafydd Jenkins from second-row to the unfamiliar position of blindside flanker will be a success, according to Wales openside Tommy Reffell.
Gatland has opted for a bigger pack to take on France in today’s Six Nations clash in Cardiff by shifting Jenkins to the back-row to make way for Will Rowlands at lock.
To outsiders it looks like Gatland has taken a bit of a gamble but Reffell is confident Wales will adapt comfortably and believes it will be tough going against a strong France side.
“I think he’ll fit in at 6, he gives 100 per cent all the time, he’s a natural rugby player,” Reffell said of his captain. “France are a great team.
“They’ve shown that over the last few years. They’ve got strength right through their squad. That’s a credit to them, they can mix it up, they’ve got power, a big pack, and flair in the backs. It’s a traditional French pack, with such power and aggression, their players play for some of the best teams in the world.”
Despite losing their opening three matches of this Six Nations a young Wales side have shown signs of improvement. Reffell insists Wales are concentrating on getting their performance right with a first win hopefully coming off the back of that.
“Obviously, it’d be great for us to get a win, but also we want to put a performance in this week,” he said. “That’s been a massive message.
“Results obviously haven’t gone our way. As a team, we’re disappointed with the results, but we’re looking to build each week, put a performance in, fight to the end for each other.”
Meanwhile Gatland has been left impressed by one member of his squad who told him “I’m the best player in my position”.
The Wales coach addressed the media on Friday and spoke of the importance of his players keeping patient and pushing for opportunities to play. He made the comments in light of his selection of Joe Roberts, who will win just his second Wales cap in a new midfield pairing with Owen Watkin, with George North and Nick Tompkins both dropping out of the starting XV.
Roberts’ selection raised a few eyebrows when the team was announced earlier this week, but Gatland said it was a just reward for his “outstanding” performances in training, with his kicking attributes also informing the decision. He went on to praise the Scarlets centre’s approach before revealing that another unnamed player had left him smiling with his confident claim.
“He’s spoken to us about selection in previous games and we’ve just said keep your patience, keep training as hard as you have been and you might get that chance,” the Wales coach said of Roberts.
“So it’s back on him now to go out there and take his chance. Hopefully he does go out there and perform well.”
Asked if he welcomed that kind of attitude as a coach, Gatland added: “Sometimes the question is ‘you tell me why you should be playing?’ That throws them a little bit every now and then. They want me to tell them why they’re not being picked and I want them to tell me why they should be picked.
“I had a conversation with a player yesterday who asked that question and I loved his response. He said ‘because I’m the best player in my position’. I loved that. I said just keep working hard and you might get an opportunity.”