JOSH Navidi has pledged that the Wales forwards will "get in the faces" of their hefty French counterparts to stop Les Bleus building up a head of steam in Paris tonight.

The Six Nations gets under way at the Stade de France (kick-off 8pm) with Warren Gatland's men hoping to record a tenth successive Test win.

Key to that, and earning a seventh win from their last eight encounters with the Les Bleus, is standing firm against a heavyweight home pack.

However, blindside flanker Navidi has no fears about locking horns with French teams after Cardiff Blues doubled Lyon this season and last when they also beat Pau and enjoyed a pair of wins against Toulouse on their way to European Challenge Cup glory.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall! It's the same when we play French teams in regional rugby, you know that they are going to be big and physical up front and that the back line will have a lot of flair," said Navidi.

"You know what is coming with a lot of drives and one-up runners, we know they are big but we just have to match physically.

"I played Montpellier away three years ago that was one of the biggest packs that I have played against and you've just got to get off the defensive line and get in their faces.

"You can't let them come to you off a rolling start.

"France have a big, strong pack with flair in the backs, so we have to move their forwards around the field and tire them out, then hopefully we can get over the gainline."

Navidi can play across the back row but wears 6 on his back this evening, joining forces with Ospreys openside Justin Tipuric in a bid to wreak havoc at the breakdown.

"It's the same when I have played with Ellis Jenkins and Sam Warburton (at the Blues), if you have got more jackalers on the park then you will hopefully get more turnovers and put pressure on at every ruck," he said.

"They then have to put more numbers into rucks and it's about applying constant pressure, getting turnovers to play off."

The flankers link up with Ross Moriarty in the back row with Navidi relishing being on the same side as the abrasive Dragons number eight rather than against him.

"He is a physical character and he shows that in his ball carrying and defensive work," he said. "I like that part of his game and hopefully we can work together well.

"Ross is gritty and what he does, he does well. He is a world-class player and I am sure he is ready to go, that seven weeks out is not going to make a difference to him."

The trio will be backed up by Dragons prospect Aaron Wainwright, who will hope to earn his fourth cap and make his Six Nations debut from the bench.

The 21-year-old earned his first Test call-up when Navidi suffered a shoulder injury before last summer's tour and featured against Tonga and South Africa in the autumn while the Blues flanker was sidelined by a knee problem.

"He is only young and it was good to see how well he played in the autumn and how well he has played for the Dragons," said Navidi.

"He made a big impact off the bench – he just came on and worked hard. It shows the strength in depth we have in Wales across the back row."