ENGLAND'S lengthy list of absentees means that it will be easy for those the other side of the Severn Bridge to brush over the relevance of the Six Nations opener in World Cup year.

If Stuart Lancaster's men are toppled again in Cardiff next Friday – and their price is lengthening with every physio report – then they will be able to point to the lack of Manu Tuilagi, Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Geoff Parling, Brad Barritt, Ben Morgan, Owen Farrell and others.

They will have no problem in dismissing claims of Wales striking a psychological blow ahead of the Saturday, September 26 meeting at Twickenham that will leave the losers 80 minutes away from elimination.

Similarly Gatland's men don't want to be subjected to talk of a weakened England making a statement by triumphing at the Millennium Stadium.

In truth events next weekend will have no bearing on the World Cup game – that will be a toss-of-a-coin job regardless of the build-up to it.

But the 80 minutes will make the building process in the Six Nations a lot easier for those that are celebrating and Wales' settled squad means that they have a plan in place for the road to the World Cup while England have been disrupted by the amount of players in the treatment table.

Lancaster will no doubt by comforted by his strength in depth but Wales are now in the same position, apart from tighthead thanks to the shambles that has seen Adam Jones step away from the Test scene.

It's probably just as well that Warren Gatland is a stubborn so-and-so as he could easily have tied himself in knots like Lancaster, who even before the injuries was unsure of his best XV.

In past seasons an injury list as lengthy as England's would have left Wales in a crisis whereas now they are pretty well-stocked.

In the back three there is not only Liam Williams putting pressure on the Halfpenny-North-Cuthbert triumvirate but in-form Dragons young guns Hallam Amos and Tyler Morgan, the latter of whom could be a dark horse to feature in some shape or form over the coming weeks given his ability to play both 13 and 14.

Jamie Roberts is playing as well as anybody in Europe at the moment while Jonathan Davies has established himself in midfield yet Scott Williams is keeping them honest.

Gatland named three fly-halves in his squad in Dan Biggar, Rhys Priestland and Gareth Anscombe yet there was still a debate about Owen Williams missing out.

Mike Phillips will be up for the scrap with Rhys Webb for the 9 jersey while Gareth Davies and Rhodri Williams are waiting in the wings.

Rob Evans has ensured it isn't just a battle between Gethin Jenkins and Paul James while at hooker there is the Richard Hibbard and Ken Owens then Scott Baldwin, Kristian Dacey, Emyr Phillips, Elliot Dee and Sam Parry.

Lock sees talent like Andrew Coombs and Ian Evans watching on from the outside while Luke Charteris and Bradley Davies attempt to dislodge Jake Ball as Alun Wyn Jones' partner.

And in the back row the settled trio of Lydiate-Warburton-Faletau are backed up by James King and Justin Tipuric with Dan Baker, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Sam Lewis, Nic Cudd and Lewis Evans among those that could step up.

The players only have the Six Nations to think about but Gatland is planning for Twickenham and while he will no doubt stick with the tried and tested, he will be pleased by the back-up options available to him.