Wales renaissance talk to be tested at Twickenham

Warren Gatland has won three games at Twickenham as Wales head coach

So far, so good. That has been the general early verdict on Wales' preparations for the World Cup in France.

There were hints of a feel-good factor returning to Welsh rugby as a 65,000 crowd roared them home in Cardiff with a 20-9 victory.

Last season's Six Nations campaign, which marked Gatland returning for a second stint as Wales head coach, was one to forget, with a fifth-placed finish being accompanied by major off-field issues that almost led to players striking.

Fast forward five months, and Wales appear to be a different beast.

Demanding training camps in Switzerland and Turkey were followed by victory over England - "too fit for them" were Gatland's words as he left the Principality Stadium last weekend - and it has been the New Zealander in his element, relishing a fourth World Cup campaign and loving nothing more than a chance to prove the doubters wrong.

The Twickenham trip will test talk of a Wales revival with both sides making wholesale changes.

England have only four survivors from last weekend, while Gatland has made 15 starting alterations, including a new captain in Dewi Lake, a first cap for Scarlets centre Joe Roberts and a first start for Taine Plumtree.

Warren Gatland is due to select his fourth World Cup squad for the 2023 tournament on 21 August

'Fighting for World Cup lives'

England unveiled their 33-man World Cup squad on Monday, two days after the Cardiff defeat. Wales will not announce their party until 21 August, two days after their final warm-up match against South Africa in Cardiff.

The approaches vary with the England players knowing they are secured of travelling to France while their Wales counterparts are aware they still have to impress.

• Wales look to midfield men to take centre stage

Gatland believes that can give Wales an advantage with this week's squad knowing they have to match the efforts of the team who produced the goods in the opening warm-up match.

So Saturday's encounter will be the final opportunity for many players to impress and the squad know it.

"I would lying if I said we weren't a little bit on the edge," said centre Nick Tompkins.

"No one really feels safe, no one feels their position's locked down.

"A lot of people are talking about England coming back and trying to bounce back from the last performance, but you forget there's 23 players back there who are all fighting for their lives to be in the World Cup.

"It brings a lot of intensity and it brings a lot of positive emotions, and this game, there's a lot on it. I definitely feel that way. So we're all playing for a position on that plane."

Channelling emotions

Tompkins has admitted that desperation can not overspill and insists he and the likes of Josh Adams, who will win his 50th Wales cap this weekend, have a responsibility to the younger players.

"Some of the experienced boys are going to have a job making sure that energy does not tip over into tightness and anxiousness," said Tompkins.

"They have to understand they have to relax, release themselves and let themselves go. It adds incentive and the pressure is always there, you have to manage emotions on the day.

"There are a lot of lads like myself and Josh Adams, who is winning his 50th cap, who are going to be able to contribute and make sure emotions do not roll over.

"It's an added incentive we are all playing for a spot on that plane and something you can't forget about."

Tompkins sentiments were echoed by Wales defence coach Mike Forshaw.

"There's no use going out there thinking they have do everything on their own," said Forshaw.

"They have got to play their normal game despite there being a selection after next week's game. We've got a good idea over what these players are and what their strengths are.

"It's about the team and not about the individual trying to impress what we do with each other."

Twickenham turf

Wales have not won back-to-back Test matches since November 2021 when they beat Fiji and Australia, so there is a need to build on last weekend's impressive win

Wales traditionally win the World Cup warm-ups in Cardiff, England at Twickenham. That seems to be the deal every four years.

Wales have lost on their last six visits to Twickenham since the 2015 World Cup when Gareth Davies' try and Dan Biggar's boot inspired Gatland's side to a famous victory.

This statistic underlines the size of the challenge ahead, with other famous victories in 2008 and 2012 proving the exceptions rather than the rule.

England have assembled their big guns as they enter must-win territory just two games into their warm-up campaign.

Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola and Jamie George are among the front-line stars in action at Twickenham, and potentially only Ellis Genge and Tom Curry are missing from the strongest XV.

With the pivotal opener against Argentina on 9 September fast approaching, England need a reassuring performance and to avoid a fourth successive defeat that would continue a worrying downward spiral.

Wales will aim to ensure they pile more misery on Borthwick's boys as they could consign England to an all-time low in the World Rugby rankings if they win.

A Welsh victory will propel Gatland's side up to seventh in the rankings, condemning England to their worst position of ninth, where Wales currently lie.

Captaincy candidate

Flanker Jac Morgan led Wales with distinction at the Principality Stadium last Saturday, putting himself in pole position to skipper his country at the World Cup.

Gatland has said he will use the August schedule to assess captaincy candidates, and Ospreys hooker Lake steps forward on his international return after shoulder and knee injuries meant he did not play Test rugby last season.

• Dewi Lake's family travel from Magaluf to Twickenham to support new Wales captain

Lake, 24, is a proven performer at the highest level, and he is likely to soak up the extra responsibility that awaits him.

He will become the 143rd senior men's team skipper and the fifth in the last 18 months. Whether he will become a permanent appointment remains to be seen.

Line-ups

England: Steward; Arundell, Marchant, Lawrence, Daly; Farrell (capt), Van Poortvliet; Marler, George, Stuart, Itoje, Martin, Lawes, Earl, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Dan, Genge, Cole, Hill, Willis, Youngs, Ford, Malins

Wales: L Williams; Adams, Roberts, Tompkins, Rogers; O Williams, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Francis, Beard, R Davies, Lydiate, Reffell, Plumtree.

Replacements: Parry, Mathias, Lewis, Tshiunza, Basham, Hardy, Biggar, K Williams.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)

TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)