Wales have hardly gained a reputation under Warren Gatland of plaguing opponents with doubt but they have warned England to be prepared for the unexpected at the Millennium Stadium on Friday night.
“It’s the variety of our game that will be key, because they will anticipate us going down the 10 channel,” said Robert Howley, the Wales attack coach.
Howley is keen to make it known that his side will not just be focusing on using the burly centre Jamie Roberts and his equally imposing three-quarter colleagues George North and Alex Cuthbert to test the tackling abilities of the England fly-half George Ford, who will be making his first appearance at the Millennium Stadium.
Variations with Wales in recent years have tended to be on a theme, with their game based on getting over the gainline, keeping the ball in play and wearing down opponents. But this is the first of two meetings with England this year. The two sides are in the same World Cup pool and for all the talk about the tournament later this year having no relevance this week, Wales will be keeping a few things in reserve.
“We will be in different shape come the World Cup and so will England,” says Howley. “They have a number of injuries now, but they probably have greater strength in depth than any other country in the world: they have four Lions on their bench this week and we know it is going to be tough.
“We experienced a difficult time last year at Twickenham when we were well beaten by a very good England side. We expect that team will once again turn up at the Millennium Stadium. Home advantage has been key in this fixture and it will be key on Friday.”
That is not something Wales are likely to be uttering later this year, with the World Cup encounter being staged at Twickenham. Defeat on Friday, with their full-strength side taking on opponents who are depleted in midfield and in the second row, would be a significant setback, no matter the spin that would be put on it.
“We want to win the Six Nations and that means starting the tournament well,” says Howley. “Momentum is important and while the focus last week was on freshening up the players, it is now all about rugby. International rugby is about small margins and we have to get the details right: it will be frenetic and decisions will have to be made under pressure. We all talk about the cauldron in Cardiff but that stadium is only as good as the players’ performance and ours have to prepare to the best of their ability.”
Gatland announced his team two days before Stuart Lancaster named his, and Wales invited their opponents to agree to the roof being shut, as it was two years ago. That offer has been declined by England, who suffered a record defeat to Wales in 2013 when the covers came across the stadium.
“It’s an entertainment business and it was a great decision by Stuart Lancaster in 2013 when we woke up on that Saturday morning and it was raining cats and dogs,” Howley says. “With the side England have selected, they are coming here to play a ball-in-hand game. It’s going to be a huge challenge up front and the domination of the set piece will answer many questions.
“We’ve got a tried and tested side but that team was beaten last year, a defeat which ensures that we are hugely motivated.”
The Wales captain, Sam Warburton, who will be winning his 50th cap, is part of a settled back row unit with Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau and the breakdown battle, as ever, will be pivotal.
“England have a physical back row and the three of them are all on form,” says Lydiate, who has returned to Wales with Ospreys after a stint in France with Racing Métro.
“Billy Vunipola is a big ball-carrying threat, James Haskell has been going well for Wasps and Chris Robshaw has been underrated for the past few years and always gives a good account of himself without getting the praise he deserves.
“As a back row, we know what each other can do and we relish big matches like this one. We have to make sure we front up, otherwise it will be the same result as last year.”
