Beard calls for detail in bid to avoid any Twickers close shaves

Wales lock Adam Beard says their attention to detail must be spot-on today when they target a first Guinness Six Nations victory over England at Twickenham for 10 years.

Wales have won there only twice in Six Nations history – the Grand Slam campaigns of 2008 and 2012 – and they will again arrive as underdogs.

Beard and company also know that a second defeat of this season’s campaign will effectively end all hope of a successful title defence.

“It’s about getting our detail right from minute one to minute 80,” Wales vice-captain Beard said.

“But it is definitely important that we come out firing from the offset and that we start well.

“This is the one you do look forward to and there is probably a bit more heat on it because it is Wales versus England.”

Jason Leonard will be Ben Youngs’ loudest cheerleader at Twickenham as he urges the England scrum-half to savour a landmark achievement.

Youngs, 32, will surpass Leonard to becomes the country’s most capped male player when he steps off the bench and makes his 115th appearance.

The Leicester scrumhalf will reach the milestone in front of a 82,000 sell-out crowd 12 years after running on for his debut against Scotland.

Former Lions prop Leonard, who retains close ties with the game as an administrator and speaker having retired in 2004, feels only warmth for his successor in waiting as England’s most enduring player.

“I’ll be at Twickenham and I’ll be clapping harder than anyone in the West Stand when Ben comes on. It will be a great achievement,” Leonard said.

“To do it in front of a home crowd is amazing and I’m pretty sure that Twickenham will go absolutely nuts in celebration – and rightly so.

“A nicer guy than Ben you couldn’t wish for.”