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Wales start strong favourites to win a record-equalling eighth straight Six Nations match when England visit the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Wales coach Warren Gatland, whose side won 26-13 in Scotland last week, thinks England "regressed" in beating Italy.

But England forwards coach John Wells insists: "If we take the things we're doing on the training field to Cardiff, we'll give them a bloody good game.

"And if we're still in it at the end, we'll win it," he added.

Wales hope wing Shane Williams and number eight Andy Powell must pass fitness tests on Friday.

Williams sprained an ankle in the 26-13 win over Scotland on Sunday and Powell pulled up with a calf strain on Thursday

Skipper Ryan Jones returns at flanker after being passed fit following a calf injury, taking over from Dafydd Jones.

England have restored fit-again Mike Tindall at outside centre while Joe Worsley makes a rare appearance at open-side flanker.

While Gatland believes England are "not looking to play pretty rugby or be positive", he has warned Wales fans not to expect his side's overwhelming favouritism to produce a one-sided victory.

"Having your backs to the wall is often the best motivation for a side," he said.

"England would like nothing better than to come here, sneak a win, stick two fingers to us and the rest of the world and then jump on the bus back home.

"They're coming here with not much to lose whereas we've got a fair bit to lose. If the Welsh public think we've just got to turn up, then Test rugby is just not like that."

Gatland believes England began Johnson's reign by attempting to play with some width, but that poor displays against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were followed by a more conservative approach against Italy.

"It seems to me they've regressed a little bit since then [the autumn]," said Gatland. "They've shut up shop. They're trying to get a win no matter how they do it.

"There's nothing wrong with that approach. If you play negative rugby and win, well, that's what Test rugby is about."

Johnson admits England became bogged down against the Azzurri and must dig deep in Cardiff.

"We won the last game, and I would like to keep our fortunes heading in the same direction," he said. "We need to build confidence and momentum.

"We know as a squad we can play better than we did last week. It is about improving.

"I am looking forward to going away from home, and the pressure and intensity will be a big test for our team.

"The Welsh enjoy having a successful rugby team and they are playing some attractive rugby - so it will be doubly difficult.

"We don't have that much expectation - and we need to go there and fight. We can also play - but we need to battle and quieten the crowd down."

 :wales:  Lee Byrne; Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones (captain), Martyn Williams, Andy Powell.

Replacements: Huw Bennett, John Yapp, Luke Charteris, Dafydd Jones, Dwayne Peel, James Hook, Andrew Bishop.

 :england:  Delon Armitage; Paul Sackey, Mike Tindall, Riki Flutey, Mark Cueto; Andy Goode, Harry Ellis; Andrew Sheridan, Lee Mears, Phil Vickery, Steve Borthwick (captain), Nick Kennedy, James Haskell, Joe Worsley, Nick Easter.

Replacements: Dylan Hartley, Julian White, Tom Croft, Luke Narraway, Paul Hodgson, Toby Flood, Mathew Tait.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

'Mon the  :wales:

 :Jimmie O':  

Absolutely......... :wink:

.......'mon the Taffs :daggers:  :wales:

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:wales:  (9) 23
Tries: Halfpenny. Pens: S Jones 5, Halfpenny.

 :england:  (8) 15
Tries: Sackey, Armitage. Con: Flood. DG: Goode.

Wales kept their pursuit of back-to-back Grand Slams on course but were made to battle all the way by England in a thrilling Six Nations encounter.

Paul Sackey's try and an Andy Goode drop-goal saw England trail just 9-8 at half-time, Wales' points kicked by Stephen Jones and Leigh Halfpenny.

Halfpenny scored Wales' crucial second-half try, with England's indiscipline letting Jones extend his side's lead.

Delon Armitage scored a fine try to give England hope, but Wales held firm.

England, short on form and confidence despite last week's win over Italy, arrived in Cardiff as huge underdogs and the early signs were not encouraging.

Armitage tried a long-range drop-goal with just 30 seconds on the clock, but his poor effort ended up well wide and simply handed possession to Wales.

The home team picked up where they left off in Scotland, speeding through the phases to threaten the visitors' try-line and when Phil Vickery gave up a penalty at a ruck and fly-half Jones stroked the simple kick for a 3-0 lead.

That lead almost doubled on eight minutes when Wales called on the greater range of Halfpenny's boot from 47 metres, but his effort was just wide.

Wales were full of attacking verve, with Lee Byrne, Jamie Roberts and Mike Phillips all making half-breaks as England - kicking away possession time after time - held on.
The possession England had was largely kicked away, giving Wales ample opportunity to counter with ball in hand.

Referee Jonathan Kaplan had already lectured England captain Steve Borthwick over his side's persistent infringing at the breakdown.

But the message was not heeded and Mike Tindall was sin-binned soon after for using his hands in the ruck, with Jones converting the penalty to give Wales a 6-0 lead after 16 minutes.

Not even the set-piece provided any respite for England, as Kaplan penalised Vickery for dropping the scrum before Halfpenny stepped up to convert the 40-metre penalty.

England needed some inspiration and it came in the form of Riki Flutey, as the Wasps centre jinked through midfield to give his side a target going forward.

The forwards recycled quickly and when the ball was spun right, Goode dabbed through a delicate kick for Sackey to chase.

The Wasps wing won the race against Mark Jones to the line to touch down the ball first, although Goode hooked the conversion attempt.

But the Brive stand-off made amends soon after with a huge drop-goal that cut England's deficit - incredibly given their paucity of territory and possession - to just 9-8.

With England's confidence levels visibly rising and Wales still intent on running crisp attacking lines, the sell-out crowd was treated to a genuine contest far removed from the one-sided affair some had predicted.

That was thanks in part to a clever defensive tactic employed by England to limit the threat of Wales centre Jamie Roberts, with Goode packing down in England's back-row, to allow the outstanding Joe Worsley to shore up the tackling in the backs.

A one-point game at half-time soon tipped in Wales' favour as Roberts broke away down the right to carry his side deep into the England 22.

England killed the ball at the ruck and it was Goode, lying over the ball, who was sin-binned while Stephen Jones stroked over the resulting penalty.

Wales then made their man advantage in the backs pay, and Byrne drew Mark Cueto to give Halfpenny an uninterrupted run to the line for an unconverted try.

The absence of their fly-half also hurt England in the kicking stakes, as a long-range penalty within Goode's range was taken on gamely - but missed - by Armitage.

A fourth Jones penalty extended Wales' lead to 20-8, before England boss Martin Johnson brought Toby Flood off the bench in Goode's place with 25 minutes remaining.

Flood's arrival galvanised the England backline and a series of breaks created space on the left for Armitage, who weaved his way under the posts for a vital seven points.

Then a kick by Harry Ellis, the scrum-half spotting space in behind Mark Jones' wing, saw Sackey race away in pursuit only to fail to gather the ball with the line at his mercy.

But still England's indiscipline undermined their efforts and Jones was presented with another kickable penalty, taking Wales 23-15 ahead and crucially two scores clear.

Flood missed a late England penalty chance that would have set Welsh nerves jangling and next up for Warren Gatland's unbeaten side is France in Paris in a fortnight.

England, meanwhile, have an equally tricky trip to Ireland but will travel with greater confidence after a much-improved performance.


What did I tell you  :wales:  

 :Jimmie O':