Coach demands ‘no-fear’ game plan from Wales

Wales need a no-fear approach against England at Twickenham on Saturday, assistant coach Alex King has said.

The visitors last won a Six Nations game on English soil 12 years ago. They have lost seven successive times at Twickenham since the 2015 World Cup, although five of those were by six points or less.

Wales will head to London after coming unstuck in a Cardiff classic against Scotland, although 26 unanswered points from being 27-0 adrift meant they almost completed the biggest comeback in the history of the Six Nations.

“They have got a decent team – finishing third at the World Cup is testament to that,” King said. “I think we need to show a no-fear game going down there, and put the pressure back on them.

“We’ve just got to take the game to England. We can’t wait for them to see what they do, especially with 70,000 people shouting for them.

“We have got to present ourselves as we want to play, and not wait to see what England can do before we start responding.

“It is important to show the lads that England are a good team, but they are not unbeatable.

“They have obviously got good players and are well coached, but Twickenham is just another stadium.

I am looking forward to going back there.

“They won some important games at the World Cup, and they pushed South Africa close. They won some close games at the World Cup – they were able to get over the finish line in certain games.

“Like every team, they have got their weaknesses. It is up to us to exploit them on Saturday.”

Wales head coach Warren Gatland, meanwhile, will have to make at least one change from the Scotland match as flanker James Botham has been released from the squad because of a knee injury.

Botham, the grandson of England cricket great Lord Botham, scored Wales’s opening try against Scotland.

Botham’s Cardiff colleague, Seb Davies, has been added to the squad, as has experienced Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis.

Elsewhere, Sam Costelow is “being assessed for a neuro issue with his neck”, said King, after the fly-half failed a head injury assessment and went off before half-time in the Scotland encounter.

“The positive thing is it wasn’t a concussion. He is up for selection, but it is a question of whether he gets through his medical protocols,” King added.