11/03/2016 Sport Wales

Tonight, it is huge, it is England against Wales and the gloves are

off. I am upset about the way they scrummage. They scrummage illegally.

Maybe he will get the advantage and the points from the penalties. We

are in camp with the Wales team. It will be a crucial match. Whoever

wins at the weekend could win the trophy at the end of it. A massive

game for us. Becky James is back and hungry for Rio. The Olympic medal is

the one I am missing. Swansea City safe from relegation? If we could

get two wins, if we get to 40, I think that would be enough.

One more sleep to go until what is effectively

a Six Nations Championship decider against England.

So, taking a closer look at the big one, here's Gareth Rhys Owen.

Wales, England. In the pub, in the office, in your living room, on the

go. We will all be watching. Hadley will make it. A second try.

Evans! Glorious stuff. Still going.

Cuthbertson with a try. He beats Bruce Ware. What a start for Wales!

For the Welsh rugby supporter, the thought of playing England is the

most depressing of all. I think we have the wrong clip. Put the other

one on, please. Beating England used to be a rarity, not any more. Warren

Gatland's record against the English stands at Hicks wins out of ten. Now

we are not hopeful, we are confident. -- six wins. Lots of guys

in our team have played in big matches, played on big occasions I

know what it is like to win big games was that it is about getting

your body and your mind right. Today. Warfare really on Saturday.

It will be that brutal. Welsh hopes of a grand slam ended on the opening

weekend with a draw in Dublin. England are still on for the slam

and this is effectively a championship decider. One thing we

have learned in the competition so far, defences tend to be on top was

that this will be a tough one. Throwing the ball all over the

place, we will be direct with it. We need to earn the right to go wide.

We have the players. Hopefully we will play some pretty positive

rugby. This is the biggest Wales - England game since the last time

Wales played against England. That was in the World Cup and we all

member what happened then. -- all remember. What a try! There will be

a fierce backlash on Saturday. The team will be very fired up. We will

have to weather the storm and play the correct rugby in the correct

areas. He is keeping with the team that beat France last time around.

Gethin is -- Gethin Jenkins is out with an injury. Rhys Webb has it and

Rhys Webb will score. A similar story for England. No changes to the

team that Manu Tuilagi is drafted onto the bench after nearly two

years away from international rugby. The coach is on a self-imposed media

ban that he came out firing with a shot gun. It is all about the dark

art of scrummaging. I am quite upset about the way they scrummage. They

scrummage illegally. They pre-engage all the time. We really want to have

a scrummage contest on Saturday. It is an important part of the game. We

hope the referee enforces the law in that part of the area. You'd think

they have been doing that illegally? 100%. Terribly illegally. This is

the big one. We all have our favourite Wales, England memories.

An opportunity become a hero and an opportunity to make history. -- to

become. Williams makes the charge. Williams!

Scott Williams. Gone are the days we had to wait for

one of these to you knew the result. What do I think? In my opinion, I

think... You're not getting that one out of me.

So what's the mood in the Wales camp?

Sport Wales caught up with the boys before they left for London.

It is going to be a special game like it or was is in Twickenham. The

championship is on the line. England go for the grand slam. It is about

maintaining focus and making sure we're ready for 4pm on Saturday. We

have been looking forward to this game since the start of the Six

Nations. It is the crucial match. Whoever wins will win the trophy.

People and players know it is almost a championship game. First thing

first, go somewhere where we have been twice in the last four years.

Beaten England four times since 2011. Probably only a few points in

it. It is Wales against England. An old rivalry. A great game. Hopefully

we can deliver. It would be a tough battle. We go into a game full of

confidence. It is England and it should be a good spectacle. The

atmosphere and the hype, it is about making sacrifices. These games are

pretty special. We are very -- it is very high profile. It has given

players a self belief and confidence. That is pretty important

going into the game. The players look forward to going to Twickenham.

We have been in the recent past and have had some good results.

Jonathan Davies, it is all on this. It got spicier in the week. Eddie

Jones, a clever game by him or does he have a point? Wales scrummage

illegally, 100%. I thought he was not going to say anything. It did

not last long. He has made it very interesting. For those statements, I

did really feel the scrum would be the focal point of deciding the

game. England fancy themselves. Rob Evans has done exceptionally well.

This is the really big test. He says every scrum has been illegal by

Wales. It is just a bit of a joke will stop I do feel the scrum is

getting beyond a joke. It is really boring for everyone else. It should

not be the be all and end all for any game. It is a massive occasion.

The scrum is going to decide who will win and who will lose. That is

what he may be tried to do. They do look superior, especially in the

scrummaging. He has highlighted it to put pressure on everyone. Maybe

he will get the advantage and points from the penalties. Two changes for

the teams. Where are the talking points? The scrummage. It is vitally

important. I feel the experience and ball carrying by Wales will give

them the edge. I do feel that, if you look at Wales and Gatland has

said they had been criticised for the way they have performed. I do

not think it is criticism, it is because the side have done so well.

It is such a good side. They need adaptability in the game. Against a

Southern Hemisphere side click you need adaptability to beat the player

in front of you. If they are clever and plan a works, great. It is all

about winning. You stick to the formula and win the game. If it does

not work with any have to change and go wide. They have to be clinical

and finish of opportunities. It is up to Wales to work that out.

England play with a refreshing attitude. They get Billy Vunipola

running on the wider channel so they can attack both sides. They are

getting it wide and seeing can attack both sides. They are

world title at stake. Becky James is the champion of the world. Becky

Jones with a great chance to be double world champion. She has done

it. double world champion. She has done

to make the team but to make your mark? It was so important for me to

make my mark here. I have not won a medal in the world is full two years

because I have been injured. I have not been on the podium or winter. It

has been slow slog and hard work, not getting the results I wanted. To

go out and win a medal being an Olympic year, it is a good start for

the year for me. I knew I only had that one chance to prove myself. I

took my opportunity and went as hard as I could. I came away with a

medal. 2013, double world champion. How far off are you from getting

back to the top? Do you think you can surpass that in Rio? Just riding

the Kieron, I did not really have the chance to show what else I could

do elsewhere. I am definitely on the up. There is more room for progress.

It is quite exciting. Every athlete aims to be the best and take home a

piece of silverware. What happens when you suffer multiple injuries

and even a life threatening scare? It was a scare which said, clear,

moderate, severe cancer. They said, you are here on severe. Is giving up

ever an option? There are many dark moments. I was sure every athlete

has been through it when you want to quit and do not want to touch a bike

again. If someone had said to me, you can quit and move home, I would

not have done it. I wanted someone to say that to me so I could say no,

this is what I want to do. That is why had so much determination to get

back. How does it feel to now be able to put your cancer scare, your

shoulder injury break your knee injury to bed and just focus on

training and competing? It is so nice to hear that. I have not really

thought about it. I think that is why winning the bronze meant so much

to me. I feel like it is a new me and a new beginning. I can move on

from the past and forget about all of that. It is good to hear you

saying that. The Olympics. What would it mean to you to get there?

Everything. I have missed out on so much over the years. I have missed

out on London and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I am so determined

because I have achieved so much in the World Championship 's and I had

Commonwealth Games medals. The Olympic medal is the medal I am

missing. So, for Becky, even on a family trip home to Abergavenny, her

drive for Olympics is that is not far away.

How things have turned around for Swansea City?

A fortnight ago they looked in trouble, but with two wins

against Arsenal and Norwich, they may have saved

But how many points do they need to finally secure their top flight

Its theatre say it's been a stormy season for these ones. In the last

seven days the clouds have been clearing.

We've got some breathing space. Nine points. It's big. It shows you that

in a short space of time you can really push on. We got the win at

Arsenal. A fantastic win there. Going into the Norwich game it was a

case of six points up into games. The table looks completely different

now. Feel for weeks ago we could never have imagined that.

It comes down to a numbers game. He is our guide to what the Swans need

to do. They are 16th in the league, nine points above the relegation

zone. They currently have 33 points, but that is not enough. No team has

ever survived with so few. 14 is regarded as the Magic number to stay

up, but last season Aston Villa survived with just 38. Based on that

Swansea could be safe with just two more wins, but don't count your

chickens yet. In 2003 West Ham were relegated with 42 points.

I can't see anyone putting a three or four lead, because they haven't

done it all season. You can't see them going to win half the next

games. You can't see them winning half because there's no evidence

that all season. Two more wins and I think premiership football is

guaranteed next year. If we were to get two wins, 39

points, with our goal difference as well being better than the below us,

that would be enough. I think we are looking at, probably, to wins and a

draw. You still look at that 40 points which isn't too far a way for

us. The first chance to get one of those

wins comes next weekend at Bournemouth. They will be without

their head coach who continues to recover from a chest infection. He

is back in work, but talented as we once again lead the team.

We see football in the same way. The Premier League is difficult. We won

Arsenal, for example, and we have only to see match by match. We have

to concentrate for Saturday because on Saturday we are very important,

very difficult. You could say that the winner of

Saturday's match will remain safe will stop whatever happens at

Bournemouth the Aston Villa game is won here, the team will hopefully go

at full of confidence. Aston Villa have been the worst side

in the league by a long shot this season.

Safety is tantalisingly close which would win a share of the big-money

broadcast deal next season which could keep the clouds away for a

long time. We want to make sure we get the job

done. We don't want to leave it until the last game, or a couple of

games towards the end of the season. We want to get it done as soon as

possible. I still believe we will OK.

Back to the Six Nations, and it's bound to be a titanic

battle at Twickenham tomorrow, but one particular match up that's

got everyone talking is the one between the two number 8's,

And theirs is a rugby story very much made in Gwent.

The the obvious similarities between the two players, the Tongan heritage

and the upbringing in South East Wales. They run exclusively through

tackles, they both have soft hands that are strong in a tackle.

One decided to stay in Wales, the other went to England. There was no

doubt that they are friendly means. They arrived when they were seven or

eight and were big boys. Lee was particularly talented, he wanted to

play with the big boys. He wanted to play with the older age groups.

Talupe Faletau joined later and was a quiet lad. He was very keen on

getting things right. He didn't want to let anyone down. The doors are

always open for life of that calibre.

One of my earliest memories of Billy Vunipola is taking my son to play. I

saw him running through all the kids, it was ridiculous. He was

bigger than everybody. He'll never be able to do that at senior level,

shows how much I know about it! I think you've got a special story to

tell. We trained up here, they were ten or 11 at the time. Billy

Vunipola came in, Tongan style, highly of normal and broke my ribs.

I remember rolling on the floor and you laughing at me!

I've been laughing ever since! The first thing I did was to give them

drill tops, socks. When he was 11 years of age she was like that. He

was passing, right, left, it was a natural ability. Every district we

played against, people would be saying, who are those Tongans?

Heeding the perfect match will stop a Tongan Welshman. When he finished

playing for the district Billy Vunipola turned to me and he said

I'd like to thank Hugh for all you've done for me this season. I he

promised that he would never play for England, that's before he saw

the money! I often get asked to was the best

player I've coached, and Talupe Faletau is right up there. He is

first in and last night and he really enjoys what he is doing.

Billy Vunipola has been excellent for England but to be Faletau has so

much to his game. He's in the best physical condition of his life.

It's fantastic. It's probably one of the most mouthwatering games from

our point of view the buzz around the town, because these youngsters

are carrying the name of this place on their backs. It's a proud moment

for our school. We've had Welsh internationals before, but we never

thought we breed English internationals. One of the lads

needs to score a try, but Wales have got to win! Whoever wins the game on

the weekend, that they will get man of the match. If it's Wales it will

be Toby, if it's England it would be Billy Vunipola.

If Wales are going to win this match and Faletau needs to get the better

of Billy Vunipola, but trying to stop the bulldozer is difficult!

But wouldn't it be good if this head to head was reduced to nothing, that

instead of smashing into each other all afternoon they gave more passes,

they actually avoided each other. Both are elusive, they have built

this up as thunderous, wouldn't it be great if it turned into something

very muted, and some poetry broke out and the mayhem?

So many talking points in this account, but this story is

fascinating. The back story, Jeremy Guscott says that Faletau is the

best in the world, do you agree? I think he is the best in the world

at the moment. He has people who will challenge him but at the moment

he is playing exceptionally well. Billy Vunipola is playing well at as

well, but they are different players. He carries the ball all the

time and causes havoc. Faletau does all the work that you don't see. His

support play, his racks, the ball carrying, Scott Williams scores a

tray for years ago and the first one to support him, Faletau. Tom James

makes a break against Gartland, the first layer, Faletau. -- against

Scotland. He does everything exceptionally well. He is a real

team player. Billy Vunipola is an impact player. He does the ball

carrying and the glamorous stuff exceptionally well. It's a very

interesting battle. One that everyone is looking forward to.

It's inevitable that we talk about what happened in the Rugby World

Cup, that remarkable game. That footage of you celebrating after

Wales beat England. How much will England be talking about that? How

much is this about revenge? The motivation, whether players,

management or ex-players supporters, that was a bitter pill for them to

swallow in the World Cup. Wales spoilt 2015 World Cup for England,

the host nation, that was the big news. I don't think they'll ever get

over that disappointment, it was that big. They seem to be playing

with a new lease of life. They seem to be enjoying it. They are in a

better state and under less pressure because the World Cup was massive.

We'll thoroughly bad state as well because they've got players back,

they can play the game they want to play. It is set to be a fantastic

occasion again, and hopefully the finish wouldn't be as tight as it

was in the World Cup, but I think it will be close.

What does your gut tell you? Who will take it? The scrum is so

important, if Wales get it I think they will win because they are the

better side. If not I think England could win by six to nine points.

That is how crucial the scrum and Craig Joubert will be. That is why

it has been highlighted. A massive game, thank you, Jonathan

Davies. Pleasure.