France v Wales: Team line-ups, kick-off time, key quotes, predictions, odds and where to watch on TV

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France host Wales in the opening match of the 2019 Guineas Six Nations, with both sides looking to make a winning start in their quest for glory. 

This preview pack will be updated all week to include the latest team news, quotes from coaches, key facts, the latest Sky Bet odds and the thoughts of our Tony Calvin to help you with your bets. 

What time is kick off & what channel is it on?

The match, which takes place at the Stade de France in Paris, will start at 2000 GMT on Friday February 1 and will be screened live on BBC One and S4C.

France v Wales: Team news

Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of the France team for Friday's Guinness Six Nations opener against Wales in Paris.

The experienced defensive linchpin makes way as Les Bleus head coach Jacques Brunel hands a Test debut to 19-year-old Toulouse centre Romain Ntamack alongside Wesley Fofana in midfield.

Ntamack is the son of former France wing Emile Ntamack, who made his Test debut against Wales 25 years ago and won 46 caps.

Brunel has announced a team that also sees a call-up for another newcomer in Montpellier lock Paul Willemse.

Elsewhere, experienced Clermont Auvergne scrum-half Morgan Parra returns to the starting XV and he is partnered at half-back by his club colleague Camille Lopez.

Tomos Williams will make his Six Nations debut for Wales. The Cardiff Blues scrum-half, who featured in six Tests last year, has been preferred to Gareth Davies for the game in Paris.

Head coach Warren Gatland has announced two other changes from the side who beat South Africa in November, with Scarlets prop Rob Evans and Blues flanker Josh Navidi both gaining call-ups.

Evans takes over from Nicky Smith, who has been battling to recover fitness, and Navidi returns after missing this season's entire autumn series because of injury.

Number eight Ross Moriarty makes a first appearance since mid-December after being sidelined because of concussion, packing down in the back-row alongside Navidi and openside flanker Justin Tipuric.

Leigh Halfpenny misses out as he continues his recovery from concussion, with Liam Williams retaining full-back duties and George North and Josh Adams being selected on the wings.

Victory for Wales at Stade de France would extend their unbeaten run to 10 games, matching a longest winning sequence since 1999. Their last defeat was against Ireland in last season's Six Nations.

France: M Medard (Toulouse); D Penaud (Clermont Auvergne), W Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), R Ntamack (Toulouse), Y Huget (Toulouse); C Lopez (Clermont Auvergne), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); J Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), G Guirado (Toulon, capt), U Atonio (La Rochelle), S Vahaamahina (Clermont Auvergne), P Willemse (Montpellier), W Lauret (Racing 92), A Iturria (Clermont Auvergne), L Picamoles (Montpellier).

Replacements: J Marchand (Toulouse), D Priso (La Rochelle), D Bamba (Brive), F Lambey (Lyon), G Alldritt (La Rochelle), B Serin (Bordeaux-Begles), G Fickou (Stade Francais), G Doumayrou (La Rochelle).

Wales: L Williams (Saracens); G North (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), H Parkes (Scarlets), J Adams (Worcester); G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), T Williams (Cardiff Blues); R Evans (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), A Beard (Ospreys), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), J Navidi (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Dragons).

Replacements: E Dee (Dragons), W Jones (Scarlets), S Lee (Scarlets), C Hill (Dragons), A Wainwright (Dragons), G Davies (Scarlets), D Biggar (Northampton), O Watkin (Ospreys).

France v Wales: Odds & advice

The bookies can't split the two nations, with Sky Bet making France and Wales 10/11 for victory, with the tie priced at 20/1.

France are 14/1 to win the Six Nations title and 33/1 to achieve the Grand Slam while Wales can be backed at 5/1 and 11/1 in the respective markets.

Click here to check out all Sky Bet's France v Wales odds!

Tony Calvin's verdict...

Guilhem Guirado is worth a minimum-stakes interest at 22/1 with bet365 to score the first try. I rarely get involved in this market because, let’s face it, it is a bit of a guess-up.

But on the basis that I think France will look to bully and steamroller the Welsh eight, then Guirado from the back of a close-range line-out or a driving maul could fit the bill. And he is pretty tasty in the loose, too, with an official man-of-the-match performance in that 15-13 loss to Ireland in their opener last year.

Furthermore, he has scored eight tries in his career (from 63 internationals, and just 42 starts), and that is a decent return for a hooker. That will do for me.

Check out Tony Calvin's Six Nations betting tips

France v Wales: Key quotes

More quotes will appear here throughout the week

Warren Gatland (Wales head coach): "I think the squad is incredibly exciting. This squad has probably more depth than we've ever had before. We've made a conscious effort in the last three seasons or since 2015, our focus has been on developing depth and competition.

"We're in a good place in terms of competition in the squad and being able to cope a lot better than in the past in terms of picking up injuries - and mentally, we're in a good place too.

"Leigh Halfpenny's making progress, improving, he's training. We're just mindful that he's still been a little symptomatic with a few headaches. For us it's just easing him back in slowly. We probably won't consider him for the first two games.

"Then hopefully he starts taking more of a part in training and we can look at potentially including him towards the end of the tournament."

Robin McBryde (Wales assistant coach):

"We know it is a big ask first up. France away. They are a big physical pack.

"The focus is on making sure we start with a big performance against France.

"They are big, physical men, they are going to be hugely passionate, they are playing their first game at home.

"We've got to be ready for that, and we are doing as much as we can on the training field."

France v Wales: Last four meetings

2018: Wales 14-13 France, Cardiff

2017: France 20-18 Wales, Paris

2016: Wales 19-10 France, Cardiff

2015: France 13-20 Wales, Paris

France and Wales: Six Nations fixtures

Round One

• France v Wales (Stade de France)

Round Two

• Italy v Wales (Saturday February 9, 1645 GMT, Stadio Olimpico)
• England v France (Sunday February 10, 1500 GMT, Twickenham)

Round Three

• France v Scotland (Saturday February 23, 1415 GMT, Stade de France)
• Wales v England (Saturday February 23 , 1645 GMT, Principality Stadium)

Round Four

• Scotland v Wales (Saturday March 9, 1415 GMT, BT Murrayfield)
• Ireland v France (Sunday March 10, Aviva Stadium)

Round Five

• Italy v France (Saturday March 16, 1230 GMT, Stadio Olmpico)
• Wales v Ireland (Saturday March 16, 1445 GMT, Principality Stadium)

Related Rugby Union links

• Six Nations schedule, TV guide, results & table
• Outright Six Nations betting tips
• Rugby Union odds