France vs Wales Prediction: Les Bleus to add to Welsh woes

Wales have been chucked in at the deep end of this year’s Six Nations opener, as Warren Gatland’s side head to the Stade de France to take on the French on Friday night (20:15, ITV1). 

Alex Jack delivers his best bet for the clash in Saint-Denis, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the big game in his France vs Wales prediction. 

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Team News 

Starting with the hosts, France boast a formidable starting XV, with Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka and Uini Atonio in the front row. 

Locks Alexandre Roumat and Emmanuel Meafou tower in the second row, while Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregory Alldritt complete the pack. 

Romain Ntamack will make his first France appearance for 17 months after being named alongside Toulouse team-mate and skipper Antoine Dupont in the half-backs. 

Pierre-Louis Barrassi and Yoram Moefana start in the centres, while the back three consists of Thomas Ramos, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey. 

As for Wales, Gareth Thomas, Evan Lloyd and Henry Thomas are at the coalface in the front row, with Will Rowlands and Dafydd Jenkins in behind. 

James Botham, skipper Jac Morgan and Aaron Wainwright form the back row, while it's Tomos Williams and Ben Thomas in the half-backs. 

The Welsh centres are Owen Watkin and Nick Tompkins, while there's plenty of experience in the back three, with Tom Rogers joined by veterans Josh Adams and Liam Williams. 

France vs Wales Odds

France are such overwhelming favourites there are no odds for a home win, while Wales to stun the majority of those seated in the Stade de France is 16/1 for the away victory. 

A draw on the night is 33/1, while France with a -14.5 first-half handicap is currently 11/10. 

France -27 handicap @ 5/6

This could well be a long night in Saint-Denis for Wales, who failed to win any of their games in 2024. 

The last time these sides met in the 2024 Six Nations, France managed to beat Wales by a 21-point margin at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. 

Backed by a passionate and expectant home crowd at the Stade de France, Les Bleus look more than capable of overcoming the -27 handicap on offer here.

Thomas Ramos anytime tryscorer @ 6/4

The welcomed return of Ntamack to the No.10 jersey frees up his Toulouse team-mate Ramos to return to full-back for this highly-anticipated Six Nations opener. 

Being out in the wider channels suits Ramos' running game and as Wales are pulled in centrally to try and stop a colossal French pack powering through the middle, gaps should appear on the flanks. 

Ramos has the intelligence and the pace to exploit these spaces and the Toulouse star is good value in the anytime tryscorer market to go over for the French.

Offers

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