Wales staged a remarkable second-half comeback to stun France 24-19 on a memorable opening Six Nations night in Paris.
Warren Gatland's team trailed 16-0 at the interval, but they responded magnificently to claim a 10th successive win and equal their longest unbeaten run since 1999.
Tries by scrum-half Tomos Williams and wing George North, who capitalised on opposite number Yoann Huget's defensive howler, plus two Gareth Anscombe conversions and a Dan Biggar penalty edged Wales ahead following a 15-minute purple patch.
And after France went back in front through a Camille Lopez penalty, North claimed his second try - a stunning 60-metre interception effort that Biggar converted - to give Wales a seventh victory from the last eight starts against France.
Re-live the action below:
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of France vs Wales in the 2019 Six Nations.
Join us from 7pm when we will begin building up to this year's curtain-raiser.
Bonjour, noswaith dda and welcome to the 2019 Six Nations.
It is a Rugby World Cup year, and though eyes are peering around the corner at Japan, the importance of rugby's great annual competition has not been diminished.
There will be thrills, spills and much, much more over six weeks of high-quality action, and it all begins on the outskirts of Paris at the Stade de France
France are rugby's great enigma, capable of the gorgeous and the grotesque, often simultaneously. Jacques Brunel's side are coming off an embarrassing defeat to Fiji that ended an awful Autumn international series, and have lost six of their last seven against their opponents tonight.
Warren Gatland's Wales head to Paris confident that a victory could set them on their way towards the Six Nations title. They host Ireland and England later in the tournament, and with more favourable trips to Edinburgh and Rome to come, things might just be lining up nicely for a Grand Slam.
But that is far too hasty. And first, they'll have to get past a remodelled, rebuilt French side ready to return to the international stage...
TEAM NEWS - French forwards
It is a French team built on the principles that have sparked Toulouse's resurgent form this season. A mammoth pack contrasts a lighter, more dynamic backline marshalled by a pair of typically silky halfbacks.
There is no forward more monstrous than Uini Atonio, the 152-kilogram behemoth who will man the tighthead alongside captain Guilhem Guirado and Jefferson Poirot in a front row who will pack a punch at scrum-time.
Behind them, physical South African-born lock Paul Willemse debuts for his adopted nation, partnering Sebastien Vahaamahina in a sizeable second row. Arthur Iturria and Wenceslas Lauret are deployed on the flanks to add height, with both capable of slipping into the second row if need be, while Louis Picamoles is a ball-carrying bastion at Number Eight.
TEAM NEWS - French backs
Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez partner at international level for just the second time, but the pair have dovetailed beautifully at Clermont for several years and Jacques Brunel will be glad to finally have his first-choice pairing at nine and ten.
Romain Ntamack (more on him later) is the other debutant in the French side, with Wesley Fofana (in his final year as an international) providing experience at outside him in the centres. Damian Penaud gets the nod over Gael Fickou in terms of converted centres competing for a wing slot, while Yoann Huget and Maxime Medard are players reborn at France and will look to recapture their international form of yesteryear.
TEAM NEWS - Welsh forwards
Injuries leave Wales without a number of key forwards, though Warren Gatland's assembled eight remains a very effective unit.
Rob Evans and Tomas Francis will provide plenty of steel and experience at prop, while Ken Owens is back amongst things at hooker after a stint moonlighting at the back of the scrum with the Scarlets.
Alun Wyn Jones will be a key figure and leads the side alongside the developing presence of Adam Beard in the second row.
Injuries to Ellis Jenkins, Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau leave Wales short of three potential back-row starters, but the country's freakish production line at the position means Gatland can still select an uber-athletic, balanced trio of Josh Navidi, Ross Moriarty and Justin Tipuric.
TEAM NEWS - Welsh backs
Tomos Williams earns the nod over Gareth Davies with Rhys Webb now plying his trade in France, partly due to his scintillating club form, partly due to his relationship with Gatland's chosen ten.
Gareth Anscombe is the coming force at fly-half with Dan Biggar struggling to fully find his feet with Northampton, and the New Zealand-born playmaker starts tonight. Hadleigh Parkes and Jonathan Davies are a fearsome centre duo and also teammates at club level.
There is no Leigh Halfpenny with the diminutive full-back struggling with concussion, but if anything his absence only adds to the attacking threat of the back three. The power of George North and flying feet of Josh Adams will test opposition wingers in different ways, and Liam Williams will capitalise on any French loose kicking with his counter-attacking game.
ROMAIN EMPIRE
Romain Ntamack debuts for France tonight, following in father Emile's footsteps in the French side. Only 19, Ntamack is a converted fly-half who has knitted everything together at Toulouse this season, showing nous beyond his tender years. Jacques Brunel has boldly dropped the elephant-not-in-the-room, Mathieu Bastareaud, with Toulon rather in crisis and the powerful centre failing to find his form from last year's Six Nations.
Ntamack was a star of last summer's U20 Championships as France stormed to a magnificent home victory. Another of that crop in precocious prop Demba Bamba is primed to impact from the bench, and is a sizeable figure to watch out for as the game wanes.
There is no natural fly-half cover on the French bench, so if Camille Lopez does pick up an injury, Ntamack may shift to ten, though both Morgan Parra and replacement scrum-half Baptiste Serin are capable at the position as only French nines are.
Paul Willlemse is France's other debutant at the Stade de France this evening, a controversial newly-qualified South African lock who has done some good things at Montpellier over the last couple of seasons. There are doubts about his ability to get around the pitch, particularly at international level, and there are plenty of French fans who have concerns around the fitness of the gargantuan pack generally.
And yes, Willemse plays exactly as he looks. Hard-nosed...
TINY TOMOS
Tomos Williams is at the other end of the size scale but is a player with the chance to be a breakout star of the Championships.
His all-round game has come on leaps and bounds in the last 18 months or so, and it is a mark of his form that Williams has displaced Gareth Davies, who has done little wrong in a red jersey since Rhys Webb signed for Toulon.
He'll reform his Cardiff Blues partnership with Gareth Anscombe in the halves, and France cannot afford to give either any space.
Some fascinating individual battles on the pitch this evening. Hadleigh Parkes will seriously test Romain Ntamack's solidity in defence, while Jefferson Poirot and Tomas Francis' battles when packing down at scrum-time will be well worth watching.
Guilhem Guirado will be glad to escape a disharmonious Toulon squad, but Ken Owens presents a considerable test. Both will get through plenty of work around the park and, as ever on occasions like these, their lineout throwing will be under the microscope on a pretty dour evening weather-wise in Paris.
Ten minutes until kick-off.
It was two years ago that the two sides contested this fixture over 100 minutes in a game that refused to end. Wayne Barnes was the man in the middle on that occasion as France controversially stole it right at the death, and the Englishman again has whistle in hand this evening, starting what will be his final Six Nations.
He may have another niggly affair to contend with this evening. Plenty of combative individuals in both lineups.
Smoke, fire and waving Tricolors greet the players as they trot out into position.
It's anthem time...
"Land of My Fathers" to begin the pre-match proceedings. The Welsh players are in fine voice, and though the weather has caused travel havoc for travelling fans there are a smattering of red dragons around the Stade de France.
Paul Willemse shows his allegiance to his new nation, joining in for a typically hearty rendition of "La Marseillaise."
The anthems are over. It's time for rugby.
1 minute
The kick-off is claimed by Louis Picamoles who tests the Wales defence early with a strong carry. Morgan Parra box kicks from the base of the resulting ruck, Liam Williams misjudging the flight somewhat but safely collecting on the bounce.
Tomos Williams box kicks long. France in possession around the halfway line.
2 minutes
Parra again goes to the air, and Yoann Huget rises brilliantly to tap back to Arthur Iturria.
Space opens in the wider channels for Wesley Fofana but the centre fails to combine with club teammate Damian Penaud, allowing Wales to gather.
But they don't have enough numbers in the ruck and France have a penalty, which is pumped to the 22. France lineout.
3 minutes
France indicate a maul but Louis Picamoles peels out and looks for Wesley Fofana on the hard line, but the inside centre has overrun and drops a forward-looking pass.
First scrum.
4 minutes
A quick whistle from Wayne Barnes as the scrum swiftly collapses. Jefferson Poirot penalised. Awkward body shape on the engage, and I'm surprised that wasn't reset rather than penalised.
Anyway, Wales will have the lineout on halfway.
