Wales are in a better place says Edwards

Shaun Edwards believes Wales are "in a better place" ahead of this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship than they were 12 months ago.

Wales kick off the tournament against Millennium Stadium visitors England on Friday night, when victory would give them immediate momentum in a competition they have won twice during the last three years.

The 2012 and 2013 Six Nations champions lost both of their away games last season - including England at Twickenham - which derailed any realistic title challenge.

This time around, though, Wales will arrive in European rugby's showpiece competition following a stirring victory over southern hemisphere heavyweights South Africa, while they are also at full strength for England's visit.

"We are in a better place than we were this time last year, when there was a lot going on," Wales assistant coach and defence specialist Edwards said.

"The lads had won two Six Nations, had come off a Lions series and there were the troubles with the regions, so there were quite a lot of distractions.

"I just feel we are more focused this year. We are also healthy, which is a massive factor.

"We had 18 changes last year (throughout the Six Nations), when England had four and Ireland three, and they were the top two teams. It goes in cycles.

"We have beaten South Africa, which was the second time in 100 years, and that got a monkey off our back.

"But we have always said we are judged on the Six Nations and competitions where you have a trophy at the end of it. The big competitions are the Six Nations and the World Cup."

England were crushed by a record 30-3 margin on their last Cardiff visit in 2013, yet Edwards insists Wales have been far more concerned by what happened at Twickenham last season.

Wales lost 29-18, and they were only kept in the contest by full-back Leigh Halfpenny's prodigious goalkicking after delivering a display that fell way below their usual standard.

"A lot of people talk about what happened here in Cardiff, but we have never spoken about that," Edwards added.

"We have only spoken about the last performance against England. Even to the fact where the players made themselves watch the first half at Twickenham, then watch the first half of the All Blacks game (in November), just to show the difference from one performance to the other with virtually the same side.

"The players made themselves do that, and we also watched some of the South Africa match. It demonstrated that when we turned up with the right attitude, we are not a bad team."

Unlike two years ago, the Millennium Stadium roof will not be closed on Friday after England boss Stuart Lancaster opted for it to be kept open, but Edwards said: "It is not something we've discussed too much.

"We will just get on with playing the game. I believe it is a dry night tomorrow night, so hopefully it will be a good game of rugby."

Edwards, speaking at Wales' pre-match press conference on Thursday, also identified what he feels is a considerable rugby league influence on how England play.

"They play a little bit like my old team the Wigan Warriors, actually," he added.

"They will come at you with a lot of what is called league-plays with that ball out the back, and it is important we get our structure right on that.

"It is also important there is no obstruction of our defensive plays up ahead of the ball.

"When you watch rugby league games, there are a lot of tries disallowed when they go to the TMO (television match official) if there has been any obstruction ahead of the ball. I am sure the TMO and the referee will be well aware of that.

"It is a risk doing a lot of those league plays because of the obstruction rule, and I think the obstruction rule is administered even more harshly in rugby union than possibly what it is in rugby league.

"There are big areas that can go either way. Two years ago, we got all the scrum penalties, which gave us the field position which gave us the squeeze on England. Last year, they got the scrum penalties."

England attacking skills coach Mike Catt responded to Edwards highlighting the visitors' "league plays" by pointing out that referee Jerome Garces will have the final say.

"Obstruction is a standard rule in the game. If you are obstructing someone you get penalised," Catt said.

"And of course you now have the third referee as well who decides whether a try has been scored or if someone has been taken out."