Scott Baldwin has warned Wales to expect a full-throttle England at Twickenham on Sunday – even if they are not at full strength.
The one-off Test – scheduled to provide a hit out for both countries ahead of their June tours – will see both teams denied a handful of regulars because of club commitments and injuries.
Sam Warburton is one of a number of players on the Wales casualty list, while five players are unavailable to coach Warren Gatland. Jonathan Davies and Luke Charteris are still with their French clubs, Tomas Francis is involved in Saturday’s Aviva Premiership final with Exeter, and Matthew Morgan is playing for Bristol in the second leg of the Championship play-off final on Wednesday.
England are also without six players because of the Premiership final, but Wales hooker Baldwin says: “They are missing a couple of players, but there’s a lot of strength-in-depth in England at the moment and the majority of the squad will be there for them at the weekend.
“They have George Kruis and Maro Itoje out and they bring in Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes – they’re not inexperienced boys by any means, and they are going to want to put a mark down going forward to their tour to Australia so there are chances for them.
“There are some young faces in there who want to make a big statement as well so I don’t think it’s going to take anything away from their game at the weekend with their players missing.”
England beat Wales 25-21 in the Six Nations in March on their way to the Grand Slam – a result that was revenge for Wales’ 28-25 World Cup victory last year.
The last 14 matches between the teams have been split with seven wins apiece and Baldwin adds: “It’s almost as if we’ve had a three-Test series against England in the last 12 months so we’ll look to leave these shores on a win.
“It’s a chance of redemption and if we win up there it puts us in a good place going into the tour.
“It’s a full-blown test match on Sunday so we’ve got to be on the money mentally and physically to get a result.”
Baldwin will win his 21st cap for Wales on Sunday and will be keen to confirm his status as first choice hooker – ahead of the Scarlets’ Ken Owens – for the tour to New Zealand.
