We have been given freedom of expression says Shaw

The veteran Wasps lock joined a delegation of players in urging Johnson and the England coaching team to discard the tactical straight-jacket they had imposed during the autumn.

England scored one try in three Tests, in a laboured 16-9 win over Argentina, and their one-dimensional rugby drew jeers from the Twickenham crowd.

The captains of Australia and New Zealand both left Twickenham offering stinging criticism of England's failure to trouble their defence in any serious way.

Shaw was blunt in his analysis, claiming players were afraid to step away from a rigid game plan that was strangling the best of English rugby.

Johnson acknowledged some mistakes were made during the autumn and immediately set about changing the emphasis.

Attack coach Brian Smith has redesigned England's game plan and Johnson has selected a back division packed with pace and a sharper cutting edge.

"That meeting was hugely important," Shaw said yesterday.

"I think successful squads are ones where everyone has their input and there is an open forum for players and coaches to communicate freely amongst each other and get ideas out there.

"This is probably the most open and honest squad of any I have been in.

"We have given all our information and advice to the coaches. They have accepted our point of view in some regards, and it is up to us now to put everything we have said on the pitch.

"If we don't do that I am sure they will give us a clip."

Johnson's mantra since he took charge of England was that rugby is a players' game and that the coaches are only there to facilitate that.

That balance was wrong during the autumn but Johnson has accepted the game plan was "over-prescriptive" and has sought to address the issue.

What will delight Johnson is that England are developing a strong senior leadership group willing to stand up for themselves, despite 18 months of upheaval.

The England team that ended last year's Six Nations so well was diluted for the summer tour by Lions call-ups and then decimated by injuries in the autumn.

But Nick Easter, Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson, Simon Shaw and Mark Cueto are all back in the side and offering captain Steve Borthwick a team of experienced lieutenants.

"It would have been fantastic to have a stable group but that has not been the reality and those experiences have undoubtedly made us a stronger group," said Borthwick.

"The success of any side needs a strong leadership group. We are developing a leadership group of some stature."

The England squad to a man feel their preparation for the

Six Nations has been the best they have experienced in a number of years.

Delon Armitage explained that was down to the new approach, with attacking players like himself, Mathew Tait and Danny Care given a licence to play their natural game.

"We've got that freedom now to play to our strengths rather than go out there worrying about the game plan and still losing. It is going to be brilliant for us," he said.

Nevertheless, the onus remains as ever on the battle up front, where England's forwards must secure quick possession if they are to set the back division free.

The balance in the set-piece took a potentially telling shift yesterday when Wales' loose-head prop Gethin Jenkins joined hooker Matthew Rees on the sidelines.

A potentially formidable Welsh front row featuring three Test Lions is now down to one, in tight-head prop Adam Jones.

But there will be no let-up for England in the battle for possession at the breakdown, where Wales boast one of the game's most astute scavengers in Martyn Williams.

"It is a big challenge this weekend with the strength of Martyn Williams and others who will be hard on our ball," said captain Borthwick.

"It has been a focus of our preparation. When it comes to the breakdown every one of us has to be very efficient to make sure we get the ball so we can attack well as a team.

"We want to deliver. We have spoken as players about delivering the performance on the field, which is every one of us playing to the best of our abilities and for 80 minutes.

"We all know that going out this weekend – and every weekend when you are playing for England – it is about delivering the best performances we can when playing for England."

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