Wales lost to France 24-45 at the Principality Stadium on Sunday in a game where France’s superior forward power told.

Pundits such as Wales’ World Cup co-captain Dewi Lake, on the Sportin Wales podcast, and former British and Irish captain Sam Warburton on BBC’s coverage, picked a win for the home side but they were overwhelmed by France’s raw power.

As in the first three games, there were several positives, but Wales are now without a win from their first four games and staring at a possible first wooden spoon since 2003.

Wales will need at least a win against Italy next weekend, which will be no mean feet after the Italians win against Scotland this weekend.

The home side started well, leading 10-3 inside 10 minutes thanks to a Sam Costelow penalty and Rio Dyer try and even after Gaël Fickou scored to give France the lead Wales were able to respond immediately after Owen Watkin set up Tomos Williams.

Wales were showing a clinical edge taking their opportunities well, but they were beginning to be dominated in the scrum, hardly surprising with almost 300kg between tighthead Uini Atonio and second row debutant Emmanuel Meafou.

France made that dominance count with Nolan Le Garrec diving over for the fourth try of the game in what had been an exciting opening half hour.

Wales were looking to maximise ball in play time and keep the tempo high, getting the ball wide to the impressive Dyer.

There was also enterprising play, breaking off the back of a lineout in their own 22 but Aaron Wainwright couldn’t hold onto Williams’ pass with Dyer ready for an 80-metre run in.  

Despite the positives, France’s forward dominance was beginning to tell, but Wales held on while the visitors’ pack appeared to be tiring, as the first half ended 17-20 to France.

Wales started the second half similarly to the first scoring a try inside three minutes.

Tommy Reffell combined with Sam Costelow and Williams who came close, but the ball was recycled, and Joe Roberts scored in the corner.

That was as good as it got for the home side with France changing their entire front row on 50 minutes as well as bringing on Romain Taofifénua.

Grégory Alldritt thought he’d scored only for the TMO to spot a knock on in the grounding but the inevitable came when substitute tight head Georges-Henri Colombe crashed over with quarter of an hour remaining as France regained the lead.

Wales’ inexperience now appeared to tell as they began to overplay, counterattacking from deep inside their half, although there was a chance for Cam Winnett who chose a long looping pass instead of running at Taofifénua from his 22m.

A couple of rucks later and Taofifénua charged down Gareth Davies’ relieving box kick and scampered over to score in what proved to be the crucial score.

There was still time for a Thomas Ramos penalty and a try from substitute scrum-half Maxime Lucu at the death after he’d replaced player of the match Le Garrec.

In his post-match analysis on BBC, Warburton bemoaned Wales’ physical inferiority while Wales coach Warren Gatland felt his side failed to manage the game after leading with quarter of an hour remaining.

What will worry Wales, is the game plan was to tire out the French pack and take advantage in the final 15 mins, but it was Wales who appeared to fatigue as the away side’s superior strength off the bench proved telling.

Elsewhere in the Six Nations, Italy held on for their first home win in the Six Nations in 11 years with a 31-29 win over Scotland while a last second Marcus Smith drop goal gave England a shock 23-22 win over England.