England No8 Ben Morgan has warned Wales they target him at their peril in today’s potentially epic Six Nations title showdown at Twickenham.
Dylan Hartley stated this week that the Red Rose single out opposition “talismen” for special attention, name checking back-row ball carriers such as Louis Picamoles, Jamie Heaslip and Toby Faletau.
Two years ago it was revealed that Wales had targeted Morgan just three caps into his Test career and the bulldozing Gloucester forward is happy should that policy continue.
“It’s a compliment if people start targeting you because it means you are doing something right, so I’m pleased if I was targeted,” he said. “I don’t feel that sort of pressure – when you break rugby down it’s a simple game, particularly, in my sort of role. I try to get the team over the gain line and if I can do that then great.
“If people are trying to make it harder for me by putting two or three people to tackle me, the spaces are going to open up for the rest of my team to attack elsewhere.
“It’s nothing that worries me. If anybody focuses on one or two players they miss the rest of the team.
“It’s not something to worry about – you have to stick to your team structures.”
Morgan has braced England for the usual power-based game from Wales – more commonly known as ‘Warrenball’ after their head coach Warren Gatland – and insists their route one approach must be met head on.
“Wales have a handful of players they use to get over the gain line,” he said. “They use the likes of Jamie Roberts, Richard Hibbard and Toby Faletau. They are all big men and that is the way they like play.
“If you look at their team from one to 15 they are all big men and all about getting over the gain line.
“We can’t let them do that because that is when they start to hurt you.”
England must defeat Wales if they are to remain in title contention heading into the final Saturday, when they face Italy in Rome and Wales cap centurion and front-row warrior Gethin Jenkins accepts that “everything is on the line” at Twickenham.
Jenkins and co will head to English rugby headquarters in pursuit of a fourth successive victory over their fiercest rivals.
It would also extend their hopes of achieving an unprecedented Six Nations title hat-trick into the tournament’s final weekend when they host struggling Scotland.
Resurgent England, though, will clinch a first Triple Crown since 2003 by avenging last season’s record 30-3 drubbing in Cardiff and edge closer towards potentially ending an 11-year title wait.
It will be triple Grand Slam winner Jenkins’ 10th Six Nations appearance against England – he has been on the losing side just three times – on a day that sees him equal Stephen Jones’ Wales record of 104 Test match appearances.
“There is no bigger challenge than playing at Twickenham,” Jenkins said. “I’ve been lucky enough to get one or two wins there, but it is a fortress for them and a tough place to get a win, especially with the way England have been performing over the last year or two and the way they have progressed.
“They are a young team and a fit team. They seem to have a very good work ethos and they play for each other. We know we have a tough battle on our hands.
“Everything is on the line. It’s pretty much whoever wins has a chance of getting the championship. If you lose, you are out of it.”
