"Stolen tactic" - Warren Gatland starts mind games with Steve Borthwick ahead of Six Nations clash

These provocative remarks by Gatland are likely to add fuel to the fire ahead of England's upcoming trip to Cardiff on Saturday.

“They may have come to the conclusion that the Smith-Farrell axis hasn’t worked as well as they would have liked,” said Gatland.

“Going forwards I think it will be one of those at 10 and they’re using Ollie Lawrence [at inside centre] to play Warrenball, aren’t they?

"We had Jamie Roberts doing it. Why do you get criticised for using big men to get you across the gain line, on the front foot and able to play some positive rugby?”

The Wales head coach also reaffirmed his stance that the game would go ahead despite strike action from his players.

"I expect the game's going to be played," said Gatland.

"I've seen these sort of things happen in the past and I'm confident the game will go ahead.

"The boys have been great in training. I've just got to put all that sort of stuff aside and make sure we focus on the game."

Should the England match not go ahead, Welsh rugby would miss out on close to £10m of income from the fixture.

The hulking back-rower,  whose father is former Wales international Paul Moriarty, initially played for England at both U18 and U20 level, winning the IRB Junior World Championship in 2014. However, he has since made his full international debut for Wales and has since won 25 caps while also representing the British & Irish Lions during their tour of New Zealand in 2017.

Mako Vunipola, far-right in the back row, and Billy, fourth right, played for East Wales schools alongside Wales’s Taulupe Faletau.

However, after attending English schools they made the switch to represent England. Billy even once admitted he wanted Australia to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Although born in Essex, he was to captain Wales Schools. However, Barnes made his England debut against Australia in November 1984. He gained ten caps for England and played his last international match in 1993 against Ireland.

Grew up in the Amman Valley and captained Wales U16s.  But was born in Slough and switched allegiance to the land of his birth, playing for England U20s. The 21-year-old scrum-half made 17 Premiership appearances last season, having joined from Gloucester.

Now an exciting centre, his rugby career began in the forwards as a flanker before he moved into the midfield in his mid-teens, representing Kent at county level and London & South East Under-16s.

Tompkins’ dynamic skillset and enthusiastic nature saw him excel for the Men in Black in 2018/19, featuring heavily in the club’s run to their third European success and fifth Premiership title.

The former England Under-20 international, who won the 2014 Junior World Championship, made his Wales debut during the 2020 Six Nations.