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Wales v France Prediction
Author: Thomas Rooney 13/10/2011
In a game that has been described by many as the biggest in the history of Welsh rugby, Wales take on France this weekend in the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final.
It seems fair to say that these two teams weren’t expected to make it this far too. Wales have had a mixed time under Warren Gatland in the last few months, while France lost two of their matches in the group stages and appeared in disarray.
However, for Wales, everything has clicked into place at the right time. If you are to find your form as a team and have each individual stand up to be counted at any time, you want it to be the World Cup.
Then, France turned on the style against England in the quarter-finals having scraped through to the knock-out stages. Fair enough, Martin Johnson’s men were poor and contributors to their own downfall, but France were ruthless and have perhaps peaked at the right time in this tournament.
Overall, it is set to be an incredible occasion. It will do well to live up to the sublime quarter-final clash between Wales and Ireland, but with both teams just one win away from a famous World Cup final, the pressure has been turned up a notch and it is going to be intense from start to finish.
When the two sides met in the Six Nations earlier this year, France were convincing 28-9 winners at Stade De France, but this won’t have much effect on this weekend’s clash. Firstly, France on home soil are hard to beat at the best of times and secondly, Wales have improved a lot since then.
Gatland’s men have improved so much in fact that prop Gethin Jenkins believe it is the best team he has ever played for during his career. After their performance so far in New Zealand, this is hard to argue with.
The Welsh have to keep it going though. They have achieved a lot to get this far, but the journey can’t end now. To be knocked out at the semi-final stage would be heartbreaking and they must back their ability against a relatively difficult to predict French side.
What seems certain is that this is going to be an enthralling game of Rugby. Two attacking, committed and well supported teams locking horns for the first time in a Rugby World Cup as they bid for a place in the 2011 final.
Wales v France Prediction: Wales at 4/5 with bet365
Bet365 World Cup Rugby Odds