They have been called the best team in the world after beating New Zealand and Ireland in recent months and they were completely untroubled in putting away Scotland last time out.
For France’s class of 2022, a Six Nations Grand Slam is very much on as they head into round four.
It’s an interesting one, though.
In a straight man-for-man comparison on paper, they would be ahead of most sides on the planet right now, but they are missing the world-class Damian Penaud, while Antoine Dupont picked up a nasty bump to the arm this week.
The game with Wales on Friday is also under lights in Cardiff, in front of a Welsh crowd who’ll do everything they can to fire their side up, and Wayne Pivac’s men performed well at home against the Scots in round two.
So numbers will tell you only so much about the likely outcome.
They give a good guide, though. Here’s how the two teams rate...
Liam Williams 8 v 7 Melvyn Jaminet
Williams has made the second most carries (38) in the tournament, with only Gregory Alldritt (41) taking the ball forward more times. He has also made the fourth most metres at 294.
But statistics alone don’t do him justice. He is a full-on player who is world-class in the air, tough and fearless. On top of his game, he can be an inspiration.
Jaminet is a world-class goalkicker who doesn’t get flustered. After France beat New Zealand, he was talked up for his calmness under pressure — his ‘sang-froid’, if we’re quoting from online posters.
The one question over him is his inexperience.
Alex Cuthbert 8 v 7 Yoram Moefana
Pivac will hope the Alex Cuthbert who turns up on Friday evening will be the same chap who rampaged through the England defence last time out, making more metres with ball in hand than the opposition’s entire three-quarter line.
The challenge for Cuthbert is to make that his default setting.
Moefana is still inexperienced at Test level and won his early caps in a centre.
But France’s conditioning coach Thibault Giroud has said the 21-year-old has ‘monstrous power’ in relation to his weight, while he has met every challenge he has faced in Test rugby so far.
Even so, there’s a fair chance he wouldn’t be playing in this game if Damian Penaud had been available.
Owen Watkin 7 v 9 Gael Fickou
Watkin continues to be underrated, with the Osprey powerful in defence and important to his team with his ability to strip the ball from opponents. He is also more skilful than he’s given credit for and can run hard.
But he’s facing one of the world’s best outside centres in Fickou, who in this tournament has come up with powerful running, tackle busts, sound defence, useful kicking out of hand, dominant tackles. turnovers — the lot.
The authority he played with against Scotland was startling.
Jonathan Davies 7 v 8 Jonathan Danty
Nick Tompkins would almost certainly have lined up at inside centre for Wales had he been available, with the Saracen in blistering form. But Wales have a reliable alternative in Davies, a player who has pretty much seen it, done it and got the T-shirt after 13 years of Test rugby.
His challenge will be to keep in check the immensely powerful Danty, a player who appears to be bursting out of his muscular frame. Davies will need all his experience and defensive know-how to shackle the La Rochelle player.
Josh Adams 8 v 8 Gabin Villiere
Wales will want to cut the supply chain to Villiere, who can slice an opposition team apart with his running. He is quick, clever and knows how to create and finish.
But Adams has a strong all-round game which he showcased in the second half against England, when he was a key player in the rally that almost secured Wales an against-the-odds win.
Rare is it that he plays poorly for his country. Not only is he good in attack, he can also deliver in the air, contests the breakdown and never gives up.
Dan Biggar 8 v 8 Romain Ntamack
Different kinds of 10s.
Biggar may well be the most ferocious competitor Wales have had playing at No. 10. He is someone who hates to lose and gives everything for the cause. When it comes to effort, he is never second best. His goal-kicking is another huge plus.
His opponent rarely gets ruffled. He relies on quick thinking, a cool disposition and innate rugby intelligence to get the job done. He can deceive like the sharpest poker player, but sometimes he can overdo the nonchalance.
Wales could do worse than try to give him a hurry-up.
Tomas Williams 7 v 10 Antoine Dupont
Williams banged in arguably his best Test performance last time out and is a dangerman France will need to watch, but Dupont is the best player in the world and a one-man army of player.
He can pass accurately and box-kick cleverly but it’s his penchant for the unpredictable that makes him so dangerous. Every game seems to see at least one moment of wizardry from the 25-year-old.
Scotland found he can cause problems from 80 metres out or eight metres out. Wales need to slow down France’s ball to have a chance of subduing him, but it’s easier said than done.
Gareth Thomas 6 v 8 Cyril Baille
Maybe Thomas should be awarded an extra mark but the same could be said for Baille, who has displayed the hands of a playmaker in this tournament and the power of a bull.
Thomas has proved a strong scrummager at regional level and he carried the ball impressively as a replacement against England. Potentially, he could prove an asset to Wales if he can transfer his promise for the Ospreys to the international stage on a consistent basis.
But at this stage he’s inexperienced at Test level.
Wales will hope Tomas Francis can challenge Baille in the scrums but watch out for the Frenchman if he gets to run with the ball. He’s some sight.
Ryan Elias 7 v 8 Julien Marchand
A second watch of the England v Wales game was worth it if only to fully appreciate the immense graft Elias put in. Yes, his arrows continue to be a cause for concern, but he put in 20 tackles in 68 minutes and also regularly broke the gain-line.
If hard work is the requirement, then he’s the man whose number should be on speed dial.
That said, Marchand is devastating at the breakdown and can be relied on to win a turnover or two in every game. He enjoys carrying, can scrummage, is good in defence and with Peato Mauvaka breathing down his collar, he knows he has to deliver.
Tomas Francis 7 v 7 Uini Atonio
Cleared to play after his head knock against England, Francis needs to do more carrying but he has scrummaged well in this Six Nations and boasts a hugely impressive number of ruck arrivals over the three rounds of matches. Not Hollywood stuff, then, but important the same.
At 6ft 5in and 22st 11lb — some suggest he could weigh up to 24st — Uini isn’t a man who looks as if he’s had sand kicked in his face too often.
He carried well against Scotland. Wales will want to tire him in the scrum, but, let’s agree: attempting to shove back a man of his size is no easy task.
Will Rowlands 8 v 8 Cameron Woki
Rowlands has been the quiet achiever of this Wales campaign, arriving at more rucks than everyone in the competition bar Maro Itoje and Josh van der Flier. He carried 14 times for 57 metres against England and also stopped 11 opposition ball-carriers without missing.
It’ll be interesting to see how he shapes up in comparison to French young gun Woki, who’s usually into everything and then a bit more again.
Win Wales v Italy tickets and watch Six Nations game for free:
You can also fill in the entry form and sign up to our newsletter here.
Adam Beard 7 v 8 Paul Willemse
If Rowlands has been making his presence felt at rucks, so has Beard, with just one fewer arrival to his credit. There’s also been trademark work at mauls and 35 tackles. All that isn’t going to rate a mention on the Ten O’Clock news any time soon, and Beard needs to carry more, but in Rowlands and the team’s vice-captain Wales have two hard-working second rows.
Willemse also knows how to put in a shift, though.
He’s a Goliath of a man, at 6ft 7in and 20st and he isn’t afraid to put himself about.
A good contest awaits.
Seb Davies 6 v 7 Francois Cros
A clash of styles with Davies a ball handler who’ll get around the field and assist Welsh attacks with his soft hands.
Wales have also brought him in to counter French height at the back of the line, with his direct opponent a 6ft 3in figure who’s not averse to picking off opposition ball.
At 6ft 6in himself, Davies could prove handy for Wales in challenging the French at the throwing, jumping and catching game.
But Cros is good at the basics of the blindside’s art. He makes a lot of hits, some of them dominant, packs a presence and wins turnovers.
Josh Navidi 8 v 8 Anthony Jelonch
Is it too soon to be awarding Navidi such a high rating after his return from a long injury layoff?
Possibly, but he has quickly made a mark under such circumstances before and will never fail for lack of effort.
Jelonch is one of France’s main breakdown threats. He also thrives with ball in hand and piles up tackles — as well as missing a few.
Taulupe Faletau 9 v 9 Gregory Alldritt
Two of the best No. 8s in the world.
Faletau appears to coast through games but can operate at extraordinary levels in attack and defence. His performance against England last time out was one of the best individual efforts in the championship so far this term.
He’s up against a formidable opponent in Alldritt, though, a player who is never far away from the action. Like Faletau, he makes a lot of metres, wins turnovers and piles up big tackle counts.
If pushed you’d say Faletau just shades it, but there’s so little in it as to be barely worth noting.
Replacements: Wales 7 v 7 France
Wales’ bench brigade have made an impact in this championship and should be capable of doing the same again. Dewi Lake has had a strong start to international life, while Wyn Jones will want to prove a point and Dillon Lewis is adept at turning over opposition ball.
Ross Moriarty and Jac Morgan will help keep the forward fires burning until the end.
But France have firepower as well, with hooker Peato Mauvaka never less than busy and Mohammed Haouas a tough-nut tighthead, albeit he can be indisciplined. There’s also class in the backs in the shape of Thomas Ramos.
Totals: Wales 118 France 127
To get the latest rugby news and analysis, sign up for our Welsh rugby newsletter.
