Jonathan Davies is relishing Six Nations clash with opposite number Joseph

Wales centre and Sky Sports columnist Jonathan Davies says England's Jonathan Joseph poses 'a huge threat' to Wales when the two countries open the Six Nations at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

It's finally arrived! We welcome the English to the Millennium Stadium for the Six Nations opener and I am incredibly excited for the game. We have had a good week of training; the boys are really focussed. It's so good to be back in the international fold with such a big occasion waiting for us on Friday night.

If you allow the occasion to get to you and focus on the emotion of it rather than the task at hand, you’re not doing yourself any favours.

I saw the England team sheet and lining up in front of me will be Jonathan Joseph, a man who has had a great season. I saw a couple of his European games on TV and he poses a huge threat to us. He's played well along with George Ford at Bath and they're both going to be difficult to contain - and their back three are all dangerous runners too. It's important for us as a backline unit to negate all threats and Joseph is one of the big ones.

In the pack, Billy Vunipola can be very destructive with the ball in hand and Haskell has been in great form for his club so it's very important for us to start well and keep their big names quiet.

It doesn't get bigger than this, it's an amazing occasion. All the talking is now over, the time for delivery is down to the 23 selected to represent Wales. Obviously there are butterflies and we are soaking in the fever, but it’s a game of rugby; you can't allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the occasion. As time goes on, you deal with the moments like that slightly better.

It’s going to be a tough encounter. There’s been a lot said about England’s injury crisis but if you look at the team they’ve picked, it says a lot about the depth they have. It’s going to be a tough game but we want to get the result and lay down a marker because with the World Cup this year, we want to build a solid foundation.

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When you take a step back, the Six Nations and World Cup are two completely different competitions, but one of the boys was quoted this week as saying that there would be no better momentum going into a World Cup than a Six Nations win and I agree with him.

Defensive intesity

There is a bit of pressure on us because we haven’t always started this competition very well in the past but most of that pressure comes from us as a team. We are very critical of ourselves.

What won our last game for us against South Africa was our defence and the intensity of that defence. We know given the height of this occasion we are going to have to be even better. Sean Edwards has had a chat with us and said he wants us to play to a higher level on Friday. It's a tough ask but an exciting challenge.

This is going to be one of those games that you remember for the rest of your life - there is just an air about it. I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in some huge games and this is going to be one that I look back on when I’m old.

To be a part of it is very special and humbling, but the main focus is to go out and do your job. You have been selected in a particular position and your aim is to do better than your opposite number - if we all do that, then we should come away with the win. If you allow the occasion to get to you and focus on the emotion of it rather than the task at hand, you’re not doing yourself any favours. So while I have enjoyed being back in Cardiff in a week leading up to a Test Match, on game day I won’t be distracted.

Your phone always goes a bit mad with texts from friends and family around this time, and I’d like to apologise to those I haven’t yet got back to - the support means a great deal to me!

With all that's been going on, it's been too hectic to catch up with the mates just yet but the nice thing about a Friday game is that you get Saturday and Sunday off. I’m heading to my parents place and since this is the first time I’ve been home for a while, my mum will be cooking a Christmas dinner for me and I will be opening my presents! So while there is a job to do, it’s great to know I’ve got a couple of days with the family, a change of blankets and a turkey in the oven to look forward to afterwards.

Enjoy the game!