Road trips have no fear for players - Woodward

England boss Clive Woodward today insisted that his RBS 6 Nations Championship favourites have “no fear” about playing away from home.

England leave fortress Twickenham for the first time this season when they tackle Millennium Stadium hosts Wales later today.

Woodward’s men boast a 19-Test unbeaten run at home, but it has not always been plain sailing on the road.

Notable defeats of the Woodward years include championship set-backs at Wembley, Murrayfield, Lansdowne Road and Stade de France, yet the England boss has dismissed talk that his team might have a problem on their travels.

“We have no fear about playing away from home – we have proved that time and time again,” he said.

“You tend to lose away because the other team has played better than you. It has happened to England on one or two occasions, but we don’t worry about playing away from home – we have learnt to do it pretty well.”

Woodward expects a “physical and full-on game” against Wales, despite the form guide suggesting an emphatic England success.

The bookmakers make it a total mis-match, with England, conquerors of France seven days ago, 1/25 favourites to complete a fourth successive triumph in Cardiff. Wales, beaten by Italy last weekend, are 7/1.

“We are clearly favourites, based on the games last weekend, but upsets happen and that is the beauty of sport,” Woodward said.

“It is 15 against 15. We’ve seen Llanelli playing, and they are a match and more for any team. The Welsh team is in a bit of a corner, and we are expecting a physical full-on game.

“The more that England are favourites, then the more the pressure is on you. If Wales play with a passion that we know they can, then England have got to be at their best.

“The ramifications of England losing this game are huge. The players know that, and we are under immense pressure, but that is what playing for England is about.”

England have not lost in Cardiff since 1993 when Ieuan Evans caught out a day-dreaming Rory Underwood to score the only try in a 10-9 home win.

Wales coach Steve Hansen has changed almost half his side following the shambolic effort at Stadio Flaminio, dropping skipper Colin Charvis, centre Leigh Davies, fly-half Iestyn Harris, scrum-half Dwayne Peel, hooker Mefin Davies and flanker Michael Owen.

Hansen has also recalled 33-year-old Bath hooker Jonathan Humphreys as captain. It will be Humphreys’ 34th cap, but his first appearance since the 1999 World Cup.

While there is huge responsibility resting with Humphreys, the same can be said for young fly-half Ceri Sweeney, who starts his first international match.

But England have not enjoyed trouble-free preparations either, especially, in the front-row where props Jason Leonard, Phil Vickery, Julian White, Trevor Woodman and David Flatman are all sidelined through injury.

The hefty casualty count means that Northampton tight-head Robbie Morris will make his international debut, packing down alongside front-row colleagues Graham Rowntree and Steve Thompson.