Dawson believes Gatland will galvanise Wales

Wales face England at Twickenham on Saturday and have selected 13 Ospreys players in their starting XV.

Dawson believes that is a "shrewd" tactic, adding that he thinks Wales coach Gatland and his assistants Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards are "canny".

"People have to be aware of Wales this year," said the World Cup winner.

Six Nations Preview: Matt Dawson

"The Wales coaches have put the majority of that team together so they don't have to do an awful lot of coaching, particularly in defence.

"When you come across the power pack that England have, you have to have a strong defence.

"I've worked under Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards and I've played rugby with and against Rob Howley, and they are so canny."

Saturday's match will be Gatland's first in charge of Wales since he succeeded Gareth Jenkins, who was sacked the day after they were knocked out of the World Cup by Fiji.

And the 44-year-old former Wasps and Ireland coach will hope he can lead the Welsh to their first victory at Twickenham for 20 years.

England will be looking to build on a better-than-expected showing in last year's World Cup, where they finished runners-up to South Africa.

Coach Brian Ashton has made seven changes to the team that lost 15-6 to the Springboks, with the biggest surprise being Mathew Tait's exclusion from the 22.

"The big shout for me was at full-back," said Dawson. "Tait was probably England's man of the match in the World Cup final.

"But he has missed out on selection to Iain Balshaw after one poor game last weekend against Leicester."

Matt Dawson will present a special Six Nations preview programme on BBC Radio 5 Live on Thursday, 31 January, from 2030-2200 GMT.