Teams named for Six Nations curtain raiser

The starting line-ups for Fridays 6 Nations curtain raiser in Paris have been named.

Hosts France name the formidable Toulouse half back partnership of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.

With the latter making his first appearance for France in 17 months after missing the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Six Nations.

Dupont also having missed last year’s tournament captains the side, which doesn’t include in-form winger Damian Penaud due to him being unavailable with a toe injury.

With Pau’s Theo Attissogbe making his Six Nations debut in his place in a back three with Louis Bielle-Biarrey on the other wing and then Thomas Ramos at full back.

Head coach Fabien Gaelthie has gone for a 6-2 split on the bench clearly playing into France’s power advantage many believe they have over the Welsh.

Les Blues go into the tournaments as many people’s favourites and up against a Wales team who went winless last year, Gaelthie will be confident the side he has named can secure a home victory.

His opponent Warren Gatland has named a Welsh team that brings back a wealth of experience back into the squad with the return of Josh Adams and Liam Williams, with more than 150 test caps between them.

This experience will be needed in the Stade de France as two debutants start in the front row in Evan Lloyd and Henry Thomas.

Then at fly half Ben Thomas has been picked and his set to earn only his fifth cap.

He will be aided by the experience of Tomos Williams at scrum half, who has been one of the form nines in the Premiership for Gloucester and will be one of the few Welsh players coming into this tournament high on confidence.

It is a seemingly impossible task to win on Friday night for this Welsh side as they go in as huge underdogs.

Gatland will hope this mix of youth and experience can give them a chance of gaining their first victory since the 2023 World Cup.

France: Ramos, Attissogbe, Brassi, Moefana, Bielle, Biarrey, Ntamack, Dupont, Gros, Mauvaka, Atonio, Roumat, Meafou, Croa, Boudhent, Alldritt

Replacements: Marchand, Baille, Colombe, Auradou, Taofifenua, Guillard, Jegou, Le Garrec, Gailleton

Wales: L.Williams, Rogers, Tompkins, Watkin, Adams, B.Thomas, T.Williams, G.Thomas, Lloyd, H.Thomas, Rowlands, Jenkins, Botham, Morgan(c), Wainwright

Replacements:Dee, Smith, Assirati, F.Thomas, Reffell, R.Williams, Edwards, Murray