But Mike Ruddock's side arrive in the French capital brimming with confidence.

Victories over England and Italy have fostered thoughts in the Principality of a first championship title since 1994 and perhaps even their first Grand Slam since 1978.

Wales enter the game on the back of victories over England and Italy and Ruddock has made just two changes, one forced by injury, the other designed to strengthen the pack.

Kevin Morgan starts on the wing for the injured Hal Luscombe, but most interestingly of all was Ruddock's decision to start with 23-year-old Ryan Jones at blindside flanker.

Jonathan Thomas, who enjoyed an impressive game against Italy, was sacrificed for Jones' raw power - the Ospreys loose forward stands at 6ft 5in and weighs in at nearly 19 stone and is there to combat opposite number Serge Betsen.

The thinking behind Jones' inclusion was clear and precise. France, on a limited gameplan based predominantly around the breakdown and set-piece, have pilfered victories over Scotland and England.

Ruddock believes that if his players deny them the chance to dominate at close quarters, Wales can achieve a third win in four visits to Paris. He wants them to go out and play as New Zealand did in November, when they trounced France 45-6.

And for those in the red dragonhood allowing themselves to get a little carried away - victory by 15 points would propel Wales into the top six in the world.

And yet it is not a foregone conclusion. France, despite all their troubles and inconsistent selections, also remain in the hunt for the title.

Bernard Laporte has once again tinkered with a winning team, making four changes, including a debut for Brive full-back Julien Laharrague.

Yannick Jauzion is recalled to the centre, Aurelien Rougerie is back from injury and flanker Yannick Nyanga will make his first Test start.

France:

J Laharrague (Brive); A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), D Traille (Biarritz), Y Jauzion (Stade Toulousain), C Dominici (Stade Francais); Y Delaigue (Castres), D Yachvili (Biarritz); S Marconnet (Stade Francais), S Bruno (Sale Sharks), N Mas (Perpignan), F Pelous (Toulouse, captain), J Thion (Biarritz), S Betsen (Biarritz), Y Nyanga (Beziers), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin).

Replacements: W Servat (Toulouse), O Milloud (Bourgoin), G Lamboley (Toulouse), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz), P Mignoni (Clermont), F Michalak (Toulouse), J-P Grandclaude (Perpignan).

Wales:

G Thomas (Toulouse, capt); K Morgan (Newport-Gwent), T Shanklin (Cardiff), G
Henson (Neath-Swansea), S Williams (Neath-Swansea); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne),
D Peel (Llanelli); G Jenkins (Cardiff), M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones
(Neath-Swansea), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea), R Sidoli (Cardiff), R Jones
(Neath-Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), M Owen (Newport-Gwent).

Replacements: R McBryde (Llanelli), J Yapp (Cardiff), J Thomas
(Neath-Swansea), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff), G Cooper (Newport-Gwent), C Sweeney
(Newport-Gwent), R Williams (Cardiff).