Six Nations 2016 - Wales vs France: Playing in Cardiff on a Friday night is a special occasion - we will be ready, writes Jamie Roberts

With the roof shut it allows two sides with exciting, explosive backs to let loose

Alex Cuthbert on his way to scoring his brilliant try for Wales against France in 2012 (Getty Images)

I have played a lot of rugby with Alex Cuthbert and an abiding memory of him is during the 2012 Six Nations. The one moment that stands out above all others was that wonderful try he scored right at the very start of the Grand Slam match in Cardiff against France, and I found myself watching it again the other day.

One minute he was just getting into a Wales jersey, the next he was part of a winning British and Irish Lions side and we were all like “who is this guy?”

He’s such an explosive player and he’s got an absolutely frightening turn of pace, and that’s what we’re hoping to see under the closed roof in Cardiff tonight.

I know he’s been champing at the bit, not being in the starting line-up for the games against Ireland and Scotland, and I’m looking forward to seeing that explosiveness and pace again now he’s back in the side.

The selection is tough on Tom James as it is on Justin Tipuric, who both miss out for the France game, but sadly that’s the nature of the beast, the harsh reality of Test match rugby. That’s coach Warren Gatland’s opinion for this particular game but they know they have to train even harder next week to push for reselection, as Alex Cuthbert, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies, who all come into the starting line-up tonight, have done to date.

Even when you’re just outside the starting line-up you’re still a key member as the opposition in training drills, as part of the team bonding that is all part of this Wales unit.

I’ve played a lot of rugby with all the guys coming in and they’re in the side on merit. Dan is an absolute beast of a player who puts his body on the line week in, week out.

For me the nerves and the anticipation begin at 4pm

I know there are the pessimists out there who have said that this has been a poor Six Nations. I don’t buy that, although the greasy and wet conditions have hardly been conducive to backs’ moves. Such conditions make life pretty tough with space at an absolute premium.

It’s about boxing clever and using all the experience you’ve got. Thankfully tonight we don’t have that problem with the roof shut so you’d hope it allows two sides with some exciting, explosive backs to let loose and create some scoring opportunities.

I know there are those out there who aren’t fans of Friday night rugby but I love it and it’s here to stay. Playing at the Millennium Stadium is a very special place – the atmosphere is like nowhere else – but on Friday night there’s just a little extra something there.

Obviously people have had a few drinks and as we edge towards the stadium in the team bus, the atmosphere, the flag-waving, the cheering grows and grows, and when you finally turn into Westgate Street where we get off, it’s off the scale.

But it’s not then that the nerves and anticipation begin. For me, that’s usually at about 4pm if it’s a night game.

You need unity when you’re going into a game like France

Actually, the build-up to game-day can be quite boring if you’re not careful. With it being a night game, I’ll begin the day with a bit of a lie-in, then after that it’s about eating and chilling for the rest of the day but also getting the right balance.

I’ve found in the past that if I don’t do anything at all I feel quite tired come the match so I’ll often head into Cardiff to meet some non-rugby mates for a coffee and just have a bit of a mooch around.

I’ll probably make time for a snooze in the afternoon and there might be the opportunity to do a bit of power in the gym or some cryotherapy before getting together as a team to ensure that you’ve done all your homework for the match ahead.

It’s been a good week, training’s been going well. Yesterday we had a short, intense session at the stadium to soak up the place and get ready while some of the lineout boys stayed around for a while longer to work on things.

Then it was four or five hours’ free time in the afternoon, some cryo and then the backs’ and forwards’ meetings begin around 6pm. After that it’s about getting a good film on so everyone relaxes together.

It’s a good group of guys we’ve got and we all know each other pretty well. The one thing I’ve learned with this group is that you need to have a relatively thick skin and be able to laugh at yourself. If not, you’ve got a short career in rugby!

So that throws up all sorts of nicknames. Mine’s tended to be Lazarus because as a qualified doctor I supposedly self-diagnosed much worse injuries for myself than is the reality. But I don’t buy it, and anyway I think I’ve passed that particular moniker on to Dan Biggar now!

But on a serious note, you need that unity as a squad when you’re going into a big game like France.

Sadly, more often than not flair can be your downfall

A few people have asked me this week about our current good run against France but past history really has no bearing on this game at all. France are a new side under Guy Novès, with new players and a new belief – you can see that from the two wins they’ve picked up in their opening games.

Of course, we have confidence in ourselves and we believe that we will win the game. But it’s not over-confidence, just a sense of self-belief.

France, as ever, have a very good back line. I know Maxime Machenaud well from his time at Racing with me in Paris and at scrum-half he’s very committed to the French cause.

At full-back there’s Maxime Médard, who I’ve played against a lot of times. We were rival full-backs coming up the junior ranks. And in midfield there’s Jonathan Danty, who I don’t know a lot about, and Maxime Mermoz, who’s a quality player.

I know some people are bemoaning a lack of French flair currently but defences are so well organised these days that the opportunity for such flair has diminished.

More often than not, sadly, that flair can prove your downfall and, before you know it, you’re behind your own sticks having conceded a try from nowhere.

However, there is still that balance there of risk versus reward, it’s just about finding the right opportunities. It’s up to us to do that tonight.