Adam Jones backs Warren Gatland to turn around Wales’ form during Six Nations

Adam Jones has backed Warren Gatland to turn Wales’ fortunes around as they head into a Six Nations campaign on the back of 12 successive Test defeats.

Opening night could hardly be tougher for Wales – France in Paris on Friday – with Les Bleus welcoming star player Antoine Dupont back to the Six Nations stage following his Olympic sevens gold medal heroics last summer.

Wales have not won a Test since beating 2023 World Cup pool opponents Georgia almost 16 months ago, a miserable run that has piled pressure on head coach Gatland and his players.

Former prop Jones featured in three Grand Slam-winning teams – two of those during Gatland’s first reign as Wales boss from 2008 to 2019 – and won 95 caps, plus five Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions.

He is now back in the Wales fold as scrum coaching consultant on secondment from Gallagher Premiership club Harlequins for the Six Nations duration.

And the 43-year-old’s infectious enthusiasm and passion for his job look likely to make an immediate impression after he began work at Wales’ training base.

“It is my first day back, so it’s a little bit like school,” Jones said.

“There are a lot of players I don’t really know. I have obviously seen them on TV, I have played with a couple, I played against a couple. I played with one’s (Dafydd Jenkins’) dad!

“When this chance came up, I was dying to do it. Quins were amazing. There was no messing around and they said ‘let’s get it done as soon as possible’.

“I am a proud Welshman. It must have been 1991, but I remember Wales were playing France and we lost something like 36-3.

“At the end of the game I said to my mother I was embarrassed to be Welsh. It was followed with a backhander across the head!

“I’ve been in England