Six Nations: Wales 16 - 9 France; Buoyant Welsh bidding to build on Grand Slam success Down Under

The RBS Six Nations champions will tackle Tri Nations title holders Australia in a three-Test series that Wales coach Warren Gatland is already planning for.

Gatland has long accepted that success against southern hemisphere heavyweights Australia, New Zealand and South Africa is how Wales must expect to be judged on the world stage.

And with a Six Nations clean sweep of title, Grand Slam and Triple Crown now achieved – Wales’ third such feat in eight seasons, and second during Gatland’s four-year reign – attention will quickly switch to future challenges.

The Wallabies are also on Wales’ autumn Test schedule later this year, together with world champions New Zealand, and their record against both super-powers needs addressing. Wales have only beaten the Wallabies once from nine attempts in Australia, and that was 43 years ago, while their last victory over the All Blacks came in 1953.

“Tri Nations teams tend to beat us, and we will definitely be targeting the Australia tour,” said prop Jenkins, who took over captaincy duties at half-time from an injured Sam Warburton in the Grand Slam-clinching victory over France.

“They (Australia) have put us to the sword in the last two games we’ve played against them. It will be a different challenge for us again in June, and that is the big target for us.”

Wales meet Australia in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney on three successive weekends in June, which should also prove a key preparation exercise for Gatland if, as expected, he returns Down Under next year as British and Irish Lions head coach.

Jenkins, together with his current team-mates Adam Jones and Ryan Jones, have now joined Welsh rugby’s most exclusive club, taking up post-war membership alongside Gareth Edwards, Gerald Davies and JPR Williams as a three-time Grand Slam winner.

“Later in your career you cherish things like this,” added 31-year-old Cardiff Blues forward Jenkins. “When you’ve won the first two (Grand Slams) you are always hoping you can win another one. You never forget the atmosphere when you are walking around the stadium at the end, that standing ovation. It is a good achievement to win three. There are not many people who have done it. People like myself, Adam and Ryan have not been used to going into games as favourites. We have always been the underdogs, but this team has got to the stage where we can now be classed as favourites.

“This is a great feeling. It was on the line all day, but we managed to hold out and our defence was outstanding. Their defence was pretty much on top of us, and there was a lot of kicking involved. It was different to the previous four Six Nations games this season in that both teams kicked a lot of ball.

“It didn’t make for the most exciting game of rugby, but we managed to nail our key moments and it is a relief to have come off the field as winners.”

France had gone ahead through Yachvili’s 11th-minute penalty before the home side snuffed out a dangerous French attack, moved upfield at pace, and Cuthbert’s 30-metre run beat three French defenders on the way to a memorable score – Wales’ 10th of the Six Nations. Halfpenny’s conversion put them 7-3 in front. He added a penalty for a 10-3 interval lead.

Though a Beauxis penalty after 45 minutes cut the deficit, Halfpenny booted a monster penalty from 51 metres to restore Wales’ seven-point advantage.

The final 10 minutes were fraught with Yachvili and Halfpenny exchanging penalties before the mother of all rugby parties could commence. Jenkins added: “France haven’t played much rugby in this championship – they have been living off people’s mistakes – so we didn’t want to be playing too much in our half to give them a chance to strike.

“There were a few nerves out there. We had a bit of a nervous training session on Thursday, when our backs were shocking.

“But on Friday, we sorted it out, and the boys were relaxed. After 20 minutes we settled down.

“And we had outstanding support. Coming in on the bus to the ground, the atmosphere was fantastic. They are scenes you don’t forget.”