Wales head coach Steve Tandy told BBC One: “I certainly feel that way. [felt like a step forward].

“I thought we had chances in the game and our discipline was much better. Our set pieces were great and I thought we could have gotten a few more tries.”

“If you look at the French players, if they kick a little too much or offload, they come alive. You have to give credit to France and where they are as a team.”

“It’s a transition period for us and we’re not ultimately where we want to be and at this point in the journey, we’re looking at how far we can continue to improve and build.

“It’s our job as a team to get support here. The public has been incredibly supportive and I think they understand where we are on the journey.”

“The only thing I can say is the effort the boys put in as a young group. They love the support and connection to our community and our country.”