Wales can afford to lose to France by 18 points and still be guaranteed the title - but having come so far, so quickly their eyes are only on the biggest prize.

"I just want to win another Grand Slam. We are on the verge of something special and it is in our hands," said centre Tom Shanklin, who was also a member of the 2005 Grand Slam-winning team.

"Whatever happens this weekend it has been a successful championship for Wales and of course it would be great to finish first.

"But we have won four from four and now I want to win one more. This is the big game."

Wales head coach Warren Gatland made one significant change from the Triple Crown-clinching win over Ireland, with James Hook returning at fly-half for Stephen Jones.

Gatland believes Hook's attacking qualities will be more suited to combating the French, who must win by at least 20 points to retain the Six Nations title.

If France win by 19 points, the title will be decided by the number of tries scored in the competition.

The last time France beat Wales by 20 points in a championship game was in Paris in 2003, although they did win a World Cup warm-up Test at the Millennium Stadium last summer by 27.

Head coach Marc Lievremont named arguably his strongest team of the tournament for the trip to Cardiff.

Fly-half David Skrela and scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde both returned to the side but Cedric Heymans had to settle for a place on the bench with Anthony Floch retained at full-back.

In the pack, Montpellier tyro Fulgence Ouedraogo keeps his place despite the return to the squad of Clermont-Auvergne number eight Elvis Vermeulen.