Wales boss Warren Gatland pulled no punches after dropping scrumhalf star Mike Phillips for Friday’s Six Nations clash against France in Cardiff.

Phillips, who has won 82 caps, made his international debut in 2003 and was the British and Irish Lions Test No9 against Australia last summer, will be on the bench for a game Wales must win to keep alive their title hopes.

Phillips makes way for full Test debutant Rhys Webb following Wales’ 26-3 drubbing by Ireland 11 days ago, while wing George North moves to outside centre, Liam Williams wears the No11 shirt and fitagain lock Luke Charteris replaces Andrew Coombs.

“We just felt the team needed a change,” Gatland said. “We weren’t happy with Mike’s performance against Ireland, and we just felt it was an opportunity for Rhys Webb.

“We released Rhys back to the Ospreys on the weekend for some game time, and I thought he played well. It is a great opportunity for him.

“[Phillips] probably just got a little bit confrontational with a oneon- one with (Ireland scrum-half ) Conor Murray, and he was yellowcarded as well towards the end of the game. It is probably an opportunity for him to reflect on his performance. That is why we have put him on the bench and given Rhys a chance.

“The fact that Mike has been probably our first choice for a long time, it is important that we give someone else an opportunity there in that position to stake a claim and give us some depth in that role as well. He [Phillips] always responds well to a challenge, and we are expecting him to put his disappointment behind him a little bit.”

There are many who will feel that double Grand Slam winner Phillips has been made a fall guy for Wales’ heaviest Six Nations loss since 2006.

Others, though, will point to him being largely ineffective during the current Six Nations campaign and that an in-form Webb deserves his chance.

North, whose previous 37 caps were all won as a starting wing, answers a midfield injury SOS.

Gatland is without the services of Scott Williams, Jonathan Davies and Ashley Beck because of injuries, so he faced an apparent choice between North and James Hook to feature alongside Roberts.