Wales prop Tomas Francis will be keeping his mouth shut instead of engaging with Ellis Genge's 'mind games' at Twickenham on Saturday.
The pair are likely to face off at scrum-time, with the English loose-head carrying a reputation for enjoying a jibe or two on the field.
This, of course, is nothing new, particularly where Wales-England matches are concerned, but the experienced Welshman won't be engaging.
“From Genge you’ve always got those mind games. He likes to try and get into you that way," said Francis, who has had a very good campaign to date.
“However he wants to do it, I try not to engage in it.
“It’s part of his game. He’s good mates with Johnny Hill [Francis' old Exeter team-mate], and he’s always said part of his game’s in that so I’ll let him do that, and I’ll do me.”
When pressed to expand on the mind games, Francis withdrew a little: “It’s just a throw away comment. It’s just part of his game.
“It’s something Johnny Hill told me once. I just focus on me being me, and him being him to be honest.”
Genge is not one to mince his words off the field either. What you see is very much what you appear to get with the 27-year-old.
His straight-talking has drawn both plaudits and criticism, making him a polarising figure in the game.
When asked if he thought the Leicester Tiger had matured in recent years, Francis said: “I can’t tell you that. It looks like it.
“He’s got that leadership role at Leicester, and seems to be thriving in that.
“His performances on the pitch have grown as well. He’s become a world class loose-head over the years, and he’s doing well.
“Everyone likes characters in the game but it depends who you are. If you are an introvert it’s probably not you, if you are an extrovert it suits you.
“For me it’s about being myself, whatever that is. Some people are a bit louder and out there so are going to give those comments more often.
“I think just be yourself for any young player coming through. Don’t change, and just do you.”
Genge is the polar opposite of fellow English loose-head Mako Vunipola, who appears as placid as they come both on and off the pitch.
Francis did admit that things were a little quieter in his battles with the veteran Vunipola but stopped short of making too much of a comment.
“Yes, obviously. He’s a world class loose-head as well in his own right," Francis said of the 31-year-old.
“His workrate is up there. He doesn’t have as much small talk but, nah, I’m not getting drawn into that one.
“It is what it is.”
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