Hi °C | Lo °C Shaun Edwards has described Wales’ preparations for the start of their RBS 6 Nations title defence as "absolutely exceptional".
Wales face a tricky Murrayfield opener against Scotland on Sunday, having being installed as the bookmakers’ favourites to land a second successive Six Nations crown.
Head coach Warren Gatland names his team today, with fit-again Ospreys stars Gavin Henson and Mike Phillips expected to make international comebacks after being out of the Test arena since last season’s Grand Slam-clinching victory over France.
Cardiff Blues wing Lee Halfpenny, meanwhile, looks poised for a Six Nations debut - having impressed during the autumn series, as Scarlets speedster Mark Jones continues his recovery from appendix surgery.
Defence specialist Edwards has left no one in any doubt that Wales mean business.
"I can only talk about what I have seen in the past eight days, and that has been absolutely exceptional," he said.
"We did a lot of hard work last week with some pretty brutal training sessions. Some of them were as tough, if not tougher, than a game.
"You need a constant hunger to improve and be constantly challenging yourself and those around you.
“You need to be in an environment that, at times, can be a little uncomfortable - where you don’t settle for second-best.
“We have those sort of characters in the Wales squad. But it’s also that we have a pretty healthy squad.
“If you had told me that, after the autumn internationals, this would be the squad we had for Scotland, we would have been very happy.
Wales are rated the most likely team to win a Grand Slam this season, even though three of their matches - against Scotland, France and Italy - are away from home.
