While Eddie Jones does the talking, Wales are wise to walk on the quiet side ahead of Six Nations clash

While Eddie Jones is discussing daffodils, English phobias and Cardiff’s one ghostly part in his own career – the 20-22 defeat which saw an end to his years at Australia’s helm – the Welsh nation is engaged in more prosaic thoughts about Leigh Halfpenny’s housekeeping.

There has been much talk ahead of this weekend’s match with the old adversary in the capital about the way Halfpenny, sporting a colourful bruise under his right eye, gave a helping hand by clearing away tackle bags as Sam Warburton completed media duties in Italy, after the 33-7 win on Sunday. Halfpenny’s display in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, kicking six of his seven shots at goal to take his personal tally to 18 points and justifiably clinch the man-of-the-match award, also contributed to an understandable yearning to have the full-back home in Wales on a permanent basis. “Now, can we keep Leigh in Wales?” the Western Mail asked on its front page.

Wales are happy to walk by on the quiet side. “There's a lot of talk about England and Ireland - they played some good rugby in the autumn," scrum-half Rhys Webb said on Tuesday. "Let everyone keep talking them up, we'll just go about our job."

There are other good reasons for the lack of self-promotion: Wales’ own less than emphatic performance in Italy. Having failed to convert pressure – 80 per cent possession at one stage – into points, Rob Howley’s side allowed Italy to score first and it took them a long time to turn the game to their favour, requiring prop Andrea Lovotti’s consignment to the sin-bin to turn the screw. Their left to right play was predictable and easy to intuit for the Italians at times. Though England were slow to make headway against the French, Eddie Jones’ side provided the greater imagination, last weekend.

There are injury concerns, too. Fly-half Dan Biggar was forced off in the break in Rome by a rib injury and George North limped through the game’s closing stages with a thigh problem, even though he raced clear for a 70-metre try set up by replacement number 10 Sam Davies. If Biggar is ruled out, Webb could find himself partnering Davies, his Ospreys team-mate, at half-back. Davies impressed with his second-half performance.

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For all of Jones’ talk about England’s record in the Welsh capital being inadequate, it is the psychological dimension where he has brought his presence to bear and that is where the English could prosper. Wales still feel their way, moving away under Howley from the purely physical and aerial threat which won them the title in 2012 and 2013. "Personally it's good to play them at home, but I'm not going to get too carried away by Wales-England,” said Webb, though realism is not the only factor at play.

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The last time England arrived in the city, two years ago, was when the WRU decided in its infinite wisdom that letting things build naturally was not enough – lowering the lights, setting of fireworks and trying to lure Stuart Lancaster’s side into heading out first into the cauldron. You only had to step through the blistering cold of Cardiff's St Mary's Street that night to know that there was more than enough natural hwyl to make the Millennium formidable.

The indignity that England were put through helped build an esprit de corps among Lancaster's men. You only had to listen afterwards to Ben Youngs, the outstanding scrum-half that night, to see the English were bolstered by their sense of indignation. Wales, a side with plenty of thinking to do before Saturday, seem to be learning from that particular mistake.