Wales confident of clinching grand slam

If the sights and sounds of Cardiff in the hours before the important game against France are anything to go by then Wales have this game in the bag. Roads in to the capital were unduly busy on Friday afternoon and the famous Millennium Stadium was full of well-wishers and sightseers. Nearly ten thousand Welsh flags had been planted on every one of the first ten rows of seats. And to cap it all, as they ran through their training routines for the last time, the Wales player wore red t shirts with Gravelle and the number 13 underneath in memory of Ray Gravelle, the talismanic centre who died earlier this year.

The proceedings will start soon after tea-time with Gravelle's two daughters carrying the Triple Crown that Wales won by beating Ireland last Saturday onto the pitch just behind the large figure of Ian Gough, who will lead Wales out in tribute to his winning 50 caps.

"We'll see what Hooky's made of," Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, said on the eve of the game as he watched his men run through their training routines at the Millennium Stadium. He was referring to the talented James Hook who will start the game at fly half instead of coming on later. "This is going to the biggest game of his life."

For the first time in this season's Six Nations Championship the stadium roof will be closed. Wales want it like that so that they can play their running, high-paced rugby and France need a firm surface if they are to stand any chance of scoring the 20 points necessary to take the Six Nations Chamionship from Wales. If Wales win by one point, they win the Grand Slam for the second time in four years.

The new stadium by the side of the River Taff is something of a favoured place for the French who have not lost there since 1999 and defeated New Zealand in a quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup last autumn.

But what has happened before in this famous rugby city will have little or no bearing on what happens in this game. It is expected that Wales's all-round strength, new-found tenacity and commitment and the bonus of playing at home will give them the advantage over France, even though the visitors have brought back many of their best players. Wales look to be more a team than France and have played together throughout this championship. They have faced adversity and dealt with it as when they were 6-16 down to England at half-time at Twickenham and they have played glorious rugby as they did in the second half against Italy when they scored 34 points and ran in four tries.

"If Wales win it will be the greatest achievement of my coaching career," Gatland said. Wales have a chance of beating the record for conceding the fewest number of tries. Two have been scored against them so far and so long as they do not let in more than one more they will beat England's record of four in the 2002 and 2003 championship.

That may be one record that is beyind them given the attacking nature of Marc Lievremont's side. But victory and with it the Six Nations and the Grand Slam should not.   

It's Wales to win by ten points.