England are set to overhaul their midfield by bringing in Sam Burgess and Owen Farrell for Saturday's critical World Cup showdown at Twickenham with the aim of meeting Wales' power game head-on.
Burgess and Brad Barritt are ready to forge a new centre combination after Jonathan Joseph was ruled out of the Pool A clash with a chest injury, while Farrell has been picked ahead of George Ford at fly-half.
Joseph is continuing treatment on the pectoral muscle problem suffered during Friday's bonus-point victory over Fiji and England retain hope that he still has a role to play in the group stage.
The Farrell, Burgess, Barritt axis will provide a muscular presence in the looming gainline war at Twickenham and their inclusion extends beyond the desire to simply contain the Welsh.
Press Association Sport understands the selection is born out of a belief that the game must initially be taken to Wales using powerful ball carriers with the ultimate objective of wearing down Warren Gatland's men.
The knowledge that Wales will use a defensive system that deploys 14 players in a line with the full-back patrolling the space behind means England must force a path through rather than seek to circumnavigate the wall of red shirts.
Influential in the management's thinking is the 21-16 victory in Cardiff in February, a highlight of Stuart Lancaster's reign that was headlined by Joseph's superb try but was ultimately founded on the front foot momentum generated by their ball carriers.
Once the heavyweight collisions have unfolded and the match enters the decisive final quarter, reinforcements are set to be summoned from the bench in the manner that proved so successful in the 35-11 victory over Fiji.
The selection of Burgess, who has played only 112 minutes of Test rugby after converting from league 10 months ago, is viewed as a gamble by many given he will be lining-up opposite veteran British and Irish Lion Jamie Roberts, but England's belief in the 26-year-old is steadfast after witnessing his development throughout the summer.
Burgess' promotion to the starting XV represents an enormous gamble, however, even when considering his exposure to big-game occasions with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League.
Any flaws are sure to be exposed by 70-cap battering ram Roberts, who will have watched with interest how he strayed out of position in defence on his debut against France last month.
Supporters will point to the eye-catching 20-minute cameo against Fiji in which Burgess's power and direct lines of running restored English momentum, but Wales are a different proposition to the tiring Islanders.
Henry Slade, the 22-year-old Exeter playmaker who impressed on his debut against France, does not appear to have been considered for selection due to his inexperience.
Meanwhile, Heyneke Meyer will put his job on the line by keeping faith with "fighter" and captain Jean De Villiers for South Africa's crucial World Cup clash with Samoa.
South Africa face Samoa at Villa Park on Saturday, desperate to grind their World Cup campaign back into gear after last weekend's stunning 34-32 defeat to Japan.
Head coach Meyer admitted opting against dropping skipper De Villiers was among the toughest decisions of his career, accepting that should the call backfire his job will be under huge threat.
"It was one of the most difficult decisions of my life to make," he said.
"You are almost in a lose-lose situation because if you don't pick your captain and you lose, they say you should have picked your captain, and if you do pick your captain and you lose, then you shouldn't have stuck with your captain. It's not an emotional decision."
Centre De Villiers dislocated his knee against Wales in November but has battled back admirably to take his place in South Africa's final World Cup squad.
The 34-year-old struggled along with the rest of the Springboks to impose themselves against Japan, Eddie Jones' men shocking the world with Saturday's triumph in Brighton.
Meyer refused to drop the former Munster centre despite making eight changes to South Africa's starting line-up however, instead banking on De Villiers' leadership to help dig the Springboks out of their early World Cup hole.
South Africa's sports minister warned the team to turn their poor World Cup start on its head, while Meyer greeted defeat to Japan by claiming the Springboks had let down their country.
The emotive and bullish language has hardly stopped there either, with Meyer suggesting South Africa as a nation could learn a thing or two from the faith he has exhibited in staying loyal to De Villiers.
"I thought about it long and hard and came to the conclusion that this is a must-win game and who are you going to back?" said Meyer.
"I had a long and hard chat with him and I just decided as a coach, and I will stand by my decision, that if you go into a fight that you have to win, that your whole career and whole country depends on, I really want to take a guy that has had six knee operations.
"I want to go with a guy like that into a fight that we have to win because I know he wants to play for South Africa, I know he is a fighter and I know it is the best for the team.
"It was a tough choice but I know it's the right choice and I'll back him and if we, as South Africans, maybe backed each other more, South Africa would be a better place with less hate and violence and more love. I spoke to the team as well. They back him, they want him.
"We deserve all the criticism. It is unacceptable for the Springboks. We are a proud nation and a proud team.
"We have had immense support from South Africa, even if we don't deserve it, and I just want to thank all the guys that supported us. I've probably had more emails and texts than ever in my life, even more than when we beat the All Blacks."
South Africa: 1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Victor Matfield, 6 Francois Louw, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 9 Fourie du Preez, 10 Handre Pollard, 11 Bryan Habana, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 14 JP Pietersen, 15 Willie le Roux.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jesse Kriel.
