Six Nations: Wales deny revenge factor for Grand Slam clash

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Media caption,

Interview: Adam Jones

Grand Slam-chasing Wales are denying they are on a revenge mission in Saturday's Six Nations clash against France on Saturday.

France beat Wales 9-8 in the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final in Auckland in October.

And the sending off of skipper Sam Warburton for a dangerous tackle on French wing Vincent Clerc left a sour taste in the mouth in the Welsh camp.

"That [revenge] is not a road we will be going down," McBryde said.

"We know what happened in the semi-final, and I suppose it will be built up as a rematch and revenge.

Image caption,

Sam Warburton was sent off for this tackle on Vincent Clerc

"Every match is different - the playing personnel will be different and so will the referee.

"It will be all on the day, and any thought of the World Cup should be dismissed.

"It's about the here and now, what is at stake and what could be achieved if we perform."

Prop Adam Jones, who like Gethin Jenkins and Ryan Jones is going for a third Grand Slam in eight seasons, says the semi-final defeat will not be a significant motivation.

"We've looked past it. We should have won the game that day but we didn't," Osprey Jones insisted.

"We are just looking forward to Saturday and don't want to worry too much about the past.

"I think last year the boys were more disappointed - we played pretty poorly [against France]

"[The World Cup] Semi-final has gone now - it's water under the bridge. We should have won on the day down to 14 men.

"It will be good to get out there against a good French team. It's a big occasion - everyone is looking forward to it."

Jones says that the weight of expectation on unbeaten Wales, who have beaten Ireland,Scotland,England and Italy will be massive, but says the Welsh camp will be able to cope with the added pressure.

"You know what's going on. It's a big deal, Grand Slam week, but everyone is level-headed," added Jones.

"These young kids have been in an environment where this type of thing has happened [before] so there is no big problem.

"Most of them are happy-go-lucky sort of boys."

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