Wales player ratings: Talented forward with ‘bright future’ impresses but few players look ‘Test class’ in another chastening Six Nations defeat

Colin Newboult
Wales team in a huddle following their Six Nations defeat to France and second-row Dafydd Jenkins (inset).

Wales team in a huddle following their Six Nations defeat to France and second-row Dafydd Jenkins.

Following a heavy 43-0 defeat to France in the Six Nations clash at the Stade de France on Friday, here are the player ratings for Wales.

Wales player ratings v France

15 Liam Williams: Was there to add experience to a relatively callow Welsh team, but being a leader only goes so far. Williams is not the player he once was, despite being relatively solid in Paris. 5

14 Tom Rogers: One of the few players who really looked Test class. Another good showing from the big wing, who has good skills in the air and is also a threat with ball in hand. 6

13 Nick Tompkins: Has never really convinced as a Test player and he struggled to impose himself once again. It remains an odd decision to leave Max Llewellyn out of the squad. 4

12 Owen Watkin: Had a difficult start to the game with a poor attempted grubber before he dropped the ball when an attacking opportunity appeared on. Watkin then unfortunately suffered what looked like a horrendous injury and we pray that it is not serious. 4

11 Josh Adams: Was given a bit of a torrid time on his wing, although it wasn’t really his fault. Put in one big hit on defence but was then slightly embarrassed by Thomas Ramos for Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s first try. 5

Good and bad from Wales’ playmaker

10 Ben Thomas: You can see the potential but once again it was a mixed bag from the playmaker. There were a few good moments early on but he became ragged and took some poor decisions as Wales unravelled in the Six Nations opener, despite getting more playmaking support when Dan Edwards came on for Watkin in the first half. 5

9 Tomos Williams: Did as well as he could with what he was given from his team-mates. Generally took the right options but there’s only so much a scrum-half can do when his side are being sent into reverse. 6

Planet Rugby player ratings key 10 - Career defining performance 9 - Outright blockbuster effort 8 - Significantly influenced the result of the game 7 - Committed and effective outing 6 - Flashes of brilliance outside of executing fundamentals 5 - Fulfilling the role required by position (base level) 4 - Poor execution of fundamentals 3 - Costly errors and/or discipline in the game 2 - Poor performance that directly impacted the result 1 - Grossly ineffective throughout 0 - Should have carried water instead

8 Aaron Wainwright: Was taken off early on and never returned. N/A

7 Jac Morgan (c): Wales’ best player and one of the few to match the France behemoths. Carried hard throughout and was also tireless in defence. 7

6 James Botham: Quiet from the blindside, who struggled to impose himself. Was more evident in the second period but he couldn’t quite compete physically. 5

France player ratings: ‘Unplayable’ Antoine Dupont puts on a ‘sensational’ show while Les Bleus rue Ntamack’s ‘needless’ act in Six Nations thrashing

‘Bright future’

5 Dafydd Jenkins: Almost up there with Morgan for his performance. A young man with a bright future and someone who Wales can build their pack around. 7

4 Will Rowlands: Another to put in a big shift despite the loss. Rowlands was a ubiquitous presence on both sides of the ball. 6

3 Henry Thomas: The scrum held up pretty well, while there was the odd nice touch in the loose, but Thomas is not the long-term answer at tighthead. 5

2 Evan Lloyd: Lineout went smoothly but his yellow card for his high shot on Louis Bielle-Biarrey proved costly as France scored two tries while he was off the field. 5

1 Gareth Thomas Didn’t give Uini Atonio an inch in what was a decent showing from the prop. Unlike at tighthead, they are well stocked at loosehead with Thomas and Nicky Smith. 6

Replacements: Smith took his fine club form with Leicester Tigers into the Test arena and edged the scrum battle, despite being harshly penalised on a couple of occasions. Elsewhere, Tommy Reffell was immense, but the others failed to really impact the game. 6

READ MORE: Staggering Antoine Dupont thrills in Six Nations victory over Wales but Romain Ntamack’s stupidity could have dire consequences