Six Nations: What can fans expect from Steve Tandy’s Wales?

Crucially, given well-documented off-field uncertainty, man management has been a big feature to the start of the Tandy era.

The national coaches are frequent visitors at all four regions and made a point of contacting those who narrowly missed out on selection.

Those who have made the cut frequently talk about “connection”.

“I haven’t really felt it as much as I have coming into this campaign, how tight the boys are, how connected the boys are,” said flanker Josh Macleod, who missed the autumn series through injury.

“Man for man we’re ready to stand up for each other and fight. It’s purely down to Steve and his coaching group, the values they’ve set – care and connection being the main ones – and the boys have really bought into that.”

Former Wales hooker Scott Baldwin, who played under Tandy at Ospreys, believes a tight bond gives hope of progress.

“Steve will know how to get the best out of this group,” he told the Scrum V podcast.

“He will make these players feel like a million dollars going into the game and believing they can win.

“If Wales can throw the first punch, the pressure is on England. Nobody is expecting Wales to win.”