"Things can only improve"- Will Rowlands previews French clash tomorrow.

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Wales will begin their 2025 Guinness Six Nations tomorrow evening in Paris as they take on France at the Stade de France (kick-off 20:15, live on ITV1).

Will Rowlands is one of six players who were named in the XV who started in the last meeting between the pair in the Championship. Gareth Thomas, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Owen Watkin and Josh Adam are the others. The Racing 92 player is one of only two players from the Top 14 side that has been picked, with scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec being the other named on the bench for Fabien Galthie's French side. 

Warren Gatland's men come into the encounter on the back of 12 successive Test match defeats, and the last time they recorded a win over Les Bleus was back at the 2019 World Cup in Japan. Also, since the former defence coach of Wales, Shaun Edwards joined the French coaching setup, Wales haven't beaten them. So, can Wales begin the Six Nations on a high? 

"Absolutely, things can only improve, and we can base that on what we have seen in the last couple of weeks," said the 33-year-old. 

"It's been really positive here; everyone has performed well, trained well. It's a great environment to push on as a team so I am just really excited to get stuck into the first measure of that and see how far we have come. 

"The Six Nations is about results, and I think that I still stand by there was a period of development where we didn't see the results of that as we wanted in the Autumn. 

"Hopefully, there have been some lessons taken from that, and you know we will be judged ultimately by the results of the Six Nations. As a team, everyone is confident that we can put together some performances that will give a lot of confidence and inspiration going forward. 

"I'm one hundred per cent sure if we deliver on those performances, the results will follow, added Rowlands. 

A new introduction to the coaching setup for Wales is the appointment of performance specialist Andy McCann. He has previously been involved with the Welsh setup from 2009-2017, and he is renowned for his expertise in mental skills and player performance. 

"It's early days with Andy but I've already found him to be a kind of interesting source of information," said the 6ft 8 second row. 

"It's the kind of information you wouldn't have heard elsewhere and I'm mindful to get to him, speak to him, pick his brains as much as possible. He can be a useful resource for everyone.

"Atlantic rowers, armed forces, rescue services, surgeons, you name it he has seemed to work with a lot people dealing in high-pressure situations. 

"Strategies around the best way to calm yourself and hopefully give a best account of yourself in the moment that you are trying to perform in. A few of the workshops have been around that and I'm sure there is a few more to come."

The last time Wales won a Test match was actually in France (Georgia, 43-19), but they come up against a French side who went three out of three in the Autumn and put aside New Zealand 20-19 in a thriller at the Stade de France.

On beginning the Six Nations in Paris, Rowlands said: "Very special one, I think everyone is looking forward to it. 

"Normally, there is an incredible atmosphere there, obviously kicking off the Six Nations, playing a great French team, so it's very exciting. These are the moments why you play professional rugby.

"That's a perfect place for us, go there with little expectation, but we are confident that we can put together a good performance and try and just enjoy ourselves, playing the rugby how we want to play and see what happens.

"We are obviously respectful of the quality of the French team; I just think the atmosphere everyone is looking forward to and generally the occasion is something that we are really excited to get stuck into.

"So the focus from our side is that you silence the crowd by trying to limit that and attack them when you have and haven't got the ball," Rowlands concluded. 

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