Wales star Jonathan Davies expects so-called Super Saturday to be a “pretty twitchy” business when this season’s Six Nations Championship hurtles towards a potentially-shuddering crescendo this weekend.
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Wales face a lunchtime appointment with Italy in Rome and could then endure the best part of a five-hour wait before discovering if they have done enough to be crowned champions for the third time in four years.
Leaders England, second-placed Ireland and Wales, in third, are all on six points, but England’s points difference is currently 25 better than Wales, while Ireland have a 21-point advantage on Davies and company.
That makes England, who host France, favourites while if the Irish can win in Scotland they will also be in the running.
Here is the Wales team that will take on Italy this weekend. What are your thoughts? pic.twitter.com/WGNqYLE500
— EatSleepRugby (@Eat_Sleep_Rugby) March 18, 2015
Wales, though, can throw down the challenge to their title rivals by cutting loose against an injury-hit Italian side that was crushed 29-0 at home by France just three days ago.
“Obviously, people are doubting us and don’t think we’re going to be involved,” said Davies. “It’s a tough ask but I think we can do it. We’ve reacted well in the past to certain situations like this. It’s an exciting time for us.
“Playing last you know what you have to do, but there is pressure on you. On Saturday we can go out, deliver a performance and hopefully sit back and watch the other teams don’t do so well.”
Wales have never beaten Italy by more than 30 points in Rome during Six Nations combat, but such a victory margin could be their minimum requirement unless Scotland and France can do them a huge favour and upset the tournament’s form book. But Wales have been in a similar situation before.
After losing their opening game of the 2013 Six Nations against Ireland, they reeled off four successive wins and won the title on points difference after destroying Millennium Stadium visitors England 30-3.
“It has to be a focus of going out there with a similar game-plan we have had all tournament – put pressure on the opposition, make sure we don’t run up our own backsides and play in the right areas of the field,” Davies added. “We don’t have to force it. We can build a performance and build a result. That’s key for us.
“Scotland won’t want to finish on no wins and hopefully France can turn up and do a job. They have done it in the past, and I think they will take confidence in their result against Italy.”
