Wales v France, Rugby World Cup, October 15
Jones: Scrum battle will be key
ESPNscrum Staff
October 14, 2011
Wales' Adam Jones controls a ball during training, Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, October 13, 2011
Adam Jones is buzzing with excitement ahead of Saturday's semi-final showdown with France © PA Photos
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Adam Jones believes it is imperative that Wales front up in the set-piece if they are to defeat France in Saturday's eagerly-awaited Rugby World Cup semi-final clash in Auckland.

Les Bleus have had a real hold over the Welsh in recent years, having triumphed in six of their last seven meetings. France proved particularly dominant in their 28-9 victory in Paris earlier this year.

On that occasion, Wales were comprehensively overwhelmed in the scrum and Jones is well aware that they can ill afford such a dismal showing in Auckland.

"The boys let themselves down - we didn't really turn up on the night," the Ospreys prop said of his country's Six Nations defeat in the French capital in March.

"Whoever is more physical is going to win, I guess. I wouldn't say they are as technical as a team like New Zealand, but the scrum is a massive part of their game. Whenever we have done well against them in the past, we've always done okay in the scrum.

"It [the French scrum] is very much like the Argentinians. They do some things in the scrum where you can't ever explain how they do it.

"I know they are big men, but we've got big men, too. It's a strange thing. If you could put your finger on it you would make a bit of money."

Jones, though, is confident that Wales can prevail on Saturday, believing that they have come along way in the past seven months. Indeed, he feels that in Sam Warburton they have unearthed a captain capable of inspiring them to a historic win.

"He's fantastic," Jones said of the Welsh openside. "He doesn't say a lot, but what he does say makes sense. He doesn't talk any rubbish.

"There aren't any real speeches. It's about switching your head on and getting on with it, really. There are no Winston Churchill-type speeches.

"He has done a hell of a job. Players follow him and trust him. He's been outstanding, and he is going to have a pretty good career.

"Martyn Williams used to mention Sam a while back, talking about this young kid who was going to come and take his place. I hadn't seen him play at the time, but he is one of the most professional players I have ever come across."

While Warburton is a source of inspiration on the field, Jones admits that Wales' supporters have provided plenty of inspiration off it. Indeed, with 50,000 fans set to cram into Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday morning to watch the game on a giant screen, Jones admitted that part of him would love to be back in the Welsh capital right now.

"You just wish you could go back there for an hour or so and see what it is like, then come back out here," he said. "I can't imagine what it will be like if we get to the final."

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