England hooker Tom Youngs looking forward to Wales Grand Slam showdown

England moved a step closer to a first Grand Slam since 2003 with an 18-11 victory over Italy at Twickenham.

The stuttering performance against the Azzurri was hardly ideal preparation, though, for a showdown against a resurgent Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

"We have got the biggest game of out lives this weekend."
Tom Youngs

However Youngs claims England will be ready to set the record straight come 5pm on Saturday.

Battle

"We have got the biggest game of out lives this weekend," said the Leicester hooker.

"We will look at some negatives and at what we have got to work on and then we will look at the positives. We will then go from there to get really ready for this massive battle.

"It will be tough. Wales are a hell of a side. It will be a great occasion at a great stadium but we are all looking forward to it."

England only have a limited timeframe to turn things around but Youngs believes the disappointing display against the Azzurri could work in the squad's favour.

"I think we need to be a little bit more clinical and we need to look after the ball a bit better than we did," he said.

"It is good in some ways because we have things to work on this week. If you are not at the races you are not going to win it so you have to be right up there."

Fly half Toby Flood is determined to bury two years of hurt at the Millennium Stadium.

Two years ago, Flood was in the England side that won the Six Nations title but saw their Grand Slam ambitions ravaged by Ireland in the last game of the championship.

Next Saturday is an opportunity for Flood to exorcise the ghosts by creating a slice of English rugby history.

"There's a big opportunity to make up for what was a really poor performance and an annoying day for us in 2011. It still hurts now, almost," Flood said.

"We need to make sure that we're right and at least give ourselves the best chance to go out and give a good go at it.

"It would've been fantastic to win well (against Italy and boost England's points difference), but ultimately the big test is round the corner.

"Wales will be pretty happy. Wales are in a situation now where them winning the championship isn't too far off.

"Two years ago there was nothing to lose for Ireland. That was their emotion - to ruin our party. This one it's slightly different. There's two teams who theoretically could win this thing.

"We'll be going there as underdogs, they've been playing very, very well of late.

"That's not a bad place for us to be, in terms of mentally. We need to be right on it."