Lancaster poised to stick to same starting team for showdown with Wales

England

are preparing for the visit of

Wales

on Sunday convinced they can win this year’s intensely competitive

Six Nations

championship. Warren Gatland’s team still have their eyes on a third successive title but

Stuart Lancaster

believes England could yet replace them as champions if they perform to the same level as they did against Ireland 10 days ago.

To do so, Lancaster knows his side must win both their last two fixtures, against Wales and Italy, having been narrowly beaten by France in their first game of the tournament. Wales won the title last year after losing on the opening weekend and Lancaster feels England are capable of doing likewise, despite Ireland’s currently superior points difference.

“If we can get the win on Sunday it is still within our capability,” said Lancaster, who is set to name an unchanged starting XV.

“We’ve used Wales as motivation ... they lost their first game against Ireland yet went on to win the title. We understand the size of this game. If you have ambitions to win trophies – and we set those out at the start – then we have to win this weekend. We’re well aware of that.

“Obviously Ireland have got a great opportunity given their points difference and their remaining fixtures but you can only control what you can control which, for us, is Wales.

“With these sorts of games you’ve got to concentrate more on the performance and the execution rather than being too specific about the result,” said Lancaster. “We’ve also got to deal with the intensity and emotion of the occasion. All those things contribute to a winning performance . . .”

Leicester's Manu Tuilagi will train with the squad today for the first time in almost exactly a year but, barring a dramatic injury crisis, the centre will not be involved in either of England's remaining Six Nations games.

"The side did well against Ireland and probably deserve another opportunity," said Lancaster, whose options have also been increased by the return to fitness of the London Irish wing Marland Yarde.
Guardian Service