Physical dominance

and Elliot Daly playmakers in their own right. And they have used it to devastating effect. When a kicking game is as good as England’s, people do not notice it. It is only when done badly that people start to complain.

This, of course, is the real benefit of being so dominant at the contact/ breakdown. The half-backs can choose to run, pass or kick. They are not being forced into doing anything. They can pass to carriers, hit outside backs, choose to kick, all off front-foot ball.

Wales are probably a little bit behind England in this area, not least because they have uncertainty in both half-back positions. Will they play Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe at nine and 10, or Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar? I suspect Biggar, as he is the more reliable kicker and they need to take every opportunity they get.

At full-back, Leigh Halfpenny’s latest setback makes him a doubt, so it looks as if it is going to be Liam Williams. Either way, England will be facing something they have not so far in this Six Nations: a specialist fullback. Whoever they pick, Wales must challenge England more than they have been so far. We do not yet know whether Daly has improved as a 15, because he has not really been tested. Wales like to use their scrum-half almost as an extra backfield cover, so it will be interesting to see what effect that has on England’s kicking game. England are going to have the likes of Ben Moon or Ellis Genge, Joe Launchbury, Dan Robson, George Ford, Nathan Hughes and Chris Ashton to throw on. So many options.

Wales have decent depth, but not to that extent. You do not look at the Welsh bench and necessarily think it adds dynamism. Certainly they do not have a lock of the calibre of Launchbury to send on. Thomas Young will be an absolute must because of his work-rate and ability at the breakdown against Curry.

Ultimately, Wales are going to have to challenge England in a way that Ireland and France could not. They are going to have to try things to unsettle England; to create a tempo that will knock them out of their stride. Neither Ireland nor France could do that.

Quick ball from the set-piece, then go wide from first or second phase? Perhaps flood one side of the ruck, or switch over at the last minute?

But ultimately, as I said at the start, it will all come back to physicality and to the breakdown. If Wales can slow down England in the contact area, or move them around when they have the ball, that will stop England getting that width, that kicking variety, that fast phase play, which they deployed to such devastating effect against Ireland and France.

Wales are going to have to try to unsettle England; to create a tempo that will knock them out of their stride