Harris is the key as Wales seek to avoid whitewash

It seems remarkable that Wales should be looking for a hat-trick of victories in Paris today, unfortunately that hat-trick does not refer to their record this season, but rather to their appearances at the Stade de France where they have won both their previous matches in 1999 and two years ago.

But victory for Wales today is more important for another reason – it will avoid only their third whitewash in the history of the championship, the other two coming in 1990 and 1995.

Not that their coach, Steve Hansen, is interested in such things. "I don't care too much for the past because whatever happened two years ago or four years ago will not affect what goes on this weekend," he said.

"I don't worry about wooden spoons or the talk of a whitewash. But if we are going to avoid another defeat we need to produce a level of performance that enables us to live with and get the better of a very good French side." Of the four changes made by Hansen to the side which started against Ireland last weekend, the most significant has to be the naming of the rugby league convert Iestyn Harris in the centre.

Harris has had a difficult 18 months or so, undertaking a tricky conversion in one of the game's most demanding positions: outside-half. But, having come on as a replacement centre in Wales' last three matches, Harris gets only his second start in the No 12 jersey as Wales look to him to build on a very promising performance against the Grand Slam contenders Ireland last weekend.

He partners Mark Taylor and Stephen Jones, creating a midfield that suggests France will not have things all their own way. With the trio having the service of Dwayne Peel to supply them with decent ball, there is every chance that Hansen's claim – "we want to play with the ball and take the game as wide as we can whenever we can" – is not going to be a vain wish.

Of course, much will depend on the front men and in particular the canny Iestyn Thomas at loose head and the apprentice tight head Gethin Jenkins, who grew in confidence against the Irish despite his inexperience.

The French line-out is not half bad and, of course, they have searing pace in the backs when the forwards do win ball. The Welsh will certainly have their hands full containing the French at times.

Yet the outcome is not a foregone conclusion. France have suffered an indifferent season with wins against Italy and Scotland to set against defeats against England and Ireland.

"I know there has been a great deal said about the French and how this weekend means nothing to them – but I can't for one minute imagine they will be easing off the gas," said Hansen.

The France coach, Bernard Laporte, who has been strongly critical of his players at times this season, has kept faith with the side that really turned it on in the first half against Italy in Rome last weekend.

The best France can hope for is a third-placed finish, and they will want to defend their honour against a side that has shown touches of class and courage against two of the best this year. The big match may be in Dublin tomorrow, but it could still all go off in the Stade de France today.

Leading Welsh clubs yesterday rejected their union's latest proposal for the funding of the game in the Principality. The Welsh Rugby Union had promised £7.5m for five provincial clubs next season, rising to £8.05m the following year. But the WRU chief executive David Moffett warned this will be slashed to just £4.62m if the nine top clubs fail to accept the new terms.