We'll be wary of Wales on Wembley away-day

RICHARD HILL, the England flanker, writes exclusively for Standard Sport about his hopes for a Grand Slam on Sunday

I HAVE been privileged to play at some of the world's great rugby stadiums, but I never imagined running out of the famous Wembley tunnel in an England jersey.

With plans to tear down the stadium, this is going to be an experience to savour and I intend to make it a much happier visit than my only other trip to Wembley. That was to watch the football team lose to Chile: not a great sporting memory. The strangest aspect of this Grand Slam match with Wales is not that it's taking place on a Sunday, but that we are playing away in London! Everything surrounding this match - which gives England the chance of a fourth Slam in the 1990s - feels just the same as a Twickenham international. We are staying at the same hotel as usual in Richmond, following the normal training routine and holding press conferences in the Spirit of Rugby room at Twickenham. It's going to be a big mental challenge for everyone involved with England to register the fact that this is an away game and that Wembley will be full of fiercely patriotic Welsh fans. We will be changing in the away dressing room and the fact that the match is on a Sunday won't be a problem. Saracens play on Sundays and just because it's 24 hours later than a normal international cannot be used as an excuse by anyone. It comes down to being professional in the build-up. We have not performed to our potential this season. No one involved with the team wants a repetition of the post-match flatness we felt after beating France because we had failed to deliver the performance we wanted. We have to come away from Wembley knowing the team has finished the final Five Nations on a high by beating the Welsh. There is no point anyone harking back to the 60 points England put on Wales last season because everything has changed. They have a new coach, Graham Henry, and have shown an ability to take on the very best teams in the world. We are only taking notice of Wales's last two performances: wins over France in Paris and against Italy in Treviso. To achieve those victories while rattling up so many points is a real warning. English fans should remember that we had a lot of trouble subduing the Italians earlier this season. Personally, it's been a difficult year at Saracens. We have had to contend with serious injuries and some bad results. The target is to qualify for Europe which is vital. A Grand Slam triumph would be a great confidence boost, but Wales are going to be make it very hard on their temporary "home" ground.

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