Will Shane WIlliams light up this year's Six Nations like he did 12 months ago? © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Shane Williams

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: Wales

Wales winger Shane Williams has urged people not to confuse his side's confidence with arrogance as they prepare to launch the defence of the Six Nations crown.

The Championship favourties kick off their campaign against Scotland on Sunday and despite the plaudits coming their way, Williams insists it is business as usual for Warren Gatland's side.

"A lot of emphasis has been put on us from outside about being favourites and so on," he said. "But we've taken that with a pinch of salt. We know we have got to approach this tournament the same as we approach every Six Nations, and that's being full of confidence and fully prepared.

"We've trained really well. We are there or thereabouts in terms of our preparation for the first game. But Murrayfield is a tough place to play and we know it is a very good Scotland side. We will need to be on top of our game.

"We are a confident side. There is a confidence in our ability as a team and as individuals, but I don't think we've got a label of arrogance in the squad. You've got to have confidence. You can't go into these games thinking you want to do well, you've got to go in with a positive mindset, which is a little bit different from being arrogant."

Wales boss Warren Gatland has urged his players to embrace the favourites' tag, rather than view it as a suffocating burden. And there should be more than enough experience - 565 caps' worth on Sunday - to ensure Wales go about their business without fear of taking their eye off the ball.

"We've been made favourites and teams will be going out to gun us down and prove a point," said Williams. "It is a tournament, we are the champions and these teams will want to to go out and beat the champions. Of course we would love to do what we did last year. Winning the Grand Slam was a great few weeks but we know it's going to be tough.

"I don't think you can play the same game against all teams. There are lots of things you have to tweak and change, a lot of work goes on in the classroom with analysis. Generally, we want to play the game that suits us and concentrate on how we want to play and not worry about how other teams want us to play.

"The victory over Australia in November reminded us how well we can play. We were disappointed the way we played in the first half against South Africa, and then the second half against New Zealand. We didn't get a consistent 80 minutes and we know we are capable of doing that. We are a fit side that can play for the whole game.

"I think in the Australia game we got everything right and it reminded us when we can play consistently for 80 minutes, we can win the big games."

If Wales have a tough act to follow, then Williams' task takes on an unfathomable degree of difficulty. The Ospreys wing wizard was last season's Six Nations top try-scorer, while he also broke Gareth Thomas' Wales record of 40 Test tries. Accolades duly followed - International Rugby Board player of the year, BBC Wales sports personality of the year, the Rugby Writers' Club player of the year, to name just three.

And his first try in 2009 will take him above former New Zealand wing Jeff Wilson's mark of 44 and into the all-time top six. Should he repeat last season's tournament tally of six tries, then only Japan's Daisuke Ohata and Australian legend David Campese will stand above him.

"As far as I am concerned, it's all about workrate and getting my hands on the ball as much as I can," he said. "The IRB award was a bonus from playing well last season, this is a different year.

"I am not going to put myself under too much pressure. I am not going to try and do something every time I get the ball, that's not how it works. I am experienced enough now. I've learnt from the past that something isn't going to happen every time you get the ball, so it is all about biding your time and getting involved."