Ireland know that a win today is a tall order. England have improved greatly since Clive Woodward took over. Although he has lost some big games along the way - against Scotland and Wales - he has taken the side to a different level of rugby by bringing in a very strong team of coaches to help.

Phil Larder, the defensive coach, Brian Ashton, the backs coach, and Andy Robinson, the forwards coach, were all brought in by Woodward.

He also brought in a sports psychologist and a dietician - any expertise to benefit the squad. He simply manages them, and that is how England are genuinely able to play a more expansive game.

Ashton was the best coach I was ever involved with at any level. I worked with him at Bath, and he was easily the reason they were so successful. All the credit went to Jack Rowell, but Ashton was the reason the team were so good.

Woodward's strength is that he appreciates the need to get people together with different attributes. Part of his philosophy comes from the fact that he played rugby in Australia, for Manley, and he would have played for England during the Ella brothers' time. The way they played was revolutionary in terms of backs play.

But there are a few factors that will be important to Ireland. The first is that Martin Johnson isn't playing; the second is that England have not played competitively for some time. If England had come into this match with a couple of games under their belt it would be a different prospect.

The team is incredibly strong. (Austin) Healy has been on fire and yet he can't get in, and (Matt) Perry was full back for the Lions and isn't there either. While (Iain) Balshaw didn't play well at full back for the Lions, Woodward has picked him because he brings a different dimension to the game.

Balshaw is a runner, but defensively he is definitely suspect. Ireland should be bombing him and Jason Robinson on the wing in the first 20 minutes. In that respect, conditions will be a critical factor.

In Australia, Robinson showed that his ball retention has become very good in the tackle and that he can beat players running with the ball, but I still don't think he's comfortable with little grubbers and box kicks. Stringer should be looking at that, and for players to crowd him and Balshaw out.

We always struggle against the English pack, but Ireland did show against Wales that their ball retention was good and they didn't lose the possession in contact. Hopefully the guys will have been working on that all week.

England will try to slow down the ball in contact and they are very effective in doing that. So there is no use moving it wide if it is slow.

We need good runners like Wallace, Miller and Foley in that area. It's important that Wallace is playing, with his confidence so high after the Welsh match.

If we can get three or four good cycles of possession and then move the ball, Ireland might find the space out to Maggs and O'Driscoll. But that is difficult to do against England.

They've worked really hard on holding players up and not letting them go to ground to recycle quickly.

The way they play is almost like a rugby league defence, from the inside out where they give the attacking side only one way to go. They totally engulf anyone who has the ball. Ireland will need to mix their mauling game with their rucking game to get good ball out wide.

Maggs' straight running against Wales was good and I think he complemented O'Driscoll very well. England will have looked at that and won't want good ball going out there. But Wilkinson is phenomenal in the tackle. He makes so many, and he actually knocks players over. England are strong in that area.

Lineouts will be vital, and it will be even more important to win our own. It will also be interesting to see how Greening does with Shaw and Grewcock in that area. Johnson's absence is a big factor.

It will be an extremely intense match for Ireland and will be very difficult, but it is not beyond them if a number of things go with them. The chances of winning are probably 30 per cent Ireland, 70 per cent England taking into account all the factors. However, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose in this match, and don't forget, in 1993 we beat England at Lansdowne Road following a win in Cardiff two weeks earlier.

What could be a better weekend in Dublin if Ireland beat England in Lansdowne Road - that, and West Ham beating Southampton.

In an interview with Johnny Watterson