In a bold move to shake off last week's crushing defeat, Wales head coach Steve Tandy has revamped his team with six pivotal changes for the upcoming clash against France in the Six Nations. The match, set to electrify the Principality Stadium on Sunday, marks Wales' first home game of the tournament and promises high stakes after their 48-7 thrashing by England.
The alterations feature four personnel swaps and two positional shifts, notably in the front-row where Rhys Carre and Tomas Francis will scrum down beside captain Dewi Lake. The back-row also sees a fresh setup; Olly Cracknell is set to make his Six Nations debut at number eight, propelling Aaron Wainwright to blindside and Alex Mann to openside flanker.
In the backline, Joe Hawkins is slated to start at inside centre alongside Eddie James, while the rest of the back three remains intact with Louis Rees-Zammit at fullback flanked by Josh Adams and Ellis Mee. Off the bench, Ryan Elias is poised to return, having last donned the national colors in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.
"We were bitterly disappointed with the performance last week. We've addressed it in meetings. The boys were open and honest around the fact that we didn't put ourselves on the game,"
Tandy explained, acknowledging the need for a significant rebound.
"It's a massive lesson for us. It’s something we need to correct and put more of our game out on the field on Sunday."
With the stakes heightened by the unsold 20,000 tickets, Tandy also highlighted the importance of the home crowd, recalling the vibrant atmosphere during the autumn games. "We're excited to get back to Principality Stadium. The crowd was incredible during our four games in the autumn. Our aim on the weekend is to inspire the fans too," he added.
The Welsh lineup facing France is as follows: Louis Rees-Zammit, Ellis Mee, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams, Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams, Olly Cracknell, Alex Mann, Aaron Wainwright, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomas Francis, Dewi Lake (c), Rhys Carre. Replacements include Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans, and Mason Grady.
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In a bold move to shake off last week's crushing defeat, Wales head coach Steve Tandy has revamped his team with six pivotal changes for the upcoming clash against France in the Six Nations. The match, set to electrify the Principality Stadium on Sunday, marks Wales' first home game of the tournament and promises high stakes after their 48-7 thrashing by England.
The alterations feature four personnel swaps and two positional shifts, notably in the front-row where Rhys Carre and Tomas Francis will scrum down beside captain Dewi Lake. The back-row also sees a fresh setup; Olly Cracknell is set to make his Six Nations debut at number eight, propelling Aaron Wainwright to blindside and Alex Mann to openside flanker.
In the backline, Joe Hawkins is slated to start at inside centre alongside Eddie James, while the rest of the back three remains intact with Louis Rees-Zammit at fullback flanked by Josh Adams and Ellis Mee. Off the bench, Ryan Elias is poised to return, having last donned the national colors in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.
"We were bitterly disappointed with the performance last week. We've addressed it in meetings. The boys were open and honest around the fact that we didn't put ourselves on the game,"
Tandy explained, acknowledging the need for a significant rebound."It's a massive lesson for us. It’s something we need to correct and put more of our game out on the field on Sunday."
With the stakes heightened by the unsold 20,000 tickets, Tandy also highlighted the importance of the home crowd, recalling the vibrant atmosphere during the autumn games. "We're excited to get back to Principality Stadium. The crowd was incredible during our four games in the autumn. Our aim on the weekend is to inspire the fans too," he added.
The Welsh lineup facing France is as follows: Louis Rees-Zammit, Ellis Mee, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams, Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams, Olly Cracknell, Alex Mann, Aaron Wainwright, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomas Francis, Dewi Lake (c), Rhys Carre. Replacements include Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans, and Mason Grady.