Hansen - looking to the future.

By Andrew Baldock, PA Sport Rugby Union Correspondent, Brisbane

Steve Hansen has dismissed the long history and rivalry between England and Wales as being irrelevant to Sunday's World Cup quarter-final showdown.

The countries are locked 49-49 on victories, with 12 draws, since fixtures began in 1881.

Recently though, England have dominated, claiming 10 wins against Wales from the last 11 starts, including five in succession.

But Wales coach Hansen knows that this weekend's Suncorp Stadium clash is a complete one-off Test, with the winners marching on to a semi-final in Sydney next week and the losers going home.

"There is no history between the team we've picked and the team they've picked," Hansen said.

"This is the first time this group of people has come together. So while history is lovely and tradition is great - as long as it doesn't get in the way of progress - it has no relevance on the day.

"What happens when the whistle goes is what will create history. That's all we can worry about - creating our own piece of history through our performance.

"If it's good enough to win the match, then so be it, and if it's not, then we've just got to accept that we got beaten by a better side on the day."

Hansen has packed his back division with exciting running talent like Iestyn Harris, Shane Williams, Mark Jones and Gareth Thomas, who will wear Wales' No 15 jersey for the first time after playing centre or wing throughout a lengthy international career.

But the coach also knows that without quality possession, they won't be able to perform.

"We have to get some parity in the set-pieces and around the park if we want to compete with them," he said.

"The game is always won up-front. The backs score all the tries, but the forwards do all the donkey work."

Hansen will rely on an underrated Welsh pack to produce the goods, but ultimately, England's apparently superior set-piece organisation and physical power could take a hefty toll.

If that happens, then it would give England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson a chance to dominate following some uncharacteristically average displays during the group games.

Hansen, though, dismisses any theory that Wilkinson is struggling, adding: "Sometimes we get carried away as critics and expect players to perform miracles every time they do something.

"I don't see him having any form slumps. I think that Wilkinson probably right now is the best No 10 in the world."

Wales have got to concentrate on what they can control if there is to be any chance of a colossal World Cup upset.

If they do the basics well, and their backs get chances to run, then it could be a lot closer than many people think.

"There's no doubt that in the eventuality we do win it's going to be a huge victory for us," admitted Wales skipper Colin Charvis.

"But rather than prepare speeches along those lines, we've got to consider the 80 minutes of football we've got to play and how difficult that's going to be for us."