Under-pressure Gatland can revive Wales at the Six Nations, says Jones

Adam Jones is confident that coach Warren Gatland can revive Wales' fortunes after 12 straight defeats as they prepare to face France in their daunting Six Nations opener. 

Wales have failed to win a Test since beating 2023 World Cup pool opponents Georgia 43-19 at the Stade de la Beaujoire, with Louis Rees-Zammit scoring a hat-trick. 

Now they face France in Paris, who have just had star man Antoine Dupont return after winning the Olympic gold medal in the rugby sevens having missed last year's Six Nations.

But in an attempt to freshen things up, Gatland has welcomed Jones back into the Wales fold as a scrum coaching consultant on secondment from Harlequins.

Jones featured in three Grand Slam-winning teams, two of those during Gatland's first reign as Wales boss, and he believes the current head coach is the right man for the job.

"It has been hard to see what has happened in the last couple of years but the boys and the coaches are working hard to put things right," said Jones.

"What he (Gatland) is good at, and certainly was when I was a player, was that backs-to-the-wall narrative.

"He brings players and teams together in a very short space of time and gets results out of them. He is exceptional at that. I am backing him to pull it around."

Wales have lost their past six Tests against France and are not expected to challenge for this year's Six Nations title, though Jones suggested he was quietly confident of a result.

"The whole country and the whole rugby world thinks we are going to go there and get pumped," Jones said. "We are pretty confident we can go out there and do a job.

"It is a key thing out there if we can silence the crowd. It sounds a bit like 'Gladiator', when Oliver Reed says it to Russell Crowe. If we can silence that, it is half the battle won."

Jones was also asked about the incident involving Gatland 11 years ago that saw his Test playing career end in controversial fashion against South Africa. 

Gatland cut short his 100th and final international appearance after just 30 minutes, though Jones insisted that it has since been brushed under the carpet.

"We have kissed and made up," said Jones. "It got twisted a little bit when I finished. Anyone who finishes their career is going to be upset.

"What he (Gatland) did for me as a player was huge, and I worked with him for a decade.

"I wouldn't have got to 95 Wales caps, won Grand Slams or gone on Lions tours if he hadn't come in at that time and pushed me in the right direction.

"He had a certain way of doing things and got me to that level, and I was always thankful for that, so I'm happy to work for him because he had such an influence on my career."