Wales lifted by win over England

Shanklin reflects on Cardiff clash

Wales centre Tom Shanklin believes his side broke through a significant psychological barrier by beating England in their RBS Six Nations opener at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The Cardiff star, once offered the chance of playing for England by Sir Clive Woodward, is hopeful the glory days can now return.

"We would have been hugely sick if we had lost that match," said Shanklin, whose fellow centre Gavin Henson supplied the towering touchline kick three minutes from time which secured a deserved 11-9 victory.

"We've had two games like that in the autumn with South Africa and New Zealand. We played better rugby in those games and lost, and that's why the win for us this time was the most important thing.

"We've played better but to win such a big game was a huge psychological boost."

Shanklin, a former Saracens and London Welsh star but now with Cardiff Blues, also predicts 23-year-old Henson will be the shining light as Wales continue their rejuvenation.

"Gavin was on fire against England," said Shanklin. "Wherever that penalty had been he would have kicked it. When he's in the zone like that I don't think he can miss. Ask the Osprey boys.

"When he wants a kick he takes it and gets it. It typified the game he had, full of huge hits and he ran the ball well and got the most important kick of all at the end.

"He played well and delivered in the autumn internationals too. He likes the attention. He's got a bit of everything. He's a good ball distributor and often you find those sorts of players are a bit weaker in defence. But he showed he can put in big tackles."

Shanklin now hopes to be a major part of the Welsh revival under coach Mike Ruddock, which continues next weekend with a match against Italy in Rome, where Wales hit their Six Nations nadir two years ago, losing 30-22.

It could all have been so different if Shanklin, who was born in Harrow but whose father, Jim, comes from Tenby, had responded to Woodward's call.

"Clive Woodward called and asked if I wanted to be in one of his training squads for the 'A' internationals," explained Shanklin.

"A couple of days later Graham Henry rang me and that was that. My dad, mum and family all live in Wales and as a boy I watched all their internationals. It was in my blood."

Henson, meanwhile, was still revelling in the limelight of the weekend, confident he had proved himself once and for all in his first Six Nations match after being overlooked so often by former Wales coach Steve Hansen.

Under Ruddock the full range of 23-year-old Henson's talents have blossomed and the realistic carrot now is a place on the Lions tour to New Zealand in the summer.

First, however, there is Italy.

"I set a high standard against England and I've got to back it up next week," said Henson.

"Two years ago when we played Italy I wasn't involved and we lost, so we've got to put that right next week.

"Hopefully we'll go on and maybe win something this tournament."