Six Nations: ‘The pressure is on England’

All the pressure will be on England in Saturday’s Six Nations championship decider against last year’s grand slam champions Wales at the Millennium stadium, Welsh lock forward Ian Evans said on Friday.

An England win will guarantee Stuart Lancaster’s unbeaten side the grand slam but Wales can still retain the title with victory by at least eight points, or seven so long as England do not outscore them by three tries.

“I would say the pressure is on England,” Evans told reporters.

“They are coming to Wales to play for a grand slam and that is a hell of a lot of pressure.”

Evans said the experience of the Welsh side, who have won three grand slams in eight years, could turn the result in the hosts’ favour. Most of the England side have never played before the fervent Welsh supporters at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.

“We went to Twickenham to win the triple crown and most of the boys felt the pressure then but we came through it,” Evans said.
 
“We have got that experience but it’s unknown territory for the English boys coming here for the grand slam.”

England last claimed the Six Nations title in 2011 but have not finished with a perfect five wins since 2003, when they went on to win the only World Cup so far to be claimed by a northern hemisphere side.

Loose forward Tom Wood, who won on debut in Cardiff in 2011, has advised his England team mates not to get flustered by the pre-match racket in the stadium.

“There is a lot of noise. You have your side of the field to warm up on and there are often bands playing and an awful lot going on. It can be a little bit unsettling at times,” said the number eight.

“I don’t know if it is a deliberate ploy to try and unsettle your warmup routine or if it is because there is a confined space and they are looking to get as much going on as possible.”