Six Nations 2020: Wales are England’s noisiest neighbour… they do not hide hatred, says England legend Easter
SUNSPORT columnist and former England No 8 NICK EASTER and Wales legend and BBC pundit JONATHAN DAVIES swap notes on their Anglo-Welsh battles before revealing who they think will come out on top at Twickenham today . . .
Is the rivalry and sense of anticipation surrounding this game as strong as it used to be?
NICK EASTER: This game has its own status in the history books — it’s a huge rivalry and stoked over the years by various things from sporting to political matters.
When I first watched what was the Five Nations, Wales were pretty hopeless but Warren Gatland turned the corner for them and in the big games they always turn up.
They’re our closest and noisiest neighbour . . . and we all know that the Welsh don’t always hold back their hatred.
JONATHAN DAVIES: It’s fiercer than ever from a Welsh point of view — and I bet it means a lot more to England than they let on.
Social media has created even more interest. The build-up focuses mostly on England, making Wales want to beat them even more.
The two coaches could hardly be more different characters.
Eddie Jones is brash and bullish, while Wayne Pivac is quiet and under-stated.
What do you make of their efforts?
NE: Jones and Gatland were both spiky, seasoned coaches who knew the mind games better than most.
With Pivac in charge now, alongside Wales losing back-to-back games, it probably doesn’t have quite the same build-up.
But that’s the danger. Everyone sees it as an England win and that’s when the Welsh can be a different animal.
Pivac will be committed to sticking to his expansive gameplan.
However, international rugby is all about the here and now and Wales beat England twice last year playing a much tighter, less riskier game.
JD: They make me think of two great football managers — Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho.
For Wayne to take over from Gatland, after three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi- finals, it must be like following Fergie at Manchester United.
Wales need to be more creative if they are going to take that next step up, because we are never going to overpower the top teams.
But I admire Wayne’s attacking approach.
Eddie is like Mourinho in the way he takes all the flak. But he is developing a squad packed with world-class talent. We haven’t seen the best of them yet.
Any players from either side who have particularly impressed you?
NE: Nick Tompkins will be the one trying to stop Manu Tuilagi.
But the worry for Wales this season is their defence, which seems to have regressed since Shaun Edwards left.
If it continues to be so passive, England’s big ball carriers will have more joy than in the last decade against the Welsh.
Dan Biggar, when he’s not throwing his arms in the air and whingeing at the ref, is world class.
England’s front row have all been impressive this campaign. Matt Proudfoot seems to have added a dominance to their scrummaging.
JD: Justin Tipuric has probably been Wales’ stand-out performer and Dan Biggar has been solid. But no one has set the world alight.
For England, Owen Farrell always looks impressive — particularly in terms of his decision-making — and Courtney Lawes has played well.
What is your best memory of England-Wales clashes?
NE: My first game against them was a pre-World Cup match when I scored four tries — so that wasn’t bad!
I never lost at Twickenham to them but the Millennium Stadium was a different challenge.
Two games there stand out — 2011 when Gatland had a nibble at Dylan Hartley beforehand and we did a proper job and laid the foundations to win the Six Nations.
Then when we won in 2015 when I got back in the side after more than three years out.
There were mind games in the tunnel beforehand and we made a statement standing our ground.
JD: It would have to be the 1988 match, when we won 11-3 at Twickenham to set us on the way to the Triple Crown and a share of the Championship with France.
We’ll gloss over the 10-9 home defeat by the French that cost us the Grand Slam!
People still ask me about the break I made in that game that left Mickey Skinner clutching at shadows.
Many think I scored from that but Adrian Hadley actually got both our tries.
And the worst memory?
NE: It has to be when I didn’t play, weirdly.
We had got to the 2007 World Cup final and were high on confidence returning to camp but I missed the 2008 Six Nations opener against them due to injury.
Wales scored two late tries and suddenly our Grand Slam hopes were dashed in the first game.
I remember watching in a corporate suite at Twickenham not being able to do anything about it. After the game I was walking back to my car and got so much abuse.
JD: Being caught from behind by Jonathan Webb in 1988 was pretty embarrassing! Either he was quicker than we thought or I was running low on gas.
The one that still hurts was Twickenham 1986, when Rob Andrew dropped a goal off his left foot in the final minute. It was heartbreaking to lose like that.
And how do you think this game will pan out?
NE: I expect to see us come flying out the blocks and get a lead and stay there.
England like to get a bit of tempo with wave after wave of attacks to suffocate you.
You might know that the English power is coming with runners like Tuilagi but stopping it is bloody hard.
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JD: You have to favour England as Wales don’t win at Twickenham too often.
Wales have been creating chances and they do have a shot. But they will have to match England up front, which is a big ask.
I would say England to win by seven.
