England using speakers to prepare for Cardiff noise ahead of Wales showdown

England are using loudspeakers during training sessions to replicate the anticipated noise levels during their Six Nations showdown with Wales in Cardiff.

Stuart Lancaster's side begin their tournament on Friday at the Millennium Stadium, where they were beaten amid a red-hot atmosphere on their last visit in 2013.

The England head coach, who has also revealed his preference to have the roof open, is keen for his team to prepare in similar conditions and practise forms of more direct communication.

He told reporters: "All it is is a way of trying replicate for the players who haven't been there examples of the type of sounds and how it reverberates around the stadium and how clear your communication has to be.

"Often, you can't hear yourself on the field because of the intensity of the occasion and it just replicates that and gives you a bit of a chance to prepare. We've not done it all week, I can assure you, because we'd have no eardrums left!"

He added: "We've got a decision to make by the close of play today on the roof. We're waiting for the latest weather forecast but it looks like it's set fair and if it is then we want it open."

Lancaster revealed his team for the match earlier today, with Dan Coles back in the starting XV and Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter on the bench.