Elliot Daly has ruled out a de-escalation in the England v Wales rivalry when the old rivals clash at Twickenham next Sunday.
It is the opening instalment in a run of four warm-up Tests leading into the Rugby World Cup and the first of a double header, home and away, against Warren Gatland’s Grand Slam champions.
While the matches are used to tune-up teams in advance of the global showpiece, Daly insists the enmity between England and Wales means only one thing.
“It’s a Test match so intensity will be brought. It will definitely be similar to a Six Nations game,” Daly said.
“It’s an international. You can’t be talking about not going for those games, especially as there is only four games before the World Cup starts.
“Every time we play Wales it is a brilliant atmosphere and you are always going to get good support. It will be a great crowd vibe and it’s always a great game.
“I have played Wales in an end-of-season game in June so I’m pretty sure it won’t be different to when we are playing them in Six Nations.”
Eddie Jones names his final World Cup squad in between the two fixtures with Daly, the Saracens-bound full-back who also covers centre and wing, a certainty to be departing for Japan on September 8.
As one of England’s most dangerous players, only injury can prevent him from being involved, yet the 26-year-old still intends going full throttle during the warm-up games.
“Everyone at the moment is actually really looking forward to these games to show what we can do,” he said.
“We want to get that team cohesion we have been looking for during training in the last few weeks.
“If you start thinking about not getting injured then that is when you tend to do get injured and stuff doesn’t seem to go as you would wish.
“The way we are looking at these games is to really improve before the World Cup and put our best foot forward.”
