England are petrified of playing in Wales but I'll to put a stop to their horrific record, declares Eddie Jones

Wales have won 60 per cent of their matches against England on home soil, but Jones says he will find a reason why there is a fear of crossing the Severn and get rid of it

Eddie Jones has said he will get rid of England's fear of playing in Wales (Getty)

England coach Eddie Jones has admitted at the start of a week of verbal fireworks ahead of his squad’s match in Cardiff that “the English are petrified of playing Wales in Wales” and that he is determined to put an end to the problem.

Saturday evening’s clash against Rob Howley’s re-structured side in Cardiff is potentially championship defining and arguably Jones’ toughest Six Nations challenge given the desperate loss that the absence of the Vunipola brothers and Chris Robshaw proved to be in the unconvincing 19-16 win over France on Saturday. But Jones has already told his players that England’s record in Wales – 21 wins to the home side’s 36 – demonstrates a psychological weakness which must be rectified.

When it was put to him that Wales and the Millennium Stadium ought to be nothing special to an England side whose victory versus the French brought a record 15 successive wins for the nation, Jones said: “It is special because they have won 60 per cent of the Tests. We have got to find a way to overcome that. But it is not going to be overcome by repeating history. So we will work out what has been done in the past and make sure that we don't do it. Because you know what the definition of insanity is.

“I think psychologically you have got to get it right when you are playing Wales in Wales. There seems to be some sort of thing there, no one can tell me why the English are petrified of playing Wales in Wales.”

Wales, whose own campaign began with a win in Italy, may invite the singer Tom Jones to training this week, as they did before the countries met in the World Cup at Twickenham two years ago. “I used to like him when I was young,” said Jones, clearly determined to make light of the challenge and win any verbal sparring.

The debate in Wales has surrounded the rejection of the nation’s request to have the roof closed throughout the tournament, with the Millennium Stadium designated a closed-roof ground. In customary robust style Jones – who must decide whether to accept a Welsh roof request specific to Saturday’s game - said he was indifferent, though he is unlikely to hand Wales a psychological advantage by sanctioning the increased volume of noise a closed roof would bring.

“I don’t care mate,” Jones said. “They can have fireworks going off. It doesn’t matter. It’s the same for both teams. The louder and more rowdy it is, the better it is. Those are the games you want to win. Are they closing it? We’ll toss a coin and see what happens. You have got to be able to cope with that [atmosphere.] So what happens in a World Cup final if you don't like the atmosphere? You have to be able to cope with that. That is what Test rugby is about and that is the fun part of it.

“It is one of the greatest rugby countries in the world so to play Wales in Cardiff with that sort of atmosphere is one of the great delights of rugby. Obviously it has been difficult for the English to cope with it so we need to find a way where they see it as being a delightful. I will talk to a few blokes to figure out what the problem is and why the record is so horrendous because it is horrendous.”

England have won 21 games to Wales’ 36 in Cardiff, with four drawn, though they did face down Warren Gatland’s side two years ago – winning 21-16 despite a stand-off in the tunnel, when the Welsh delayed their emergence from the dressing room in an attempt to leave England out alone in a cauldron where the lights were dimmed. England came from ten points down to avenge their record 30-3 mauling in 2013, which took Wales to the Six Nations title and crushed the visitors' Grand Slam hopes in the process.