An away win would guarantee both and bring an end to ten years since their last clean sweep of the tournament, ten years made all the longer by the fact that during that time Wales have won three Slams, France two and Ireland one.

Despite their scare against Italy, England will take heart from the fact that Grand Slam finales at the Millennium Stadium have become a regular part of the RBS 6 Nations and not just for Wales.

Three have been won there in the last eight years, starting with the Red Dragons’ victory over Ireland under Mike Ruddock.

Ireland turned the tables with a vengeance in 2009, crowning Declan Kidney’s first season in charge with their first Slam for more than 60 years.

And this time last year, the Millennium was rocking to the sound of another Welsh Slam, completed with a 16-9 win over France.

The vast majority of the team responsible for that will be back in an attempt to prevent England doing what they have never done before, seizing the Slam, title and Triple Crown in one fell swoop by winning their away fixture against Wales.

When they were last in such a position, they contrived to lose the lot despite the convenience of not having to set foot outside London.

The construction of their new venue partially on the site of the demolished Arms Park forced Wales to hire Wembley Stadium.

England went there on that sunny Sunday in April 1999 as clear favourites to win the last Five Nations despite the disruption which meant unexpected debuts for two of their threequarters – the Sale pair Steve Hanley and Barrie-Jon Mather.

Neither played again but had it not been for surely the most outrageous climax to any Five Nations series both would have gone down as one-cap wonders with a Grand Slam to their names.

Instead, Lawrence Dallaglio’s decision late in the game to go for the corner rather than the posts triggered a chain of events which allowed Wales to come off the ropes and land the knock-out blow.

Scott Gibbs’ epic try and Neil Jenkins’ deadly conversion have long become the stuff of folklore, improbable enough to claim a special place of its own in the colourful history of Anglo-Welsh rivalry.

Because the match always used to fall at the start of the championship in the days before fixtures were rotated, it did not assume Grand Slam significance for decades.

The first occasion, at Twickenham in 1992, brought Wade Dooley a rare try on his 50th appearance and England their second successive Slam – a comfortable 24-0 win over Wales in what marked the Test farewells of Simon Halliday and Mickey Skinner, both members of the team beaten by Australia in the 1991 World Cup final the previous season.

Two years later, again under Ieuan Evans’ captaincy, Wales returned to HQ only this time within sight of an unlikely Slam of their own.

England under Will Carling needed to win by 16 points to beat their opponents to the title and were one try short when Nigel Walker got one instead, ensuring Wales won something from a 15-8 defeat, if not the big prize.

Saturday’s match promises a classic decider, a neat role-reversal of 1994 not just at the top but at the bottom, too.
France must beat Scotland in Paris to have any hope of avoiding the wooden spoon, exactly as they had to do 19 years ago

World Cup finalists some 18 months back and favoured by many to win the RBS 6 Nations on the strength of their thumping home victories over Australia and Argentina last November, Les Bleus could end up with their first win of the championship and still finish bottom of the heap.

Italy kick off the final round against Ireland in Rome eager to follow up their heroic performance at Twickenham where they came closer than anyone dared imagine to the most unexpected draw in RBS 6 Nations history.

If they take advantage of an Irish battered by injuries fore and aft, then France will have to beat Scotland with a fair bit to spare if they are to escape finishing last.

Will Grand Slam history repeat itself?

April 11, 1999 at Wembley Stadium:

Wales 32, England 31.

Wales: S Howarth; G Thomas, M Taylor, S Gibbs, D James; N Jenkins, R Howley, capt; P Rogers, G Jenkins, B Evans; C Quinnell, C Wyatt; C Charvis, B Sinkinson, S Quinnell.
Substitutes: N Walne, for Thomas; A Lewis, for Rogers; D Young, for Evans.
Tries- Howarth, Gibbs. Conversions- Jenkins 2. Penalties- Jenkins 6.

England: M Perry; D Luger, J Wilkinson, B-J Mather, S Hanley; M Catt, M Dawson; J Leonard, R Cockerill, D Garforth; M Johnson, T Rodber; R Hill, N Back, L Dallaglio, capt. Substitute: V Ubogu, for Garforth.
Tries- Luger, Hanley, Hill. Conversions- Wilkinson 2. Penalties- Wilkinson 4.

England Grand Slam deciders over the last 20 years:

1995 Twickenham, beat Scotland 24-12. Captain: Will Carling.
1999 Wembley, lost to Wales 31-32. Captain: Lawrence Dallaglio.
2000 Murrayfield, lost to Scotland 13-19. Captain: Matt Dawson.
2001 Lansdowne Road, lost to Ireland, 14-20. Captain: Matt Dawson.
2003 Lansdowne Road, beat Ireland 42-6. Captain: Martin Johnson.
2011 Aviva Stadium, lost to Ireland 8-24. Captain: Nick Easter.