This Saturday at Twickenham, in front of 82’000 fans, England will face Wales in a match that means so much to either set of fans. But to Rugby neutrals it’s a match that you cannot miss. It will be the first time the sides have met since the Red Dragons broke the hearts of England in the World Cup group stage which led to the Red Rose’s eventual early exit from the tournament. This match is also being looked at as the one that will decide the destination of the championship and I have pin pointed the key factors that will decide this game on Saturday.

Eddie Jones vs Warren Gatland: Battle of the coaches

To start this off you have to look at the two men picking the teams. This will be an intriguing battle between two coaches who are very blunt with their words and aren’t afraid to say what they think. Since he took over the from Stuart Lancaster in November, Australian Jones has transformed England from the team who crashed out of the World Cup to having them on the verge of a Grand Slam.

Jones is known to be harsh but fair with his players which is what England needed after the disaster of going out at the group stages in the World Cup. One of the first decisions that Jones made was to name Dylan Hartleymas his captain. This raised a few eyebrows, as Hartley had previous disciplinary issues. However, one the best things about Jones was that he didn’t care what the media thought which is what fans have wanted to see for a while.

This will by far be his biggest test as England boss since stepping into the job but with the choices and decisions he has made Jones will be going into this one with confidence, having won all his games.

For Wales coach Gatland, who hails from New Zealand, this will be the eigth time he has taken on England since he took over a depleted Wales team in 2008. Since then he has delivered three titles, two of them being grand slams, and along with defence coach Shaun Edwards has turned Wales into one of most solid teams in all World Rugby.

Gatland to likes to ruffle feathers with his words. He doesn’t care what the press thinks, having also led the British and Irish Lions to a tour victory for the first time in sixteen years in Australia.

It wil be interesting to see how both coaches handle the huge pressure of this big game which will most likely decide the fate of the Championship, however this turns out, all Rugby fans will be looking forward to this coaching battle.

Number 8s battle: Billy Vunipola vs Taulupe (Toby) Faletau

In terms of player battles, this is the one that most people will be watching. Vunipola has emerged as a different player under Jones then he was under Lancaster. He is known to be quiet and a bit shy, but in recent games he has looked like an absolute beast once he has the ball and gets going.

This year has seen Vunipola use his power and strength to drive through defences and creat opportunities for England. Having twice been the MOTM (man of the match) this year, it will take a lot for Wales to try and stop this big and powerful man from driving through but don’t underestimate Shaun Edwards.

On the Welsh side you’ve got Taulupe Faletau who is renewed as one of the best in his position right now. Faletau is strategic about when to use his strengths and when he does people take notice. He is one of the main men of this Welsh team and one that can defend as well as when he is on the attack which makes him so dangerous.  Jones and new defence coach Paul Gustard will need a big plan to subdue Faletau.

One fact that you’ll find interesting is that Vunipola could have played for Wales because he and his brother Mako lived and played for boys clubs in Wales when their dad played professionally in Wales for two years. But, as most people have said, Wales’ loss was England’s gain. This is a battle I’m really looking forward to seeing because if Vunipola dominates England win if Faletau dominates Wales win.

Centres Battle:

Apart from the number 8 battle this one will be key as it could decide how many tries are scored. For Wales it is the usual centres; Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies. They both bring a lot of brute force and power and defend really well when under pressure.

Roberts is arguably one of the most underrated players in Rugby at the minute, he always puts in a good shift but doesn’t really get the plaudits like Sonny Bill Williams or Will Greenwood.

Davies is another solid player who can be very reliable when called upon. He and Roberts have been a solid partnership for Wales over the years, which can help a winning team as England haven’t had a solid partnership for a while.

In terms of England’s centres Jonathan Joseph and Owen Farrell will be in the centre of the field for England on Saturday. Joseph is fast becoming a powerful, quick and strong centre who earned a lot of plaudits last year in what was his breakout year.

For Farrell, who usually plays a fly half, his switch to centre has potential. But he is expected to keep the place warm for the returning Manu Tuilagi who hasn’t played in an England shirt for nearly two years and was out injured for a nearly a year. Tuilagi if fully fit could be the difference maker if he comes on in the last 35 or 30 mins. Wit’s his power and strength, he can be a back version of Billy Vunipola and just run through tacklers. He can also mark Jamie Roberts or Jonathan Davies along with Joseph.

Another one to look out for on the England bench would Elliot Daly who has had a fantastic seasons for Wasps and made his debut in the victory over Ireland. If England needed another burst of quickness, Daly can provide it. Whoever can control this battle can help their side win this vital match.

Wings Battle: Anthony Watson vs George North

With this one you’ve got two of the quickest players in world Rugby at the minute. So you’d expect one of these two to score tries at Twickenham.

On Wales side you have George North who is one of the most famous players in the game. He burst onto the scene in the Lions Tour with a fabulous try in the first test against Australia. North is known to pick his moments, when to make his runs and burst through defences and when he does you tend to notice it. If North is on fire it will be hard for England to contain. It require a mega strategy from Jones and Gustard to stop him, so expect at least two players to be deployed on him whenever he gets the ball.

For England it’s Anthony Watson who’ll be on the wing. He is another one who has come on the scene recently, playing for Bath. Ex-players have put on similarities between Watson and England legend Jason Robinson. Which is perhaps right in terms of blistering pace and ability to change a game just by having the ball in his hands. So expect England to try and create space for Watson to do his damage which can lead to tries and win this match. Whoever out of these two performes the better is going to have a huge deciding factor in who comes out on top in this match which is something to look forward to.

The Captain’s battle: Sam Warburton vs Dylan Hartley

This will perhaps be the biggest battle of them all. In any match the captains battle is the one that mainly decides the game.

In the Welsh corner you have Sam Warburton who is the classic example of what a captain is: a leader, a decision maker and in your face. Warburton will do his usual and lead his team onto the pitch and keep his squad calm during moments of intense pressure. He will be determined to protect his line and keep the Welsh defence as organised as possible which is what you’d expect from the captain. If Warburton can do his usual and upset the England side you wouldn’t be surprised if Wales edge a win.

With England you have Dylan Hartley, who is new to the role of captain but has been a mainstay in the England squad for a long time. He has lots of experience with being in the team and keeping the players going.

This appointment of Captain raised a few eyebrows, as Hartley had reputation of ill discipline such as punching and swearing at the ref, but being captain seems to have moulded Harley and made him a better leader. On the pitch he seems to command the squad and not react in panicked way which some people accused his predecessor Chris Robshaw of.

He comes across as an in your face player, which, after the shambolicWorld Cup, England needed. Expect him to be in Sam Warburton’s face if he tries to control the ref. You will expect these two to lead their teams by example and lead by the sword whichever you see it this one be one captains battle that will be worth watching.

I’m expecting this game to be a very intense affair. With so much on the line, it will be worth watching and has the skill and ability to be a great game. I imagine Twickenham will be loud and both sets of fans will do there upmost to road their sides to victory and I hope we get a classic.

Prediction: England Victory.