Rugby World Cup 2019: Wales vs France talking points
Follow Wales vs France in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals via our live blog on Sunday morning; kick-off 8.15am BST
Last Updated: 20/10/19 7:36am
Wales will look to continue their strong recent record over France when they face off for a place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals on Sunday.
Warren Gatland's side have won seven of their past eight meetings with Les Bleus including a stunning 24-19 victory in Paris in the first game of this year's Six Nations Grand Slam-winning campaign, having trailed by 16 points at half-time.
Can Wales move one step closer to giving Gatland the perfect farewell or will France throw the formbook out the window in Oita?
Fighting fit
In 2015, Wales hobbled into the World Cup quarter-finals, their squad ravaged by injury.
This time, they're at full strength, with three key cogs in their backline all passed fit.
Past meetings
2019: France 19-24 Wales (Paris)
2018: Wales 14-13 France (Cardiff)
2017: France 20-18 Wales (Paris)
2016: Wales 19-10 France (Cardiff)
2015: France 13-20 Wales (Paris)
Dan Biggar has successfully followed return-to-play protocols to start at fly-half while Jonathan Davies and George North have both shaken off knocks to start.
It is the same side that started Wales' opening two World Cup matches against Georgia and Australia, underlining Warren Gatland's consistency of selection.
Consistency is an area where France are severely lacking but they also received good news on the injury front, with Antoine Dupont named at scrum-half after recovering from a back problem and Damian Penaud continuing on the wing.
"Dupont is probably one of the best nines in the world, he is very strong and very influential," said Gatland.
Ntamack gets nod at No 10
"Good news for Wales."
That was Stuart Barnes' reaction earlier this week after hearing Romain Ntamack would start at fly-half ahead of Camille Lopez.
That was confirmed on Friday morning, Ntamack retaining his place in the starting line-up with Lopez providing bench cover once again.
Lopez started for France when they lost to Wales in the opening game of the Six Nations, kicking nine points. The Clermont 10 brings structure and an accurate boot to help build scoreboard pressure, but Jacques Brunel has gambled on 20-year-old game-breaker Ntamack - on just his eighth Test - to lead France into the last four.
Biggar picture
Brunel was taken by surprise when he saw Biggar's name in the Wales line-up.
Biggar suffered two concussions during the pool stages but the Welsh Rugby Union said the fly-half has been symptom-free since his accidental collision with Liam Williams during the win over Fiji.
"In the French championship, two concussions is three weeks out," said Brunel, adding that if the Rugby World Cup followed the rules of the Top 14, Biggar "could not play".
However, Gatland said Biggar has gone through all the return-to-play protocols and that Wales has taken "all the proper precautions".
"We made sure in terms of consulting the right people and making sure they were aware of everything, getting him scanned, (the) independent consultant - that was important," Gatland said.
Wales have previous history about a player coming back too early from concussion, something which Gatland referenced on Friday.
North had five months out in 2015 after being told to rest by doctors following four concussions in four months.
End of the road
Brunel or Gatland's reign will come to an end on Sunday, both coaches having already announced they will step down after the World Cup.
Brunel will be replaced by Fabien Galthie, a man he brought in as assistant in April after France's latest disappointing Six Nations campaign.
Like those who preceded him, Brunel has been unable to drag the French national team out of its long-term slump. Speculation swirls that the 65-year-old hasn't got a handle on his players, that the French might not be too far from mutiny. Which is about the norm for France at World Cups.
Gatland will not be underestimating France, who have reached the semi-finals in six of the World Cup's eight editions. On three occasions they went on to make the final, including 2011 when they beat Wales in the semis.
"The message to the players is you've got two choices here: we are either on the plane on Monday going home, or we are here until the end of the tournament," Gatland said.
Gatland returns home to Hamilton after the World Cup to coach the Chiefs in Super Rugby.
How he'd love to go back as a World Cup-winning coach, ticking off the last box in a bulging resume.
Losing to France would be a disappointing end to his 12-year reign.
2011 loss motivating Wales
Stephen Jones says that Wales' 2011 World Cup semi-final defeat against France will produce "great fuel" for Sunday's showdown in Oita.
Former Wales fly-half Jones went on as a second-half substitute eight years ago, missing a conversion as Wales suffered an agonising 9-8 defeat after skipper Sam Warburton had been controversially sent off.
"It's great fuel to drive you forward to achieve your goals, and that's what that is," said Jones, who is now Wales assistant coach.
"It was a tight game. Even when we were down to 14, we battled hard and it still could have gone either way.
"We had gathered a lot of momentum in that World Cup, and we were in a good place.
"It is unfortunate we lost the game and the manner in which we did. There were some wonderful experiences of that 2011 World Cup. Yes, it was disappointing. That's sport.
"This is a different group of players. Some were involved that day, but the vast majority weren't. You look at the recent games against France and the boys have had some good success."
Wales: 15 Liam Williams; 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Josh Adams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Tomas Francis; 4 Jake Ball, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c); 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Josh Navidi.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Aaron Shingler, 20 Ross Moriarty, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Owen Watkin.
France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont; 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 3 Rabah Slimani, 4 Bernard Le Roux, 5 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Gregory Alldritt.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Paul Gabrillagues, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Camille Lopez, 23 Vincent Rattez.