Forwards versus backs when England play Wales

10.45pm - By DAVID LEGGAT

BRISBANE - England's forwards versus Wales' backs.

It might sound simplistic, but that is how Sunday night's quarter-final shapes up at Suncorp Stadium.

In England's case, they are too far down this particular road to take a turnoff at this stage of proceedings.

Their backs are good, but you might not see much of them. Expect England to try to out-muscle Wales up front, dominate the set pieces and grind their way into the semifinals.

Until last weekend, you would not have got a price on Wales' chances of upsetting all the form guides by winning tomorrow.

But their brave, skilful performance against the All Blacks, albeit losing 53-37, has thrown some fresh interest into this game.

Wales succeeded in rattling the All Blacks by winning, then retaining sufficient ball to allow their backs to stretch their legs.

The result was four tries, three by the backs, and if the Welsh deviate from a plan of getting it out wide, keeping the English pack on the move, they will play into England's hands.

"To come back from 18 points down against New Zealand is a hell of an achievement," England's imposing captain, Martin Johnson said.

There are all sorts of reasons why England will win: their recent record against the Welsh - or allcomers; the power of their pack; match-winning first five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson; their backs, who are strong runners and defensively able.

This is England's best chance to win the cup. They reached the 1991 final at Twickenham, but blew it with a daft change in tactics against Australia, trying to run everything instead of doing what had worked until then: keeping it tight, grinding the Wallaby pack down.

England will not make the same mistake this time.

Johnson read the riot act to his players after their shaky win over Samoa last month. They needed to take a serious look at themselves - he included himself - after being pushed hard and having the well-drilled machine slip a cog or two.

"Every game from now on you have to look at as a last game in the World Cup," he said.

"And if we win on Sunday, then we look at the next game. It's all about winning three matches."

The last time England lost to Wales was a 32-31 thriller at Wembley in 1999, which cost England a Grand Slam. In a sense, it was a one-off occasion, and England lost it in the final minute. Johnson did not really see the relevance to tomorrow.

"The only relevance is that the game is not won till it's won ... We can take nothing for granted. Wales deserve to be in the quarter-finals."

Yet as Johnson spoke, there was an undertone that he does not expect England to be beaten.

It will be a different challenge for Wales: more structured opponents; fewer attacks coming from wide on the flanks.

The Welsh have a good kicker in Stephen Jones; a classy playmaker in Iestyn Harris, who comes in for the injured New Zealand-born Sonny Parker; clever runners and strong loose forwards where they have dropped openside specialist and Lions tourist Martyn Williams to the bench and gone for the bulk of Dafydd Jones and Jonathan Thomas.

They will also fancy their chances if the scores are close going into the final quarter.

At that point, their confidence should be soaring, and England run the risk of jitters, as evidenced by Wilkinson's nervously twitching foot before missing a shot at goal as the strength of the Samoan challenge became clear.

Coach Steve Hansen believes his team have the tenacity to produce another stirring performance.

Last weekend, "they didn't die with the music in them. They sang their hearts out." If the Welsh are in tune tomorrow, it could be a belter.



Teams for ENGLAND v WALES (Brisbane, 11pm Sunday)

15. Josh Lewsey v Gareth Thomas

14. Jason Robinson v Mark Jones

13. Will Greenwood v Mark Taylor

12. Mike Tindall v Iestyn Harris

11. Ben Cohen v Shane Williams

10. Jonny Wilkinson v Stephen Jones

9. Matt Dawson v Gareth Cooper

8. Lawrence Dallaglio v Jonathan Thomas

7. Neil Back v Colin Charvis (c)

6. Lewis Moody v Dafydd Jones

5. Ben Kay v Robert Sidoli

4. Martin Johnson (c) v Brent Cockbain

3. Phil Vickery v Adam Jones

2. Steve Thompson v Robin McBryde

1. Jason Leonard v Iestyn Thomas

Reserves

England: Dorian West, Trevor Woodman, Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley, Kyran Bracken, Mike Catt, Iain Balshaw, Matt Dawson.

Wales: Mefin Davies, Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Llewellyn, Martyn Williams, Dwayne Peel, Ceri Sweeney, Kevin Morgan.

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