Six Nations living up to unpredictable billing

One round in and the Six Nations championship has already lived up to its billing as an open and unpredictable tournament, adding extra spice to this weekend's three fixtures.

Holders France, who repaid coach Marc Lievremont's faith in youth with a confident, creative victory over Scotland last weekend, remain favourites but will run out in front of their own fans to take on Ireland today with yet more changes in an already revolutionary new regime.

Wales, buoyed by their first victory at Twickenham for 20 years and galvanised by the arrival of coach Warren Gatland, host Scotland suddenly believing that they can launch a serious bid for the title a year after scrambling their only win in their final game.

England, so full of hope a week ago, now travel to Rome tomorrow hard-hit by injuries and concerned that a repeat of their second-half display against Wales could put them in danger of a first defeat by Italy.

All the restrictions of the Bernard Laporte era were swept away at Murrayfield last week as Lievremont's fresh faces backed their youthful instincts and eventually shredded an admittedly error-strewn Scotland 27-6.

The coach continued to plough his own furrow when he made five changes for today's game.

It would have been six, as he initially dropped two-try man of the match Vincent Clerc, only to reinstate him after an injury to Julien Malzieu.

"It seems logical to us to see everybody, to give everybody a chance while keeping the team balanced," said Lievremont, who is already winning over the fans bored by the straight-jacketed approach of Laporte.

England have made five changes, four enforced by injuries, to the team beaten 26-19 by Wales, with coach Brian Ashton promising his team will not go back into their shell to secure victory after being shocked by the "seven mad minutes" when Wales turned the game with 17 points.

"It would be very easy to go into a tight mentality, saying we can't afford to lose but this team is going out on Sunday to play some rugby," he said ahead of the first of three successive away games for a team who have lost 15 of their last 16 on the road excluding the World Cup.

Italy's only change from Dublin is Ezio Galon coming in on the wing for the injured Pablo Canavosio as coach Nick Mallett looks for an all-round improvement.