Wales 'have a spring in their step' ahead of England clash

Tuesday 26 January 2010
Published By: Ben Welch
Six Nations > Wales

The start of the Six Nations is looming and the Wales assistant coach Rob Howley has insisted that the players are ready for battle.

Howley told the Daily Telegraph that the players "have a spring in their step" ahead of the February 6th clash, but was quick to point out that English failure in the Heineken Cup has not had a bearing on the team's mentality.

For the first time in 15 years, only one English side will be contesting a Heineken Cup quarter final, but Howley said his team's confidence is more down to squad spirit than the failure of the English players in the big competition.

"Of course they will be disappointed, but the outcome of our game against England on February 6th will be determined by what goes on during the 80 minutes of play and not what has gone on in Europe in recent weeks," he said.

Not that results in Europe will have no bearing whatsoever on the team's mentality, as Ospreys will also be in the Heineken Cup quarter finals, while Scarlets and Cardiff Blues will be contesting the Amlin Challenge Cup.

According to Howley, the main bonus coming out of these games was the fact that there were no major injuries to key players.

"It looks as though the players involved with us have all come through unscathed. At this stage, we are in pretty good shape," he added.

One player who is unscratched and will be looking to add to his awesome total of 50 international tries is Shane Williams, who at the age of 33 is beginning to see contenders to his throne coming through.

The 17-year-old Ospreys wing Tom Prydie is one such player, with an aura of expectation not unlike that which surrounded Williams himself all those years ago, and the Welsh record-holder is well aware of the potential of both Prydie and his fellow Ospreys teen star Kristian Phillips.

"I am not ready to give up my place yet with the region or Wales, but they both have big futures ahead of them and I hope they taste some action in this year's Six Nations," Williams told the Guardian.