Graham Rowntree has said that England's players need to use the Millennium Stadium atmosphere as a positive when they face Wales in the Six Nations.

With heavy rain forecast ahead of Saturday's game, England coach Stuart Lancaster and his Wales counterpart Rob Howley have agreed for the stadium roof to be closed for the match.

England forwards coach Rowntree believes that the players can be inspired by the intense atmosphere in Cardiff.

"That's why you play the game, to play away in an atmosphere like the Millennium Stadium," BBC Sport quotes Rowntree as saying.

"I have played there a few times and it is a cracking atmosphere.

"But our lads have enough to worry about with their own jobs and the opposition. We don't need to worry about the atmosphere. In fact, they can use that as a positive."

England won 26-19 when the teams last met at the Millennium Stadium in 2011.