'Do not be fooled' - Scotland hooker Stuart McInally warns France should not write off Wales
BySportsbeat
Updated 09/03/2022 at 17:06 GMT
Scotland hooker Stuart McInally believes the defending champions are more than capable of ending France's Grand Slam quest in Cardiff. "I think Wales can always surprise anyone," said Edinburgh captain Stuart McInally, 31, who won his 46th cap against France at BT Murrayfield a fortnight ago. "They have got a huge amount of quality."
Stuart McInally wants Scotland to make better starts to games
Image credit: PA Sport
Scotland hooker Stuart McInally has warned France not to write Wales off ahead of their Guinness Six Nations clash at Principality Stadium on Friday.
France are chasing a first Grand Slam and Championship title since 2010 after wins against Italy, Ireland and Scotland, with Les Bleus safe in the knowledge that victory in Wales will leave just England in the way of a historic clean sweep.
Meanwhile, Wayne Pivac's Wales sit fifth in the table after a win at home to Scotland came in between defeats away to Ireland and England.
But McInally, having started for Gregor Townsend's men in the losses to Wales and France in their last two games, is well-placed to judge and expects a closely fought contest when the two sides meet under the lights in Cardiff.
"I think Wales can always surprise anyone," said Edinburgh captain McInally, 31, who won his 46th cap against France at BT Murrayfield a fortnight ago.
"Do not be fooled if they have got a few injuries. They have got a huge amount of quality in that team.
"And they have shown that year after year. I think a lot of people wrote them off last year, and they ended up winning the whole tournament.
"So, I think everyone knows better than to write Wales off."
Wales and France last faced each other at the Stade de France in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations when Fabien Galthie's side came out on top of a nail-biting encounter 32-30 to deprive their opposition of a Grand Slam, although Wales did still take home the Championship title the following week after Scotland won in Paris.
And having experienced the full force of a rocking Principality in Round 2, McInally knows Wales are a completely different animal when playing in front of their vocal home crowd.
He added: "They are extremely strong at home, and that will be a huge game this week.
"There is no reason why Wales can't win that game, they have got the players for it, and they're playing a really good game plan.
"We saw how close they ran England in Round 3, and they obviously beat Scotland a couple of weeks ago. I think they are a good team and that they can cause France some problems for sure."
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