So now it's England v Ospreylia as Wales launch a blitz

They plan to use an aggressive combination of blitz defence and aerial attack to rattle the full back.

Coach Warren Gatland inadvertently opened a selection debate at the first attempt yesterday by naming a team for the RBS Six Nations opener at Twickenham containing 13 players from the Neath-Swansea region. In doing so he broke a record that has stood since Wales picked 10 Cardiff players in 1948.

On the surface, his logic is based on the need for some degree of understanding after less than a fortnight's preparation.

Familiarity breeds cohesion. That alone explains why Cardiff's linebreaking centre Tom Shanklin has been left to languish on the bench, with Sonny Parker preferred as the midfield partner for a revitalised Gavin Henson. Injury explains why Mike Phillips starts instead of Dwayne Peel.

There is also an element of the New Zealander seeking to tap into the Ospreys' mid-season momentum.

They surged into the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup after battering Gloucester into submission and Gatland wants his Wales team to emulate that by refusing to bend the knee in the face of English forward might.

But there is another factor behind his first team selection. With Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards on board as defence guru, Wales were planning to implement his high-risk blitz strategy gradually. But the timetable may well have changed.

The Ospreys are the only one of the four Welsh regions to employ the blitz. Now that they have been chosen en masse to represent their country — with Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams and Llanelli wing Mark Jones the only 'outsiders' — they are likely to use the tactic.

England may be vulnerable behind the scrum, at least beyond Andy Gomarsall and Jonny Wilkinson. So Wales intend to rush and harry relentlessly.

The coach played dumb on the subject, saying: 'I'm not sure how the Ospreys defend. We've been working on our own defensive plans.'

More mind games. Gatland knows exactly how the Ospreys defend. He claimed: 'We haven't gone out to pick as many Ospreys as possible. But saying that, you can't escape the fact that they've been one of the form sides in Europe.

'This team has been picked on form and we've taken into consideration a few combinations. We've had a limited time together and that has had an impact on selection. We need people who are comfortable with each other.

'One of the real positives for us is the strength of the whole squad and the quality of the players who will be coming off the bench for us. Other guys in the squad will get their chance at some stage.

'When I was coaching Ireland I tried to get a balance between the provinces but that was the wrong thing to do because Munster were playing particularly well at the time. I have learned from that experience.'

Asked about the decision to opt for the powerful, dependable Parker ahead of Shanklin's more subtle qualities, Gatland described it as coming down to 'the toss of a coin'.

He also explained that James Hook was given the No 10 shirt instead of Stephen Jones because the latter is short of match practice.

Wales are aiming to put pressure on England in wide areas at every opportunity and they see Balshaw as the one most likely to crack. Gatland didn't mince his words when he said: 'I saw Balshaw playing for Gloucester the other week and he didn't look too good to me.'

Hook is relishing the chance test the home side's last line defence with a barrage of up-and-unders, not that he would say much. Asked if Balshaw could expect plenty of high balls coming his way, the young stand-off said: 'Maybe, we'll see on Saturday.' the glint in his eye said it all.

There is a buzz in the Welsh camp again under their new coaching team but Gatland knows his players have to emulate the confidence their rivals if they are to cause upset. 'We are going to Twickenham on a giant-killing mission, like First Division team going to Manchester United in a cup tie,' he said.

The English players believe they can go out and deliver a performance, even when things aren't going well. It's vital that we have that belief on Saturday.

If we go Twickenham and four or five of players don't believe they can this, it could be a long afternoon. Any doubts spread through team like a cancer.'

Wales team to play England in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at Twickenham on Saturday

L Byrne (Ospreys); S Williams (Ospreys), S Parker (Ospreys), G Henson (Ospreys), M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets); J Hook (Ospreys), M Phillips (Ospreys); D Jones (Ospreys), H Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), I Gough (Ospreys), AW Jones (Ospreys), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys, capt).

Replacements: M Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), I Evans (Ospreys), A Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), G Cooper (Gloucester), S Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).