Autumn Nations Cup: Wales must earn respect again - prop Francis

Tomas Francis

Tomas Francis says Wales must earn respect again, starting against Ireland in they kick off the Autumn Nations Cup in Dublin on Friday.

The Exeter tight-head prop, 28, will win his 50th Wales cap while hoping he and his team-mates return to winning ways after five successive defeats.

"You never want to be classed as an underdog, you want to be the favourite all the time," said Francis.

"We've got to earn that respect back and have a big opportunity to do it."

Francis has fond memories of making his debut in Dublin in a pre-2015 World Cup win, but goes there with a Wales team seeking to improve their record of two wins in seven under Wayne Pivac.

The losing run culminated in a closing 2020 Six Nations defeat by Scotland in Llanelli.

Francis won his 49th cap in that game as he returned to Test duty for the first time since the 2019 World Cup in which they reached the semi-finals under Warren Gatland.

In the meantime, he has helped Exeter win a stunning European Champions Cup and English Premiership double after overcoming a shoulder injury that ruled Francis out of Wales 2020 Six Nations campaign before Covid-19 struck.

However, he does not believe the confidence from such feats can make a significant impact on into the Wales environment.

"It's frustrating to watch when you can't play, can't influence," said Francis.

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"You want to be in the squad every time and have a positive effect. I try to bring what I bring - a scrum, a maul, a set-piece and work around the field. The basics are there.

"To watch them has been frustrating as they have not been off by much, it's just that fine margin.

"Winning is a habit, that's what we've learnt from Exeter - the two finals we won were probably the two worst games we played all year, but we had that winning mentality.

"Speaking to Foxy (centre Jonathan Davies) when they won the 2012 Grand Slam, they then went on an eight-game losing streak, started the 2013 Six Nations losing and then went on to win it, so for us it's about a momentum shift.

"We've finished the last tournament, we've put a line in the sand and hopefully it's a fresh start. The work on the training ground has been there, everyone has bought in. It's down to us to deliver now."

If Wales achieve that aim, it will be without family and friends to witness the game first hand with none allowed into Aviva Stadium.

But for Francis the occasion will rekindle memories of that August day in 2015 when he made his debut.

"My dad and uncle had been on the beers all day, so they were rather jolly afterwards," said Francis.

"It was at the end of a World Cup camp - I didn't get to play the first Ireland game and it was three weeks before the World Cup so it was a relief to get out there, get my first cap under the belt and the win was awesome.

"It was Tadgh Furlong's first game as well. It was a good occasion."

With that 50th cap beckoning, Francis will relish the occasion as he reflects on his sporting journey.

"I don't think if you told me when I was 20 I would have played 50 caps by this time I would have believed you to be fair," said Francis.

He added: "It was a good win in 2015 before the World Cup. We've had a good two weeks, hopefully we can repeat that and it'll make the night better for me afterwards."