Wales will be ready, waiting and up and running to take on rejuvenated England in Cardiff.

And whilst I hear plenty of doom and despondency on the streets of Cardiff about their prospects, I have no doubt in my own mind they will do the job, make it three wins out of three and set up a thrilling finale to the Six Nations.

I've been here before. Rewind to the last World Cup and the game at Twickenham for which Warren Gatland's side were roundly written off. England were going to win that one comfortably, they had the better players, we kept being told.

I didn't buy that. Backed Wales then, on logic rather than any feeling of patriotism, and we know what happened next. Wales won, in effect eliminating England from the tournament they themselves were hosting.

Wales won because they had the better players. I don't for one minute accept the pessimism swirling around this time either.

Look, England are formidable. Eddie Jones has eased the reins a little and they are playing with a freedom and freshness which at times is a joy to watch. Credit England for the panache they have displayed thus far in comfortably overcoming Ireland and France.

By contrast, Wales have been lacklustre at best. Three horrible halves, one good 40 minutes in Paris. Yet they have got the job done, extended their winning run to 11 and seek to make it a Welsh record of 12 this coming weekend.

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(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

You don't see that sort of winning streak too often in the modern game, not even from New Zealand. Test rugby is so competitive in the modern age that momentum can swing a match in just a few minutes. We've seen that already with Wales and their comeback in France.

This run hasn't been achieved by fluke. Player for player, I feel Wales match up to England in most areas of the team, particularly at forward where, as per normal, the game will be won and lost.

England have a solid scrum and excellent second rows, but Wales are battle-hardened in the front five themselves and in Alun Wyn Jones have a truly brilliant and inspirational leader. For me, we've definitely got the edge in the back row where Josh Navidi continues to excel, Ross Moriarty doesn't take a backward step and Justin Tipuric is simply immense.

Liam Williams is the Lions full-back, George North a try machine, Josh Adams has been excellent. Jonathan Davies has sorted out issues he used to have on the left side with ball in hand. What I mean by that is previously he would tend to kick in that position and became predictable, easy to read. In this tournament we have seen him pass to the man outside in space - that's what maturity brings.

And that's a clear strength for Wales. These are seasoned campaigners who, willed on by the energy generated by the Principality Stadium crowd, can walk into battle with nothing to fear.

(Image: Ben Evans/Huw Evans Agency)

If there is one area where England appear to hold the upper hand it is at half-back where, for a change, they are stronger.

Ben Youngs is a dynamic scrum-half, an expert box-kicker and very busy, but he is very much understudy to the excellent Owen Farrell.

The England fly-half is at the absolute peak of his powers, thriving upon the responsibility of captaincy handed to him by Eddie Jones. I admire the way he controls a game, fires ammunition out left and right, or when necessary puts a deft little kick through which is backed up by fast support. The statistics will tell you a growing number of tries are being scored this way to counter well-drilled modern-day defences.

Farrell plays a touch off the shoulder, as he sees it, and appears to have been given the freedom to do so by Jones. When you have a true world class player like that, you can build a team around him - and England do.

Jones has been astute enough to recognise that one unbelievably gifted individual, which Farrell is, can make the difference in tight matches. As such, whilst England play to a game plan, Jones has delegated tactical control to Farrell and let him determine what needs to happen at certain points of a game.

England didn't have this when they were playing George Ford at 10 and Farrell as inside centre. It was almost as if Jones felt 12 was weak and used Farrell there to plug a gap, but he's a 10 for me and the link up with Henry Slade outside offers genuine options and creativity.

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Whilst Farrell offers that continuity and solidity, with Wales it's something of a crime in many ways that no-one has come through to command the jersey in World Cup year.

Every other leading nation has a settled playmaker - Farrell with England, Jonny Sexton and Ireland, Finn Russell at Scotland. You can go on, Beauden Barrett, Bernard Foley.

Yet we switch from one fly-half to another and I honestly can't put my finger on why the shirt hasn't been nailed down.

I would say Gareth Anscombe is the best option at the moment, the one who should start against England, because he can put things together. Dan Biggar can then come on in the closing moments, particularly if Wales hold a narrow lead, and close out the game.

Provided they can stop Farrell, that's the way I can see this game going, but Wales will indeed prevail in the end.

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There may be plenty of doubts out there at the moment. But this is Wales versus England.

The closer the day comes, the more the mood of the people will swing towards Wales.