After 42 minutes of their opening match, Wales found themselves 30-3 down to Ireland at the Millennium Stadium and while a stirring second-half performance saw the match finish 30-22, it was an eighth defeat in a row and a fifth on the spin on home soil.

Since then however, Wales have steadied the ship with hard-fought victories on the road in Paris, Rome and Edinburgh to give themselves a realistic chance of defending their title.

England’s lacklustre victory over Italy means they will head to Cardiff two points ahead of Wales and with a points difference superior to Evans and co by 14.

If Wales win by eight points or more therefore, they will defend the RBS 6 Nations crown while a seven-point win would also see them retain the trophy, provided their try count, currently seven to England’s five, remains higher.

And while Evans is now relishing the chance to welcome Grand Slam-chasing England across the Severn, he hopes Wales don’t end up regretting their first-half showing against Ireland.

“I just hope our first game doesn't come back and bite us on the backside,” said Evans.

“We've rescued the situation, got control back and it leads up to the last game now in the Millennium Stadium.

“We've rolled our sleeves up, and it has all been about coming away with the wins. It is not about how pretty it looks, it has been about being dominant and getting the win.

“I think in the first game against Ireland we let ourselves down in the first half. We should have won that game, from my point of view. It was too late to catch up in the second half.

“But we've had three massive wins since then. When people start writing you off, Welsh players tend to stand up and be counted.”