BRENT Cockbain has never experienced the occasion of a Wales-England international in Cardiff - but he's got a pretty good idea of what it's going to be like and he's prepared for a battle royal.

Cockbain was born and brought up in Australia, but though he's been in Wales for a few years he can't wait to taste an England match in Cardiff.

"Everyone likes to beat England, but here the rugby is that much more intense and there's a lot of history involved. It's such a big thing to everyone, I've been here long enough now to realise it," he said.

"It's going to be quite emotional playing against England. It's going to be a fantastic day, I'm sure the crowd will be noisy, it means everything to them and the players to beat England.

"I've had the same sort of feeling when I was playing for Pontypridd against the likes of Leicester. It's a small town mentality of us against the world, that sort of thing.

"I don't know about England being vulnerable this time, they've got too much strength in depth for that. They're not as vulnerable as everyone would like to believe, but it's about time we really cracked them.

"If we do that we won't appreciate what we've done until after we've done it. I've never been so disappointed after the game against New Zealand, we put in such a good performance without getting the result."

Cockbain is likely to be partnered again by Gareth Llewellyn, set to win his 93rd cap and a survivor of the last Welsh team to defeat England in Cardiff in 1993.

He reckons the current squad is the best since he's been involved with Wales.

"This is the most talented group of players and the most organised," he said. "England have got injuries, but they are the world champions and they've got huge strength in depth.

"But the last twice against them we've been outstanding and scored more tries than them only to lose the game. But we've improved again.

"I'm still loving it, being round the boys. I remember Ieuan's try the last time we beat England in Cardiff, we were under the cosh for the rest of the game, there was a pitch invasion and everyone went crazy.

"We have gone through some flat periods since then, but we've been improving over the last five years and we've become more competitive even if results don't suggest it.

"It would be nice to beat them, of course, but it would be more of a progression of these players."

Llewellyn will be 36 at the end of this month, but he still broke his own record over 40 metres at a testing session recently.

"It was just after Christmas, too," he said proudly, "though I haven't done anything on soft surfaces."

There will be nothing soft about Llewellyn and Wales' challenge against England on Saturday.