Josh Adams says there’s been a real edge in training as Wales prepare to host France in the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday.
The Cardiff Blues wing, who was forced off with an injury in the defeat to Ireland last time out, has been passed fit for the encounter against table-topping Les Bleus, who have maintained a 100 per cent record in the opening two rounds.
Wayne Pivac's side on Saturday will break the record for most caps in a team for a Guinness Six Nations match.
Adams, who currently leads the Six Nations try scoring charts, is expecting a reaction from his side and believes the experience within the squad will be key.
"Always with good teams you see, after a loss, there is a reaction the next time they play," said the 23-times capped international.
"We have looked at the game, seen where we went wrong, things we could work on.
"Tuesday (this week) I would like to say was probably the best training day we have had as a squad since we have come in.
"Everybody was sharp, there was a bit of brutality in there, we were getting stuck into each other and it had a real feel of we need to put things right on Saturday.
“Cardiff rocks when there’s everybody in there and we need to deliver a top performance if we are to get the win.
“I think it’s important we are at home this time. This is France’s first away game of the campaign.
“We need to start well, ensure we apply pressure on them, take the game to them, make them take decisions and, hopefully, we will get good outcomes from that.
“We have got some great leaders. Alun Wyn Jones is fantastic and does really steer us through some tough times on the field with his leadership.
“‘Biggsy’ [Dan Biggar] at 10 is another fantastic leader, he really gets the backline going, is a fantastic game manager and he understands the game really well.
“I could reel off ‘Tips’ [Justin Tipuric], ‘Toby’ [Taulupe Faletau], Ken Owens, ‘Halfers’ [Leigh Halfpenny] at full-back, even George [North] on the wing.
“Those boys have got so many caps under their belt, they have played at the highest level, in the biggest matches you can possibly get, Lions deciders and things.
“So I do agree with what Wayne Pivac [coach] is saying, on some occasions experience like that does help you, a calm head in moments of madness when you are up against it.
“And those lads are really calm voices at the back, controlling things. So definitely, if the game goes down to the wire, the experience on our side will help but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to win it for us.”
Adams lines-up in an unchanged back three, alongside the experienced Leigh Halfpenny and George North, with a combined 203 caps between the trio.
The Cardiff Blues wing admits fellow wing North was someone he looked up to as a youngster and believes the Ospreys star has plenty in the tank.
Adams added: ”He is definitely someone I looked up to. He has had a fantastic career and so far and is only 27. 93 caps at 27. That is incredible.
"He is easily going to smash 100, 120 caps maybe and he has got so much left in the tank as well.
"I will never reach his physical ability because he is so big fast and powerful. The things he does around the field and off it in training, how he applies himself as a professional, is fantastic.
“He looks after his body so well. For instance, us back-three boys look after ourselves in hamstring rehab, which is quite important to us and make sure we stay on top of that for injury prevention.
“George is always the one who says to me: ‘Let’s get to the gym and do some hamstring rehab.’ Now it’s become a habit for me.”
Adams has built a reputation as one of the most deadly finishers in World Rugby over the last two years.
Having finished the Rugby World Cup as top try scorer earlier this season, taking his record on the international stage to 14 tries in 23 games.
Adams enjoys the responsibility he has in attack, but stresses his priority will always be on doing his best for the team rather than individual success.
“It’s my 24th cap on Saturday and I have never lost at home. I definitely don’t want to know what that feels like.
"I'm a little bit gutted in some ways if I don't score a try. Scoring tries is great, and I absolutely love doing it.
"I look for opportunities at every chance I can get. I am always floating around the field, probably in positions you wouldn't expect me to be, always there trying to sniff out a try.
"As long as I can make a positive impact for the team, if I make a line-break and don't score but give it to somebody else and that is a right option, that's what I will do.
"Whichever way I can make a positive impact for us as a team is the most important thing. If tries come off the back of that, fantastic.
"I will just keep doing that, and hopefully that will lead to more tries and opportunities for us as a team.
"It is just one of those things where if you score a try it is great, but the winning is the best thing at the end.
"As long as we come off the field at the end and we have won the game, there is no better feeling that that."