Wales host tournament favourites England and Ireland at Principality Stadium and Welsh Rugby’s chief executive Martyn Phillips is urging the sell-out crowds to become the 16th man in Rob Howley’s team as Wales battle for a fifth title in 13 years.
“I genuinely hope the nation gets behind Rob Howley’s team in the 6 Nations. It genuinely matters and makes a big difference to the players,” said Phillips.
“We saw in the summer how the Welsh football fans backed their team and it was surely good for a goal a game. It was similar to what happened with Wales at the 2011 Rugby World Cup – the bigger the support, the further the team went.
“And if you go back to 2005, when we won our first Grand Slam in 27 years, all the lean years dropped in an instant. The coaches believe it will be an outstanding tournament and that there could be a few surprises.
“The home team could win any game and every fixture will be highly competitive. England are probably the favourites, but no team has won back-to-back Grand Slams since the Six Nations began in 2000 – if they can pull it off again it will be some feat!
“Man for man, Wales probably has the most decorated and experienced team in the Championship and we have to go into the tournament believing we will be competitive.
“Everything is currently focussed on getting off to a winning start in Italy ahead of the home game against England.”
Eddie Jones’ England team will enter the tournament not only seeking to make it back-to-back Grand Slams, but also with one eye on surpassing New Zealand’s world record of 18 wins. Unbeaten in 2016, Jones’ side are currently on a run of 14 successive victories.
They beat Wales twice in 2016, but were beaten at home in the Rugby World Cup by a Welsh side that marched into the quarter-finals ahead of them in 2015. The last encounter between the two nations in Cardiff ended in a 21-16 win for the English – the only defeat of the campaign.
The 2017 championship will determine which players head off to New Zealand with Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions side this summer. Wales will also head to the southern hemisphere for a two Test tour that will include games against Samoa and Tonga in June.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE FROM MARTYN PHILLIPS IN A FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW
