Six Nations 2023: Taulupe Faletau to win 100th Wales cap against France

Taulupe Faletau will win his 100th Wales cap against France in Paris in the Six Nations finale on Saturday.

Head coach Warren Gatland has made six changes from the team that defeated Italy as he reverts to experience.

There are recalls for fly-half Dan Biggar, centres George North and Nick Tompkins and lock Alun Wyn Jones.

Louis Rees-Zammit also returns to the starting side at full-back in place of injured Liam Williams while Aaron Wainwright replaces Jac Morgan.

France still have ambitions to retain their Six Nations title if they can defeat Wales and Grand Slam-chasing Ireland slip up at home to England.

Fabien Galthie has made two changes with prop Uini Atonio returning from suspension to replace Dorian Aldegheri and lock Romain Taofifenua coming in for the injured Paul Willemse.

Bastien Chalureau is on the bench instead of Taofifenua.

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Wainwright makes his first appearance of the tournament, while Rees-Zammit makes his third Wales start at full-back with Leigh Halfpenny named as a replacement.

Captain Ken Owens is named as the starting hooker with Bradley Roberts as replacement and Sam Parry in France as cover.

The six changes mean Gatland has now made 26 alterations to teams during the tournament.

100 up for Faletau

Number eight Faletau, 32, will become the eighth member of an exclusive Welsh club that comprises North, Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams.

"Toby has been a fantastic servant for Welsh rugby," said Gatland.

"Even though he's reaching 100 caps he's still pretty quiet, but he's incredibly well respected by the players for what he's achieved.

"I remember in the early years he was just a constant and he became absolutely world class in terms of his performances.

"There's a lot of things that people don't see in terms of his ability to read the game - he'll run support lines that people don't see.

"You see that when you're going back through the videos and there have been times where he's been on the end of a pass and scored tries. We saw that last week, Rhys Webb makes a break and Toby scores a try.

"Getting 100 caps is a great recognition for what he's achieved in the game. It's fantastic for him and his family and hopefully we can go out there and give him a really good performance and something for him to remember."

Between them George North (112), Dan Biggar (106) and Alun Wyn Jones (157) have 375 Wales caps

Experience replaces youth

North and Tompkins replace the centre pairing of Joe Hawkins and Mason Grady, the two 20-year-olds who started the past two games.

It is a first start in this year's tournament for Saracens centre Tompkins while Grady and Hawkins miss out on the 23-man squad altogether.

Toulon fly-half Biggar missed the Italy victory with a bad back but returns at the expense of Owen Williams.

Biggar, 33, will rekindle his old Ospreys half-back partnership with Rhys Webb, player of the match in Rome last weekend.

The world's most-capped player Jones, 37, replaces 20-year-old Dafydd Jenkins to pack down in the second row with Adam Beard.

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"Last weekend was really important for us getting a win in the Six Nations and building a bit of confidence," said Gatland.

"It was a step in the right direction but there's still lots for us to work on.

"We've worked hard on a few things in terms of tidying some of the defensive lapses that we've made and getting some of those things right. We're still working hard on our attack.

"I think France last weekend put in probably one of the best performances seen in a long, long time.

"They're the number two team in the world. They bring a really physical approach to the way they play and they've tended to start well.

"So that's the important thing. We've got to go out there and start well, make sure we're in that arm wrestle with them and give ourselves that opportunity.

"They're a team that kick the ball a lot, so we've also got to make sure that our backfield is right and we've got to be good in the air."

Last Six Nations hurrah?

Gatland also admitted some of his squad could be playing their last Six Nations match.

"If I look at the squad, going through it, there's up to eight players in there who are potentially playing their last Six Nations game," added Gatland.

"We've got to think about building for the World Cup this year, but also thinking about 2027. You need to bring in some younger players and give them that time to develop.

"That's some of the thinking behind the selection behind guys who have been great servants to Welsh rugby but are probably involved in their last Six Nations game.

"The message to them is enjoy the occasion and moment. For a lot of them, it might be the last time they do that."

France: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Dumortier; Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Baille, Marchand, Atonio, Flament, Taofifenua, Cros, Ollivon, Alldritt.

Replacements: Mauvaka, Wardi, Falatea, Chalureau, Macalou, Lucu, Moefana, Jaminet.

Wales: Rees-Zammit; Adams, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Biggar, Webb; W Jones, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, AW Jones, Wainwright, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Roberts, Thomas, Lewis, D Jenkins, Reffell, T Williams, O Williams, Halfpenny.

Officials

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

Assistants: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Christophe Ridley (England)

TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)

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