Why we must learn to hate the Welsh

They could not believe the England rugby team were walking past their windows as if we owned the place.

Despite England's recent successes against Wales, Cardiff still holds a special place in the English rugby psyche. Unless England dominate the first 20 minutes, both physically and mentally, on Saturday the Welsh will always draw more and more strength from the crowd and visa-versa.

There is another factor on Saturday - one that only comes around every four years.

It can have a profound effect on the championship and certain individuals.

This is a Lions year and all the Home Union teams are under the selection spotlight of not only their national selectors, but those appointed to pick the tour squad to go to Australia this summer.

I know from painful experience how devastating it is to miss out on a tour.

I played the entire 1989 season for England with a fractured shin and it meant I couldn't be considered for the tour to Australia and a certain Jeremy Guscott travelled Down Under. What ever happened to him?

It is critical for England that with the tantalising prospect of another high-profile tour to Australia on offer this season, the players remain focused on winning a Grand Slam.

Unless you put thoughts of Lions places to one side, then it's a recipe for trouble.

I am convinced that if the England management in 1993, headed by Geoff Cooke, are really honest they would admit the Lions tour to New Zealand that year deflected them from making three or four changes to the English team in the Five Nations championship.

Those players remained in favour as Geoff, also the Lions manager, wanted to take them to New Zealand because they could do a particular job there.

Going into this Six Nations Championship, we find England in an interesting position as they should provide a large number of players for the Lions squad.

I am loathe to point this out, but in 1989 and 1993 England did not win the Grand Slam, yet provided the bulk of the Lions squads for those two tours.

The prospect of becoming a Lion, something I was privileged to experience in 1993, does get into the minds of individual players.

This was brought home to me in the aftermath of England's desperately disappointing defeat by Ireland in the final championship match of the 1993 season.

As I got back into the Lansdowne Road dressing room, I sat down and heard a team-mate say: "I hope that did not affect our Lions chances."

I was absolutely furious because it showed that player had his mind elsewhere, instead of concentrating on how England performed.

The Welsh players are in an even more difficult position because Graham Henry, the Lions coach, has the same role with Wales.

This added incentive will ensure that England receive a really hostile welcome in Cardiff, on and off the pitch.

I was always intrigued to read Save & Prosper's Rugby's Who's Who at the start of each season and flick through the pages of those players I would be coming up against.

Every Welsh player I looked at had provided the same answer when asked: Hopes for the season? "Beating England".

It really goes that deep and I have suffered my fair share of disappointing results at Cardiff, most notably in 1989 and 1993 when the Welsh harried us into serious errors and fed off the amazing noise from the crowd.

To triumph on Saturday, England need to learn to maintain their focus and it has to last for the whole campaign because last year there was too much excitement after we beat France.

England need to learn the art of winning, and then ruthlessly reproduce it in every game.

We can learn from the Celts, who develop real pride and passion about taking on England.

In effect, we have to learn to 'hate' them as much as they hate us.