SIX NATIONS - FRANCE v WALES Venue: Stade de France Date: Friday, 27 February Kick-off: 2000 GMT Coverage: Live coverage on BBC Two and online, full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales and online, live text commentary and score updates on BBC Sport website
Warren Gatland has not yet lost a Six Nations championship game
Warren Gatland has told Six Nations rivals France that his Wales side can beat them by playing either pretty or ugly in Friday's Paris showdown.
Wales have won three of their last five visits to the Stade de France and coach Gatland is confident Wales can maintain their back-to-back Grand Slam charge.
"We feel we have the ability to play whichever game we want to," he said.
"We want to play positive and exciting rugby but if we need to grind out a win then we're comfortable doing that."
Gatland has reminded his players France will be on a revenge mission because Wales completed their second Grand Slam crown in four years with a 29-12 victory over France at the Millennium Stadium last year.
But the Kiwi coach is confident his Wales team has the blend of superstars and hard-nosed grafters to succeed.
"Our tight five is starting to get some of the credit it deserves," said Gatland. "As they're working incredibly hard.
"Then we've got the superstars, the boys that look pretty like Andy Powell, Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts and Gavin Henson if he comes on.
"They carry the ball and make things happen so Wales have a a really good balance at the moment; the workhorses and the pretty boys who do the special things.
"We try to keep the ball on park, move it around and be fairly exciting. But if we need to defend for long periods and put ourselves under pressure, then we can.
"We can play and adapt to any game-plan we want to."
Wales beat Scotland and England in their opening two championship games but Friday night's game in Paris is considered the pivotal fixture in their title bid.
Stade de France is a fortress for the French rugby team but Wales do have a superb recent record in Paris - and their 24-18 win was seen as the catalyst to the Welsh 2005 Grand Slam success.
"A lot of the Celtic teams have gone to Paris in hope rather than expectation over the years," said Gatland. "Hoping to play well and catch France on a bad day.
Wales great Neil Jenkins on France
"But we go there with a lot of self-belief and confidence. We know if we get our game right, we're confident of a win and we have players with experience of winning there.
"We know we must weather the French storm when they attack you with power and pace but they will give you chances and when you get those opportunities, you must capitalise on it.
"And for a of those French players who played us last year, they'll want to get one up on us and we must be aware of that.
"We're a team a lot of people are talking about, we're ranked fourth in the world and defending six Nations champions so France will come at us with everything they've got."
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