England looking for lift-off with Wales win

England face a make-or-break showdown with Wales tonight in a collision between the age-old rivals that is likely to define the Six Nations hopes of both teams.

Despite being the bookmakers favourites, England enter the 2011 tournament knowing that it is eight long years since they were last crowned champions, when Martin Johnson led the team to a Grand Slam in 2003.

After an encouraging past 12 months, which included home-and-away victories over Australia, England’s fortunes appear to be on the up.

A comprehensive defeat to South Africa in the last of their November internationals, however, came as a sobering reminder that England under Johnson’s management remain a work in progress.

That defeat to the Springboks has left Johnson and England at the crossroads as they prepare to embark on their quest for Six Nations glory.

Win convincingly at the Millennium Stadium today and England will carry precious momentum into their next three fixtures – all at Twickenham – before their championship concludes against Ireland in Dublin.

Defeat, however, against a Welsh side which has lost six of its last seven matches, will be viewed as a huge setback to England as they build towards this year’s World Cup in New Zealand.

Johnson has challenged his side to feed off the anti-English sentiment in Cardiff, where they have not won since 2003.

“They (Wales) want to beat England at rugby – that is not a secret and we want to win down there. It is a good occasion. We have to be ready when we do go and play. You want to play in the big games,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s preparations have been disrupted by injuries to three key forwards – lock Courtney Lawes, blindside Tom Croft and captain Lewis Moody.

Lawes has been replaced by Louis Deacon, while Northampton’s Tom Wood will make his debut in place of Croft.

Moody’s position will be taken by Stade Francais loose forward James Haskell, while the captaincy goes to centre Mike Tindall.

England’s injury problems pale in comparison to Wales, whose list of casualties include both first choice props, Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins.

Six nations fixtures
Today: 20.45 Wales vs England.
Tomorrow: 15.30 Italy vs Ireland; 18.00 France vs Scotland.