England captain Lewis Moody maintains his side’s focus is purely on their opening RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales rather than the 2011 World Cup.
Since taking the captaincy from Steve Borthwick, Moody has seen England’s fortunes transform with back-to-back defeats of Australia raising confidence of a first Championship win in eight years.
Many are looking further ahead to the World Cup in New Zealand but for Bath flanker Moody that is too far in the distance.
Instead he admits he is counting down the days until the historic Friday night encounter with Wales.
He said: “What an occasion, it doesn’t come any bigger.
“You just already know now how incredible the atmosphere will be down there in Cardiff.
“We are all desperate to be involved in that match, we all want to start and we will have to be at our very best because Wales will be coming at us from the off.
“So much can happen between now and then (the World Cup) — form, fitness, illness, injury, selection — that there is absolutely no mileage in ’going there’ mentally yet.
“Coaches and backroom staff, yes, they can start their preparation work, but players, we just have to keep their heads down and keep playing.’’
“The Six Nations will have a life of its own and who knows what will happen? Only after the end of the domestic season in May can the World Cup become real for those selected for England.”
