Big two favoured as Celts fall foul of fixtures
France and England will expect normal service to be resumed in this year's Six Nations championship following Wales's spectacular gatecrashing of last year's party. Before the Welsh swept to their unexpected and hugely refreshing grand slam triumph,...
France and England will expect normal service to be resumed in this year's Six Nations championship following Wales's spectacular gatecrashing of last year's party. Before the Welsh swept to their unexpected and hugely refreshing grand slam triumph, France and England had bagged nine of the previous 10 titles between them, with Scotland's 1999 success the solitary blip.
France, who host England and Ireland in Paris this time, are evens favourites to regain the title they surrendered last year while England, with home games against Wales and Ireland, are not far behind.
Wales are hard-hit by injuries and with a daunting trip to Twickenham, where they have not won for 18 years, to start their campaign they face a huge task if they are to repeat last season's success.
Ireland, after failing to live up to the hype last year, have their biennial fixture nightmare as well as a transitional squad to severely limit their chances.
Scotland, under new coach Frank Hadden, can only improve while Italy, also with new leadership in the shape of Pierre Berbizier, are desperate to gain any sort of foothold on the championship.
France aim to remain unbeaten at home until the end of the 2007 World Cup and they are looking formidable in Paris at the moment.
However, they face a different kind of test when they begin their campaign on Sunday at Murrayfield.
Not always the best starters, France will want to get their impressive backline moving at the earliest opportunity.
In centre Yannick Jauzion they had Europe's best player last season and outside him the power of Aurelien Rougerie and elusive pace of Christophe Dominici give endless options.
A likely halfback pairing of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Frederic Michalak adds a touch of French magic which can undo even the tightest of defences.
England like to consider themselves one of the tougher nuts to crack, though with five defeats in their last 10 Six Nations games that concept is wearing thin.
However, this season, buoyed by a solid November display, they go into the Six Nations tournament with probably more confidence than at any time since they won the grand slam in 2003 en route to their World Cup triumph.
Coach Andy Robinson, still without long-term injury absentee Jonny Wilkinson, has settled his squad down and the pack looked impressive against Australia and New Zealand.
However, the backline remains very much a work in progress and unless England can quickly nail down some working combinations they are unlikely to threaten in Paris in the penultimate round showdown.
Wales coach Mike Ruddock has vowed to continue with his all-action attacking style, despite being without several of the players who made it work so well last year.
Wales's grand slam was launched via Gavin Henson's late long-range penalty to clinch an 11-9 win over England in Cardiff but it is difficult to see a repeat in the expanded 82,000-seater Twickenham on the tournament's opening day tomorrow.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan, well aware that his team looked past their sell-by-date last year, has acted by introducing several new faces for their Dublin opener against Italy.
Hooker Shane Byrne, 34, was the most high-profile absentee but O'Sullivan says his selections are based on form, not long-term planning.
Italy coach Berbizier's only target is to try to win a game.
The Italians have finished last in four of their six tournaments since entering in 2000 with just two wins, both against Scotland, to their name.
Likewise, Scotland's only win in the last two years came against the Italians and Scottish rugby can ill afford another dispiriting campaign.
There were some signs of hope in November, however, and Hadden has called up some youthful faces in a bid to restore some pride in the team.
Six Nations fixtures 2006
February 4
Ireland vs Italy 14:30
Lansdowne Road (Dublin)
England vs Wales 16:30
Twickenham (London)
February 5
Scotland vs France 16:00
Murrayfield (Edinburgh)
February 11
France vs Ireland 14:30
Stade de France (Paris)
Italy vs England 17:00
Stadio Flaminio (Rome)
February 12
Wales vs Scotland 16:00
Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
February 25
France vs Italy 15:00
Stade de France (Paris)
Scotland vs England 18:30
Murrayfield (Edinburgh)
February 26
Ireland vs Wales 16:00
Lansdowne Road (Dublin)
March 11
Wales vs Italy 14:30
Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
Ireland vs Scotland 16.30
Lansdowne Road (Dublin)
March 12
France vs England 15:00
Stade de France (Paris)
March 18
Italy vs Scotland 14:30
Stadio Flaminio (Rome)
Wales vs France 16:30
Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
England vs Ireland 18:30
Twickenham (London)