Six Nations 2016: Wales vs France Player Ratings

15. Liam Williams: 8
An safe pair of hands under the high ball and also dangerous every time he attacked. Proved again that the absence of Leigh Halfpenny is not being keenly felt.

14. Alex Cuthbert: 6
Back in the squad after a post-World Cup dip in form. His excellent tackle prevented Medard from scoring in the left hand corner, but other than that there was little to shout about.

13. Jonathan Davies: 7
Made some good ground going forward with ball in hand. His excellent kick also set up George North’s try.

12. Jamie Roberts: 6
Strong ball carrier and typically solid in defence, although perhaps not quite the heights of first two games.

11. George North: 6.5
Showed great speed to chase Jonathan Davies’ excellent kick down the left wing. Almost missed the chance for an easy score but made no mistake when the he eventually got his hands on the ball. Crucial try put the match beyond France.

10. Dan Biggar: 7
Ever reliable from the tee to keep the scoreboard ticking, scoring 14 points with his boot, and carried effectively for a man with 10 on his back.

9. Gareth Davies: 8
Showed great attacking intent and is almost unstoppable when in full flow. One excellent line break took Wales to within inches of scoring, but perhaps should have passed the ball instead of kicking it.

1. Rob Evans: 6
Penalised early on at scrum time, but improved as the match went on and was industrious in the loose.

2. Scott Baldwin: 7
Good at the line out with accurate throwing as Wales won all seven on their own ball. Strong in defence with 11 tackles made.

3. Samson Lee: 6
Played a key part in a dominant Wales scrum in first half, but his work-rate outside of the set piece is simply not of an international standard at the moment.

4. Bradley Davies: 7
A consistent line out jump jumper, contributing to a 100% success rate for Wales. Also made 13 tackles in defence, whilst being busy in attack with seven carries.

5. Alun Wyn Jones: 6.5
Played his part in Wales’ success at the line out and contributed to their defence which kept the French out until late in the second half.

6. Dan Lydiate: 6
Risked getting a yellow card for another no arms tackle which resulted in just a penalty. Contributed well to Wales’ defence and was another to contribute to a 100% success rate at the line out.

7. Sam Warburton: 7.5
Led by example once again. His 13 tackles played a large role in Wales’ strong defence whilst he was also good at the break down, winning two turnovers.

8. Taulupe Faletau: 7
As ever, monumental in defence with an incredible 18 tackles and a turnover. Made some good ground going forward in attack too.

FRANCE

15. Maxime Medard: 7
Looked lively and dangerous with ball in hand and was only stopped from scoring by a superb cover tackle from Alex Cuthbert. One of France’s better performers in Cardiff.

14. Virimi Vakatawa: 5
Largely unnoticeable except for a break that should have resulted in a try. Spent too much time off his wing, preventing France from attacking out wide. Unlucky to be penalised for a tip tackle on Jamie Roberts.

13. Maxime Mermoz: 6
Made very little ground from the centre but contributed well to the French defence. Had little opportunity to show what he can do with ball in hand.

12. Jonathan Danty: 5
Lucky not to be yellow carded for a tip tackle on Alex Cuthbert. As with most of the French back line, had little chance to shine in Cardiff.

11. Djibril Camara: 6.5
Clever pass inside on the left wing almost made it into Medard’s hands for a French try. Tough to make too many inroads on the wing of a French back line that just didn’t get moving.

10. Jules Plisson: 4
Not a match he will want to remember. Failed to get the back line moving with any kind of continuity and made some poor decisions. Also kicked the ball into George North’s hands for his second half try. Replaced by Trinh-Duc on 63 minutes who will surely start against Scotland in two weeks.

9. Maxime Machenaud: 6.5
Made some good ground in the number 9 shirt with a bright performance. Defence could be improved although he did win one turnover.

1. Jefferson Poirot: 5
Had a difficult time in the scrum against a strong Welsh front row which dominated during the first half.

2. Guilhem Guirado: 8
France’s captain was their best player. He lead from the front in difficult circumstances, making 22m and scoring a consolation try for his efforts. Had a 100% success rate at the line out as well.

3. Rabah Slimani: 6
Returned to the French starting line up but was little more than solid. Failed to make an impact in defence or attack in the loose.

4. Paul Jedrasiak: 6
Could have easily been yellow carded for a shoulder charge on Toby Faletau. He was lucky to stay on the field but was useful in defence.

5. Alexandre Flanquart: 6
Successful in the line out for France as his side won all of their throw ins. Busy in the loose to rack up the tackles.

6. Wenceslas Lauret: 6
Made some good ground going forward with ball in hand and also strong defensively, finishing as France’s joint top tackler on nine.

7. Antoine Burban: 5
Difficult first test start for the Frenchman returning to the team. Sam Warburton put a huge hit in on him which temporarily forced him off. He returned but had little impact on the match.

8. Damien Chouly: 7
Big shoes to fill at number eight in the absence of Louis Picamoles, but put in a good shift in Cardiff. Defensively sound with a 90% tackle success rate, and a solid option at the line out.

By Sophie Freestone

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images