Wales rugby captain Dan Biggar believes momentum can be key because the reigning Six Nations champions put together to launch their title defence.
Regardless of successful the match final yr, Wales arrive at this season’s staging as solely fourth favourites behind France, England and Eire.
They go into the Six Nations on the again of an exhilarating autumn win towards Australia, though accidents have hit them onerous.
British and Irish Lions like Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi are anticipated to overlook the entire competitors, whereas George North and Taulupe Faletau are solely thought-about prospects – at finest – for the latter a part of it.
Wales face a testing opener towards Eire in Dublin on Saturday week, earlier than internet hosting Scotland after which tackling England at Twickenham.
“It’s a very robust begin,” Northampton fly-half Biggar stated, throughout the Six Nations digital media launch.
“Clearly, with the shape Eire confirmed within the autumn – how spectacular they’re – and we all know how robust going to Dublin is. We haven’t had an enormous quantity of success there over the previous few years.
“This match, particularly, hinges on momentum, actually.
“Should you get off to a very good begin, then all the things appears to movement, camps turn into rather a lot happier and coaching turns into rather a lot simpler. For us, it’s actually essential to get a very good begin.
“Should you can choose up an away win on the primary weekend, then it units you up actually properly. We’ve got then received Scotland at house, which we all know goes to be vastly troublesome as effectively.
“The opening couple of weekends are pivotal to how the match will go for you, and we hope we will get off to a very good begin and use the ten days or so we’ve received now to provide ourselves the most effective probability in Dublin per week on Saturday.
“From our viewpoint, there are many key skilled gamers lacking, however that additionally offers a possibility to a number of younger lads who’ve come into the squad to step up and actually stake a declare.
“We have been written off final yr. We’re coming into the match as defending champions, so there may be actually a little bit of a swagger within the group.”
Jones, probably the most capped participant in Take a look at rugby union historical past, has undergone two shoulder operations since being injured throughout Wales’ Autumn Nations Collection opener towards New Zealand in October.
He additionally had shoulder points forward of final summer season’s Lions tour to South Africa, however he defied expectation and recovered in time to captain the vacationers in all three Checks.
Biggar added: “I don’t suppose any of us anticipated him to show up in South Africa in the summertime, and he managed to get on the airplane.
“If there may be anyone who has received an opportunity of being match for some a part of this match, then Al might be the person. I wouldn’t rule it out simply but.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com