Shane Williams won the Grand Slam with Wales in 2005 and 2008. He is now a Premier Sports pundit.

I was one of the ones that wrote Wales off last year. We struggled with a couple of injuries, new players coming in, and what they did was what they always do, bounced back and won the championship. I won't be writing them off this year, that's for sure, however I am slightly concerned that a lot of our experienced players are out, a lot of new players are being blooded and haven't had that much experience at international level. It's going to be an interesting Six Nations for Wales I think. The away trips to Twickenham and the Aviva are always very difficult. For Wales, we'll look at home games, full crowds (hopefully), friends and family in the stadium – a lot of them haven't played in front of their friends and family yet, I think that is a huge bonus.

I hate the word transition but there are a lot of young players coming through in Wales at the moment that are going to get a lot of playing time in the Six Nations and there is going to be a lot of experience missing, so it is going to be tough. But I have been wrong so many times with this team and they always tend to prove a lot of people wrong. They will be there or thereabouts I would think.

It reminds me of when I won the Six Nations in 2005, we'd had an awful 2004 and it had been some time since Wales had won a Grand Slam and people weren't bigging us up before that Six Nations but we were inspired by Gareth Thomas and a bit of hunger and self-belief, and we went on to win it. In 2008, we were a far more organised team especially with Warren Gatland coming in and changing our defence and our structure around, we felt really comfortable under Gats. He said winning our first away game, which was against England at Twickenham, was crucial and it became obvious quite quickly that he was right. We just got more confident as the tournament went on. We do get written off but it galvanises you to go and prove people wrong and it also takes a little bit of the pressure off because if you don't perform, it's easier for the lads if anything. Nevertheless, it is an awkward position for Wales. They are the champions but they also have injuries.

That's why the Ireland game is massive. If Wales can go to the Aviva and beat a very good Irish side, who have some world-class players and are well drilled under Andy Farrell, I would go as far as to say they will win the championship. It makes or breaks your Six Nations, go there and win and you are on to a Grand Slam, lose and you're fighting your way off the bottom.

What Wayne Pivac can't do is change his tactics because he is getting a bit of criticism. I'm happy that he has stuck to his guns, okay he has had a couple of bad results against New Zealand and South Africa but let's give him the benefit of the doubt for the Six Nations.

There are a couple of players that I expect to shine for Wales. I would like Taine Basham to step it up a level again. He had a particularly good autumn series, he is in because of injuries but it is just about consistency for him. Louis Rees-Zammit had had a quiet season before his wonder try for Gloucester against Newcastle at the weekend but he has single-handedly won us games, he's a player that I am looking forward to seeing again. And I suppose Ellis Jenkins, he almost retired through injury, he came back and was our best player in the autumn series. I just want to see these players continue to grow. And then there's Jac Morgan, he's actually from my hometown, I know his mum and dad. I would love to see him get his chance. That's where Wales are at the moment. They have got these young players coming through and if you are going to put them in the squad they've got to be playing.

As told to James Morgan