Gethin Jenkins admits Grand Slam-ending loss to France left him unable to sleep

Gethin Jenkins has admitted to sleepless nights after Wales saw their Grand Slam dream destroyed by France last season.

Although Wales clinched the Guinness Six Nations title a week later, hopes of a clean sweep were ended by Brice Dulin’s injury-time try that gave France a 32-30 victory.

Wales and France clash in Cardiff on Friday – and the boot is firmly on the other foot this time around.

Victory for Les Bleus would leave them needing to beat England in Paris next week to land a first title and Grand Slam since 2010.

“It was bittersweet wasn’t it? I probably didn’t sleep for three or four days after that game,” Wales assistant coach and defence specialist Jenkins said.

“It was one which got away from us. There is a little bit of a driver in it, but I think they are a little bit of a different team to that now.

“It was the big occasion where we just came up short. It was a ride we went on, and they managed to pip us at the end.”

Although Wales have lost only one of the last five games against Les Bleus in the Welsh capital, France will arrive as clear favourites.

They have defeated Italy, Ireland and Scotland to take charge of this season’s championship, combining relentlessly-physical play by their forwards with stardust provided through captain Antoine Dupont, among others.

Jenkins added: “They went to Scotland and put them away quite easily in the last game, so I wouldn’t say they are feeling the pressure too much.

“They’ve got so many quality players that we have to be really on top of our game to compete with them. I feel we can, but we’ve got to be right up there physically and mentally.

“They have got threats everywhere. They’ve got massive muscle in the forwards, while they’ve got (Antoine) Dupont, (Romain)