The 28-year-old, who quit Cardiff at the end of last season to return to rugby league, expects Wales to make a winning start to the 2005 championship when England visit the Millennium Stadium on February 5.

Its a difficult one to call but England have obviously got five or six high-profile players out so they are going to have it tough, said Harris, who keeps in touch with his former international colleagues.

I know Wales have earmarked that game to start rolling in the Six Nations and I will take them by two or three points.

The Welsh public have got a great expectancy for the first time for a while now and, when the players can feel the expectancy on their shoulders, they tend to perform so I think they will go good.

I dont think they will win it this year but I think they will come second.

Harris, now playing with Super League giants Bradford Bulls, watched with interest this week as England trained with his former club Leeds Rhinos and he believes Andy Robinsons men could be set for another mid-table finish.

I think England are really going to struggle this time, he said. They are in a transitional period and its tough to get out of it.

Theyve got a lot of youth coming through but the high-profile players they need are the ones that are injured so they are going to have a real tough start to the competition, especially going to Wales.

If they have a bad start, it could be a bad Six Nations for them.