Wales captain Jac Morgan leads a revamped side against France, featuring the returns of veterans Josh Adams and Liam Williams. Can this experience turn the tide for Wales after a 12-match losing streak?
Warren Gatland has made a bold move to pull Wales out of a 12-match slump by recalling veterans Josh Adams and Liam Williams for their crucial 2025 Six Nations opener against France on Friday. The starting line-up sees only four survivors from the Welsh side that suffered a crushing 45-12 defeat to world champions South Africa in their last outing: Ben Thomas, Will Rowlands, James Botham, and Jac Morgan.
This signifies a significant shift in strategy as Gatland seeks to inject experience and stability into his team. \Adams and Williams missed substantial portions of 2024, making their return a major boost for Wales, who finished last in the 2024 Six Nations without a single victory. Adding to the positive news, lock Dafydd Jenkins, the 2024 Six Nations captain, also returns after recovering from knee and shoulder surgery. Williams last represented Wales against Australia in July 2024, while Adams has been absent from the Test arena since the 2024 Six Nations. Their combined 151 Test caps bring much-needed experience to Gatland's squad. However, the omission of veteran No. 8 Taulupe Faletau, who has 104 Test caps, is a notable surprise. Faletau has not played Test rugby since Wales' last win – a 2023 World Cup pool victory over Georgia – after suffering an arm fracture in that match and subsequently a fractured shoulder upon his return for Cardiff six months later. \Adding further intrigue to the team selection, former England prop Henry Thomas will make his first Wales start in Paris. The Scarlets tighthead has earned four caps as a substitute since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023. Wales enters the match with a six-match losing streak against France, who will be captained by Antoine Dupont. With the pressure mounting, Gatland's team selection aims to rewrite their recent narrative and secure a crucial victory against a formidable French opponent
WALES FRANCE SIX NATIONS WARREN GATLAND JOSH ADAMS LIAM WILLIAMS
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