Captain Dan Biggar has said Wales will have an “arrogance” in the Six Nations despite having troubled preparation for their title defence.
Wayne Pivac’s injury-ravaged side open their campaign against Ireland on February 5 in Dublin, with Biggar taking over from Alun Wyn Jones.
Wales also enter the tournament amid domestic gloom, with the four struggling Welsh regions.
“We were written off last year,” said Northampton fly-half Biggar.
“We come into the tournament as defending champions, so there’s definitely a bit of swagger in the squad.”
As well as Jones, Wales’ long list of injured absentees means they are missing fellow British and Irish Lions Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Josh Navidi, Dan Lydiate, George North and Leigh Halfpenny, who have over 700 test selections. between them.
“It’s a tough challenge this year,” Biggar said.
“From our point of view, there are a lot of key experienced players missing, but it also gives the opportunity for a lot of young guys who have come into the team to step up and really claim.”
Wales face a daunting first away game against in-form Ireland, who beat New Zealand in the fall.
“It’s a tough start,” Biggar said. “With the form Ireland showed in the fall, how impressive they are, we know how difficult it is to go to Dublin.
“We haven’t had much success in recent years there.
“This tournament, in particular, is all about momentum. If you get off to a good start, then everything seems to flow, the camps become a lot happier and training becomes a lot easier. For us, it’s important to get a good start. departure.
“If you can get an away win in the first weekend, that sets you up very well. Then we had Scotland at home which we know will also be extremely difficult.
“The first two weekends are critical to how the tournament unfolds for you, and hopefully we can get off to a good start and use the 10 or so days we have now to give ourselves the best chance in Dublin one week. the Saturday.”
Biggar will face Irish fly-half and captain Jonathan Sexton, a teammate of his during the Lions’ tour of New Zealand in 2017.
“The respect for Johnny has been from day one and the success he has had with Ireland and Leinster,” Biggar said.
“I got on really well with him in 2017 and have stayed in touch with him ever since. We’re a similar character who demands a lot of ourselves and a desire to give it all up and win.”
Including Lions Tests, Biggar is due to play his 100th international against Scotland on February 12, while his century of Wales caps could come in the home tournament final against Italy on March 19.
“There’s no way I wouldn’t mind this at the minute, which would be an extremely special accomplishment,” Biggar said.
“My attitude is I want to keep going and get a little over 100 and that means I still have to make sure I’m playing well and staying fit.
“I guess that would be vindication because it hasn’t been easy in the 13 years I’ve played for Wales. It would be nice to do it personally and vindication to get there and prove that I have done well in this jersey over the years. .
“I hope this can be a special campaign for me, but more importantly, if I were to win my 100th cap in a decisive Six Nations game at the Principality Stadium, I probably couldn’t script it any better than that.”
Jones, the most capped player in Test rugby union history, has had two shoulder surgeries since sustaining the injury in Wales’ Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zeeland in October.
He also had shoulder problems ahead of last summer’s Lions tour of South Africa, but he defied expectations and recovered in time to lead the tourists in all three Tests.
Jones is expected to miss the tournament, with Pivac admitting it was a “long shot” he could play in this tournament.
Biggar says he took Jones’ captaincy advice, adding: “I don’t think any of us expected him to show up in South Africa this summer, and he did. to get on the plane.
“If there’s anyone who has a chance of being fit for part of this tournament, then Al is probably the man. I wouldn’t rule him out just yet.”
