Corner stop: Mike Phillips scores against Ireland in Wales' World Cup quarter-final win

By Sarah Mockford, Rugby World Features Editor

IT?S A replay of the World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Wales in Dublin on Sunday afternoon ? and both sides have points to prove.

Having lost twice to the Welsh last year ? 22-10 in that game in Wellington and 19-13 in the Six Nations, a controversial Mike Phillips try proving the difference in Cardiff ? Ireland are eager to get back to winning ways and start their championship campaign with a bang.

Wales will want to show that their memorable RWC run was no fluke and that they are contenders for the Six Nations title. So let?s take a look at the game?s key battle grounds?

Super six: Ryan Jones

Back row

As in New Zealand, the contest between the back rows will be crucial. Ryan Jones comes in for the injured Dan Lydiate and given his form for the Ospreys in recent weeks he?s a more than adequate replacement. His work-rate has been high in both defence and attack, and he also brings key leadership qualities.

Ireland have a phenomenal triumvirate in Jamie Heaslip, Sean O?Brien and Stephen Ferris but they were closed down effectively in that quarter-final, unable to make their usual impact with ball in hand. They will be keen to make amends and cross the gain-line at the Aviva Stadium but will also need to be mindful at the contact area as they don?t have a snaffler of the ball in the same mould as Wales captain Sam Warburton.

Set-piece

Wales might have an edge in terms of turnovers, but Ireland will look to gain an advantage at the set-piece. Mike Ross has provided ballast to the Irish scrum and will want to pile the pressure on Rhys Gill, who has a grand total of three minutes? Test experience. Can Adam Jones even things up against Cian Healy? It is sure to be a tight battle.

Paul O?Connell and Donncha O?Callaghan, playing a record 21^st Six Nations Test together in the Ireland second row, are likely to dominate the lineout exchanges against a pairing ? Ian Evans and Bradley Davies ? that has appeared in just one International.

Attack

So what about the back-lines? Wales will be hugely relieved that Rhys Priestland is fit to start at fly-half. He was the man who sparked their back-line into action at the World Cup, playing flat and bringing Jamie Roberts onto the ball at pace. Roberts provides another fitness boost, but he has a big challenge to recapture his World Cup form after so many weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Big boots to fill: Fergus McFadden wears Brian O'Driscoll's No 13 shirt

The back three of Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert and George North is young, quick and exciting, but they face an experienced and dangerous trio in Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble. It would be great to see these six players brought in off first and second phases, not just in the wide channels.

Ireland?s midfield has been disrupted by the withdrawal of Keith Earls, whose baby daughter is in hospital. Fergus McFadden pulls on the No 13 shirt vacated by injured talisman Brian O?Driscoll and this could actually serve the Irish better because he and Gordon D?Arcy have been playing alongside each other, and talented fly-half Jonathan Sexton, in Leinster colours.

VERDICT: All in all it?s set to be a fiercely competitive match and extremely tight, but with Priestland and Roberts fit I?m going for a one-point Wales win!

IRELAND v WALES, AVIVA STADIUM, SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 3pm, Live on BBC1

IRELAND: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D?Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donncha O?Callaghan, Paul O?Connell, Stephen Ferris, Sean O?Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O?Mahony, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O?Gara, David Kearney.

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Rhys Gill, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Andy Powell, Justin Tipuric, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Chris Robshaw holds up the Calcutta Cup

By Bea Asprey, Rugby World Writer

In a nutshell

ENGLAND’S RBS 6 Nations title defence is still on track as Saturday saw them beat Scotland 6-13 at Murrayfield. Fly-half Charlie Hodgson scored the visitors’ only try 29 seconds into the second half, after he chased down Dan Parks’s kick, while his Saracens team-mate and Test debutant Owen Farrell kicked the conversion and two further penalties. Scotland’s Dan Parks successfully kicked two penalties, but their try drought continues.

Key moment

While Scotland had England on the ropes in the first half, Hodgson’s try early in the second saw the momentum swing in the visitors’ favour, and Scotland were unable to claw their way back. Despite significant pressure throughout the match, England’s defence held firm and Scotland failed to exploit any of their chances, notably that of Richie Gray, when Ben Foden put in a fine cover tackle and Greig Laidlaw, who crossed the line but failed to ground the ball, both in the second half.

Star man

No 8 David Denton impressed (left, with head coach Andy Robinson), making a number of significant carries for Scotland. Winning just his second cap and in the starting line-up for the first time, the Edinburgh man was named Man of the Match, and showed the impact he can have at Test level. In just 80 minutes he has already marked himself out as a key man for the Scots for the rest of the tournament.

Room for improvement

Scotland’s failure to score tries is costing them games, and though England’s defence held firm it was not watertight, and they would arguably have been in trouble against a slicker attacking side. On the subject, Robinson said: “We’ve got to look at what we’re doing as a group and I’m accountable for that. We were not able to convert our chances and it’s a frustration we all feel. We need to keep working in training and put the guys in those situations.”

The winners

England head coach Stuart Lancaster: “After just nine or ten days together this was a great result for us. We’re delighted with the players’ attitude, especially in defence. They played for each other and worked hard for the shirt.”

Owen Farrell (right): “It was good to finally get out there as there’s been lots of talk. We’ve gelled quickly as a team and we fought for each other. The atmosphere was unreal, these games take it out of you mentally as well as physically.”

The losers

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson: “We’ve got a sense of deja-vu, we’ve been here before and we’re bitterly disappointed. Congratulations to Stuart Lancaster, Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree for the victory. They’ve worked hard for that.”

David Denton: “We’ve very disappointed to lose, especially as it was such a close game. I’m happy with how I played, but it’s a game of inches and we made a few errors today, and they’re unforgivable at this level. It’s amazing what a difference a win makes to the atmosphere in a dressing room and we’re very down, but we’re looking forward to showing what we’re capable of against Wales next week.”

Top stats

Scotland won the ball 118 times compared to England’s 46, and completed 238 passes compared with 72 for the visitors. They also spent more time in possession of the ball throughout the game (16.39 to 9.19 first half and 18.54 to 14.16 second), and had more minutes in their opponents’ half (23.13 to 19.00 first half and 25.03 to 18.40 second), so where was the try?

SCOTLAND: Rory Lamont; Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Sean Lamont, Max Evans; Dan Parks (Greig Laidlaw 58), Chris Cusiter (Mike Blair 58); Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford (capt, Scott Lawson 75), Euan Murray (Geoff Cross 75), Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton (Al Kellock 58), Alasdair Strokosch (John Barclay 59), Ross Rennie, David Denton.

Not used: Graeme Morrison.

ENGLAND: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt (Mike Brown 72), Owen Farrell, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson (Jordan Turner-Hall 63), Ben Youngs (Lee Dickson 63); Alex Corbisiero (Matt Stevens 63), Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Mouritz Botha, Tom Palmer (Geoff Parling 58), Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw (capt), Phil Dowson (Ben Morgan 68).

Not used: Rob Webber.

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Click here for highlights of the match

First up: Aurelien Rougerie scores the first of France's four tries against Italy

By Owain Jones, Rugby World Editor

In a nutshell

France gained revenge over Italy after last year?s humbling 22-21 defeat in Rome, romping to a four-try, 30-12 win. The scoreline didn?t reflect a game in which the Azzurri, under new coach Jacques Brunel, had plenty of possession, and at least tried to play with some ambition. Sadly they didn?t have the attacking arsenal to make their territorial advantage count and were undone by a more incisive French backline. Aurelien Rougerie and Julien Malzieu ran in from distance in the first-half and Vincent Clerc and debutant Wesley Fofana crossed the whitewash after the break giving Philippe Saint-Andre?s the perfect start to his coaching career with Les Bleus.

Key moment

Although Italy had enjoyed more territory and possession in the first-half, their resolve was broken by Julien Malzieu in the 35^th minute. Taking the ball some 50metres out, Malzieu evaded three Italian defenders along the touchline, before stepping inside and using a power fend to carry himself over the line. The score gave the French a nine-point deficit as they went in 15-6 at the break.

Good show: Fofana impressed on debut

Star man: Wesley Fofana

There were fine performances from Julien Malzieu and Aurelien Rougerie out wide but it was the young powerhouse from Clermont Auvergne caught the eye. Fofana grew in confidence as the game opened up showcasing his full repertoire of skills; quick feet, vision and the strength to finish some concerted French pressure late on with a well-taken try.

Room for improvement

Italy?s renowned scrummaging power was given a thorough examination throughout the game as Nicolas Mas and Vincent Debaty gave experienced duo Martin Castrogiovanni and Andrea Lo Cicero an uncomfortable afternoon, with the French even winning two scrums against the head. Brunel will have plenty of work to do before they meet England next week. The Azzurri will also have nightmares watching Julien Malzieu’s try again and again. Defence, what defence?

In quotes ? the winners

France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre: ?As a coach, you seek perfection but today you saw a great defence, a good discipline and we even scored four tries. Italy employed a strategy that saw them keep the ball. They didn’t give it up easily.”

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili: “We are very happy to have beaten Italy because last year they beat us in Rome, so it’s a bit of revenge. “We are World Cup finalists and everyone is waiting for us, so it’s going to be very hard.

In quotes ? the losers

Italy coach Jacques Brunel: ?We showed a good spirit on the pitch, always trying to attack and put the French on the backfoot. It’s sometimes difficult to find the words to explain the missed passes and everything else that went wrong.?

Italy captain Sergio Parisse: “We showed ambition, a desire to play and had lots of ball but we needed to be more clinical because we had chances to score but didn’t. I don’t recall having dominated the game and France played it well. They managed to score some tries.”

Boot boy: Burton slotted all of Italy's points

Top stats

France made 99 tackles, missing only three, compared to Italy?s 64 yet they missed nine tackles.

France made double the line breaks with six, compared to Italy?s 3.

Italy made 157 passes to France?s 123.

Both France and Italy won six turnovers.

France: Maxime Medard; Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie (Maxime Mermoz 75), Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu; Francois Trinh-Duc (Lionel Beauxis 75), Dimitri Yachvili (Morgan Parra 62); Vincent Debaty (Poux 62), William Servat (Dimitri Szarzweski, 55), Nicolas Mas (Vincent Debaty 75), Pascal Pape, Lionel Nallet (Yoann Maestri 51), Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire, Louis Picamoles (Imanol Harinordoquy 65)

Tries: Rougerie, Malzieu, Clerc, Fofana.
Cons: Yachvili (2)
Pens: Yachvili (2)

Italy: Andrea Masi; Giovanbattista Venditti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi (Gonzalo Canale 56) Luke McLean; Kristopher Burton (Tobias Botes 56), Edoardo Gori (Fabio Semenzato 75); Andrea Lo Cicero (Cittadini 63), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Tommaso D?Apice 75), Martin Castrogiovanni, Cornelius Van Zyl (Marco Bortalami 56), Quintin Geldenhuys, Alessandro Zanni, Robert Barbieri (Simone Favaro 67), Sergio Parisse

Sin-bin: Geldenhuys (71)
Pens: Burton (3)
Drop-goals: Burton (1)

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Match highlights (video)

Second's up: Jonathan Davies crosses for his second try in Wales' win over Ireland in Dublin

By Sarah Mockford, Rugby World Features Editor

In a nutshell

Undoubtedly the game of the Six Nations to date ? though that doesn’t do this match justice after what Scotland and England offered up yesterday! A fiercely contested game with both Ireland and Wales showing huge intent to play rugby, keeping ball in hand and working the phases. The lead changed hands six times but it was Wales who demonstrated the classier attacking moves, Rhys Priestland bringing his back-line onto the ball at pace and mixing up the point of attack as his team ran in three tries. The two Irish tries came from patient phase play that stretched the Welsh defence and allowed Ireland to find space out wide. Bradley Davies was sin-binned for a dangerous tip tackle on Donnacha Ryan and is likely to be cited, but it was a similar offence by Stephen Ferris that gave Leigh Halfpenny the chance to kick the winning three points, which he duly did.

Key moment

In the 80^th minute, after both sides had scored tries with Bradley Davies in the sin-bin, Wales demonstrated patience as they worked the ball from their own 22 into Ireland?s half and referee Wayne Barnes awarded a hugely significant penalty as Stephen Ferris upended Ian Evans and was yellow-carded. Leigh Halfpenny, cool as the proverbial cucumber, stepped up to nail the kick and hand Wales victory.

North star: George celebrates

Star man ? George North

Wales? young wing yet again proved what a talent he is. He may still be a teenager but his 6ft-plus physique makes him difficult to stop, as he demonstrated when scoring Wales? third try by driving through two defenders. He also showed great skills with his feet and hands ? a one-handed, back-handed offload setting up Jonathan Davies for his second try. Looking forward to seeing more of North for years to come ? I could watch this guy all day.

Room for improvement

Wales must look at their lineout ? Ireland were able to steal four throws ? and they might want to look at Leigh Halfpenny kicking for goal from the off after Rhys Priestland?s misses cost them seven points. Leave Priestland to concentrate on running the attack.

Ireland desperately missed Brian O?Driscoll with Gordon D?Arcy and Fergus McFadden failing to make much impact in attack. This, in turn, meant Ireland?s back three didn?t get much quality ball. They must find a Plan B, too, for when their back row isn’t able to make its usual inroads.

Both sides need to look at their discipline ? giving away needless penalties as well as yellow cards ? and must be more purposeful with their kicking game. A few kicks here were too easy for the opposition to deal with and the chases wasn’t up to scratch either.

In quotes

Wales coach Warren Gatland: ?We?ve been a bit unlucky in the past, losing games in the last few minutes. Here we were reasonably lucky. We didn?t play as well as we can; I think we only showed 70% of what we?re capable of doing ? when we get it right??

Tommy boy: Bowe scores in the corner

Top stats

Wales completed 201 passes compared to Ireland?s 153 and passed from rucks 90 times (Ireland did that 58 times) ? showing their keenness to keep the ball in hand and build phases.

Ireland made twice as many offloads out of the tackle as Wales ? six to three ? and made 127 tackles compared to Wales? 94.

IRELAND: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D?Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton (Ronan O?Gara 77), Conor Murray (Eoin Reddan 77); Cian Healy (Tom Court 74), Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donncha O?Callaghan (Donnacha Ryan 63), Paul O?Connell (captain), Stephen Ferris, Sean O?Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Try: Best, Bowe.
Con: Sexton.
Pen: Sexton 3.

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert (James Hook h-t), Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Rhys Gill, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones (Paul James 70), Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (captain, Justin Tipuric h-t), Toby Faletau.
Try: J Davies 2, North.
Con: Halfpenny.
Pen: Halfpenny 2.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

New boy: Saracens centre Owen Farrell, 20, makes his much-anticipated England debut on Saturday

SARACENS CENTRES Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt will make their Test debuts in England’s midfield against Scotland in the Calcutta Cup on Saturday evening.

It’s the first time England have picked an uncapped centre pairing since Ben Johnston and Geoff Appleford teamed up in 2002 against Argentina.

Farrell and Barritt will form an all-Saracens 10-12-13 combination along with Charlie Hodgson for England’s opening RBS 6 Nations fixture while Phil Dowson is the third uncapped player in the starting XV, winning his first cap at No 8 with captain Chris Robshaw at openside and Tom Croft at blindside.

Another Saracen, David Strettle, steps into Mark Cueto’s boots in the back three, which also features Ben Foden and Chris Ashton, while Mouritz Botha teams up with Tom Palmer in the second row.

There are a further five uncapped players on the bench in Wasps hooker Rob Webber, Leicester lock Geoff Parling, Scarlets No 8 Ben Morgan, Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson and Harlequins centre Jordan Turner-Hall.

Great eight: Phil Dowson

England have just 236 Test caps compared to Scotland‘s 501 for what is sure to be a feisty Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield ? but interim head coach Stuart Lancaster is in positive mood ahead of his first game in charge.

“We have been impressed with how the whole group has come together in the last ten days and we have done a lot of work on and off the field,” he said.

?Now is the time to turn all that into a performance against Scotland that we can all be proud of. It is a massive challenge ? Murrayfield, the first game of the Six Nations ? but one we are relishing.?

ENGLAND TEAM TO PLAY SCOTLAND AT MURRAYFIELD ON SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 5pm

Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson, Ben Youngs; Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Mouritz Botha, Tom Palmer, Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw (captain), Phil Dowson.
Replacements: Rob Webber, Matt Stevens, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson, Jordan Turner-Hall, Mike Brown.

Sailosi Tagicakibau will return for London Irish

London Irish has made five changes to its side for tomorrow?s LV= cup round four clash with Gloucester at Madejski Stadium (kick-off 3pm).

Adam Thompstone and Sailosi Tagicakibau come onto the wings with Shontayne Hape and Jonathan Spratt forming the centre partnership. Matt Garvey will start at blindside flanker after returning to the club from England Saxons duty.

London Irish head coach Toby Booth said: ?This time of year is always difficult with players away on international duty. That has been exacerbated by the injury list we currently have. However, last weekend we showed a lot of attacking intent which we aim to replicate tomorrow whilst being more clinical in the final third.?

London Irish Starting XV:
15. Tom Homer
14. Adam Thompstone
13. Jonathan Spratt
12. Shontayne Hape
11. Sailosi Tagicakibau
10. Dan Bowden
9. Darren Allinson
1. Clarke Dermody (Captain)
2. Brian Blaney
3. Paulica Ion
4. Nick Kennedy
5. Bryn Evans
6. Matt Garvey
7. David Sisi
8. Richard Thorpe

Replacements:
16. David Paice
17. Max Lahiff
18. Mark George
19. Kieran Roche
20. Alex Gray
21. Guy Armitage
22. Adrian Jarvis
23. Ross Samson

Mat Turner is tackled by Jerome Vogel of the Cook Islands

England will face Tonga in the quarter finals of the Hertz Sevens in Wellington after cruising through today?s pool stages.

They beat the USA 29-0 and the Cook Islands 27-12 before resting players in the final game and suffering a 14-10 reverse against South Africa.

The played three, won two record means the Blitzbokke will face HSBC Sevens World Series leaders Fiji while England take on the Tongans at 03:55GMT tomorrow. The winners are likely to meet hosts New Zealand in the semi finals.

Former Gloucester wing Dan Norton took his try tally to 16 for the season with four more scores in his two outings and is third in the overall table behind teammate Mat Turner (17) and New Zealand?s Frank Halai (20). And head coach Ben Ryan?s decision to rest his leading players for the final game means England will be fresh going into tomorrow?s knock-out stages.

?We played okay against the Cook Islands and really well against the USA which put us in the quarter finals knowing that if we lost we?d play Tonga and that if we won we?d play Fiji with a lot of guys rested,? said Ryan. ?We just lost to South Africa but it was the right decision to make although Tonga will be tough and we?ll have to play well to beat them.?

England were slick and direct in their opening two outings to make sure they avoided any slip-ups in their bid to close a four-point gap on series leaders Fiji and New Zealand. Two Norton tries, one apiece from Turner and Greg Barden, and a try with his first touch for new cap Tom Mitchell earned them a 27-12 win over the Cooks, with Arthur Mui and Sean Fletcher replying late on.

Then they shut out the USA 29-0 with two more Norton efforts, Turner?s 17th of the season and further tries from Mitchell and Christian Lewis-Pratt, who added two conversions.

Oxford University student Mitchell?s third try of the day gave England an early lead against South Africa but Mark Richards and Branco du Preez got the Blitzbokke in front before captain Barden?s late reply.

Hertz Sevens, quarter finals: New Zealand v France, England v Tonga, Canada v Samoa, South Africa v Fiji.

Back at the races: Rhys Priestland and Jamie Roberts are fit for Wales' game against Ireland

RHYS PRIESTLAND and Jamie Roberts have been selected in the Wales team to play Ireland in their opening RBS 6 Nations game on Sunday.

Fly-half Priestland and centre Roberts, who both impressed for Wales at the World Cup, had been struggling with knee injuries but have recovered in time to earn starting berths.

Cardiff Blues wing Alex Cuthbert replaces Shane Williams in Wales’ back three, although it is George North who will wear the famous No 11 shirt with Leigh Halfpenny retained at full-back.

New prop: Saracens' Rhys Gill comes in for Gethin Jenkins

Rhys Gill comes into the front row in place of injured prop Gethin Jenkins. The Saracens loosehead will win his second cap in Dublin and will have a big task to get the better of Ireland’s Mike Ross at scrum time, but he does have experienced heads Adam Jones and Huw Bennett, who will win his 50th cap, alongside him.

Dan Lydiate hasn’t recovered from his ankle injury and his place at blindside is taken by former Wales captain Ryan Jones.

Ireland will be looking to gain revenge for their two recent defeats by Wales ? a controversial Mike Phillips try giving the Welsh victory in Cardiff in last year’s Six Nations as well as that comprehensive win by the men in red in the World Cup quarter-final in Wellington. But Wales coach Warren Gatland insists his team are up for the challenge.

?We have been able to retain continuity in some key areas, we have been working hard and we feel we are approaching this match with the right attitude and with some good preparation work done,? said Gatland.

?We are two sides who know each other well, Ireland will not have enjoyed losing to us in New Zealand, they will want to redress the balance in Dublin this weekend, but they will find us in just as determined mood.?

WALES TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND AT AVIVA STADIUM ON SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 3pm

Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Rhys Gill, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Andy Powell, Justin Tipuric, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams

Hooker Ross Ford will captain Scotland for the first time on Saturday

By Bea Asprey, Rugby World Writer

Stuart Lancaster’s fresh-faced England side will attempt to beat Scotland at Murrayfield for the first time since 2004 on Saturday, but although the visitors beat their hosts twice in 2011, they will have their work cut out for them if they are to overcome this fired up Scottish side. The Scots have a horrible habit of losing games in their dying minutes, but here are the reasons why I pick them as favourites to come out on top on the opening weekend of the RBS 6 Nations.

Chris Robshaw

England’s inexperience

England have a combined total of just 233 caps in their starting lineup, and Lancaster has picked three Test debutants – the midfield partnership of  Saracens Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell, and Northampton Saint Phil Dowson who will fill the No 8 jersey – and there are also five newcomers on the bench. Furthermore, new England captain Chris Robshaw has won just one cap so far, making him the most inexperienced skipper since Nigel Melville led the side on his debut in 1984, and this young team will have to find their Test feet fast if they are to keep up with Andy Robinson’s more experienced outfit, who have 499 Test caps between them. Lancaster’s tactic of picking four Saracens in England’s back line ensures these players are used to operating alongside one another, but they have never done so on the big stage, and expecting them to be able to live with the pace and intensity of the international game with no previous experience will be a big ask.

Scotland’s growing confidence

England laboured to both their 22-16 Six Nations and 16-12 World Cup victories over Scotland last year, a factor that will stand out in the Scots’ minds. The boys in blue will draw confidence from the fact that they nearly beat England on their home patch last season, and will be determined to shake off their ‘nearly men’ tag and grind out that win. The Scots will have the backing of a passionate and packed out Murrayfield crowd, the heat of which a number of England’s youngsters will never have experienced before. Furthermore, in Leicester’s Heineken Cup battering by Ulster Ben Youngs and Dan Cole lost their cool, and it’s essential that the more experienced heads in the team are able to remain focused.

Auld rivalries

As if the Calcutta Cup doesn’t provide any Scotland team with enough motivation to perform at their best, their last defeat at England’s hands brought them an early flight home from the World Cup, and a win on Saturday would go a long way to healing those wounds. Furthermore, Robinson has voiced his anger in recent weeks at the England players’ arrogance towards his side in New Zealand, and it’s clear that the ancient rivalry between these two nations is very much alive and well.

Key men

Robinson’s first choice of skipper was Kelly Brown, but when the back rower got injured in Saracens Heineken Cup victory over Treviso he turned to his World Cup hooker, Ross Ford. The Lion will be determined to show that he is worthy of the job and lead a successful side, and he has demanded that his team start to close out tight games and produce victories. 23-year-old Edinburgh winger Lee Jones will also be one to watch, and Scotland fans will be hoping he can bring some tries to the home score sheet.

England captain Chris Robshaw is an unknown quantity at Test level, but Lancaster will be hoping he can transfer his leadership skills that have clearly been successful for Harlequins so far this season. Although there is a youthful streak about this team, it will be important for the more experienced players such as Tom Croft, Ben Youngs and Ben Foden to help Robshaw lead the side and make decisions.

SCOTLAND V ENGLAND, MURRAYFIELD, SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 5pm, Live on BBC1

SCOTLAND: Rory Lamont; Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Sean Lamont, Max Evans; Dan Parks, Chris Cusiter; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford (capt), Euan Murray, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, Ross Rennie, David Denton.

Replacements: Scott Lawson, Geoff Cross, Alastair Kellock, John Barclay, Mike Blair, Greig Laidlaw, Graeme Morrison.

ENGLAND: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson, Ben Youngs; Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Mouritz Botha, Tom Palmer, Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw (capt), Phil Dowson.

Replacements: Rob Webber, Matt Stevens, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson, Jordan Turner-Hall, Mike Brown.

VERDICT: Experience will overcome youth this time. Scotland to win by 6.

Highlights of last year’s Calcutta Cup

Corner stop: Mike Phillips scores against Ireland in Wales' World Cup quarter-final win

By Sarah Mockford, Rugby World Features Editor

IT?S A replay of the World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Wales in Dublin on Sunday afternoon ? and both sides have points to prove.

Having lost twice to the Welsh last year ? 22-10 in that game in Wellington and 19-13 in the Six Nations, a controversial Mike Phillips try proving the difference in Cardiff ? Ireland are eager to get back to winning ways and start their championship campaign with a bang.

Wales will want to show that their memorable RWC run was no fluke and that they are contenders for the Six Nations title. So let?s take a look at the game?s key battle grounds?

Super six: Ryan Jones

Back row

As in New Zealand, the contest between the back rows will be crucial. Ryan Jones comes in for the injured Dan Lydiate and given his form for the Ospreys in recent weeks he?s a more than adequate replacement. His work-rate has been high in both defence and attack, and he also brings key leadership qualities.

Ireland have a phenomenal triumvirate in Jamie Heaslip, Sean O?Brien and Stephen Ferris but they were closed down effectively in that quarter-final, unable to make their usual impact with ball in hand. They will be keen to make amends and cross the gain-line at the Aviva Stadium but will also need to be mindful at the contact area as they don?t have a snaffler of the ball in the same mould as Wales captain Sam Warburton.

Set-piece

Wales might have an edge in terms of turnovers, but Ireland will look to gain an advantage at the set-piece. Mike Ross has provided ballast to the Irish scrum and will want to pile the pressure on Rhys Gill, who has a grand total of three minutes? Test experience. Can Adam Jones even things up against Cian Healy? It is sure to be a tight battle.

Paul O?Connell and Donncha O?Callaghan, playing a record 21^st Six Nations Test together in the Ireland second row, are likely to dominate the lineout exchanges against a pairing ? Ian Evans and Bradley Davies ? that has appeared in just one International.

Attack

So what about the back-lines? Wales will be hugely relieved that Rhys Priestland is fit to start at fly-half. He was the man who sparked their back-line into action at the World Cup, playing flat and bringing Jamie Roberts onto the ball at pace. Roberts provides another fitness boost, but he has a big challenge to recapture his World Cup form after so many weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Big boots to fill: Fergus McFadden wears Brian O'Driscoll's No 13 shirt

The back three of Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert and George North is young, quick and exciting, but they face an experienced and dangerous trio in Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble. It would be great to see these six players brought in off first and second phases, not just in the wide channels.

Ireland?s midfield has been disrupted by the withdrawal of Keith Earls, whose baby daughter is in hospital. Fergus McFadden pulls on the No 13 shirt vacated by injured talisman Brian O?Driscoll and this could actually serve the Irish better because he and Gordon D?Arcy have been playing alongside each other, and talented fly-half Jonathan Sexton, in Leinster colours.

VERDICT: All in all it?s set to be a fiercely competitive match and extremely tight, but with Priestland and Roberts fit I?m going for a one-point Wales win!

IRELAND v WALES, AVIVA STADIUM, SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 3pm, Live on BBC1

IRELAND: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D?Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donncha O?Callaghan, Paul O?Connell, Stephen Ferris, Sean O?Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O?Mahony, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O?Gara, David Kearney.

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Rhys Gill, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Andy Powell, Justin Tipuric, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Alasdair Dickinson training with Scotland during the World Cup

Alasdair Dickinson the 28-year-old Sale Sharks prop has been ruled out of involvement in Saturday?s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against England at Murrayfield.

Dickinson was unable to train fully with the squad at their St Andrews camp last week on account of a shoulder injury he had sustained in his club?s Amlin Challenge Cup match against Brive earlier this month.

Scotland lead physiotherapist Paul McGinley confirmed tonight: ?Alasdair was unable to train with the squad today as he is still recovering from the shoulder injury.

?We are returning him to continue his recovery with his club and we will reassess his situation after the England game.?

The Scotland team for the Calcutta Cup match will be announced tomorrow.

Former Australia captain Rocky Elsom will lead the Waratahs this season

Rocky Elsom was today confirmed as captain of the HSBC Waratahs for the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby season.

A world-class flanker and renowned leader, Elsom led Australia in 24 Test matches between 2009 and 2011, a record matched by only four players in Wallaby history.

The 28-year-old returned to NSW this season, having previously represented the state on 66 occasions between 2003 and 2008, scoring ten tries and winning the 2007 Matthew Burke Cup for HSBC Waratahs Players? Player of the Year.

Said HSBC Waratahs Head Coach Michael Foley, ?We have spent the past months in discussions with senior players in an effort to determine the best man for the job. There will never be a perfect replacement for retired skipper Phil Waugh however  after defining the role and what it was the players expected and wanted from a captain, Rocky was the stand out candidate.?

As part of the leadership team involved in the process, Benn Robinson believes the team has found the right man for the role. ?It was important for the players to have someone who represented the best interests of the team.

?In Rocky we have someone who can fly the flag, as well as personify what the leadership group and ultimately the team is all about, on and off the field.?

With 66 Super Rugby caps, Elsom is the 17th most capped Waratah in Super Rugby history.  A product of Brisbane’s Nudgee College, he represented Australia at Under-16 level in 1999 and Australian Schools in 2000 before being picked up by NRL club the Bulldogs, where he spent the following two seasons.

Following his return to Rugby Union in 2003, Elsom featured heavily for the HSBC Waratahs in three years of the Super 12 tournament before making his Wallaby debut in 2005.

Described by his NSW team-mates as a standard setter, Elsom was voted the Wallabies’ outstanding player in 2008.  Moving to Ireland at the close of the season, he helped Irish Province Leinster reach the 2009 Heineken Cup Final, claiming man of the match awards in the semi final victory over Munster ? for an incredible eleventh time in 13 matches -  and in the finals triumph over Leicester Tigers, before being voted Leinster Rugby Player of the Year.

His return to Australia paid off when he was named as the 76th captain of Australia by coach Robbie Deans upon announcement of the squad for the 2009 end-of-year tour. His first Test as captain came against New Zealand in Tokyo in October 2009, his last was against South Africa at Durban in 2011. In his 24 Tests at the helm, Australia won 13, lost 10 and drew one.  Under his leadership, Australia recorded a record win (59-16) over France in Paris in 2010. The Wallabies also won on the high veldt in South Africa for the first time in 47 years in 2010.

Before joining the HSBC Waratahs after the conclusion of last year?s Rugby World Cup, Elsom made his 75th appearance for the Wallabies in the epic semi-final against New Zealand, having been a
regular for the Wallabies since making a try-scoring debut in 2005 against Samoa.

Having undergone surgery on his right hamstring last November, Elsom is on course with his rehabilitation program, and is expected to return within the first month of the season. ?Due to the nature of the modern game we will need to call on different players to captain the side during the season,? said Foley, who will be relying on the strength of the eight-man leadership group already in place.

The HSBC Waratahs will face last season?s champions the Queensland Reds at ANZ Stadium in the opening round of the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby season on Saturday, February 25.

In preparation, they will play two trial matches against Pacific Island opposition, firstly against Samoa at Tamworth (Friday February 10) then against Tonga at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday February 17, kick off 7.40pm.

The visitors arrived in second place behind league leaders Bristol but returned to the East Midlands with just a losing bonus point, thanks to a near faultless goal-kicking display from Carnegie fullback Tommy Bell.

Leeds started the brighter and established base camp in the Bedford red zone on several occasions. But failure to adjust to the slippery conditions meant that ambition was not matched by execution, and the visitors were seldom required to defend more than eight phases before Leeds surrendered possession.

Bell put Leeds on the scoreboard with the first of his seven penalties before James Pritchard replied when Leeds went offside.

The visitors went ahead when Ian Vaas scored in the corner following an offload from Josh Bassett that appeared to have been knocked on. Referee Dave Pearson thought otherwise but Pritchard was wide with the conversion.

Bell pulled three points back before the break to leave the home side trailing 6-11 at the interval.

A steamy affair at Headingley

Joe Barker replaced Joe Ford at fly-half early in the second period. Ford was not at his best with kicks from hand but was not helped by his front five?s insistence on cluttering up the midfield to reduce his options and present slow ball.

Barker?s game management and sharpened tactical awareness soon paid dividends and Leeds began to kick-chase effectively and force Bedford into conceding penalties at the breakdown.

Bell took full advantage of the Blues? indiscretions and chipped away, eventually putting Leeds 18-14 ahead with 12 minutes to go before Mr Pearson?s patience was finally exhausted and Brendan Burke was sent to the sin bin.

Pritchard managed to reduce the gap to a point before man-of-the-match Bell completed his almost perfect seven to see Leeds complete the double over Bedford with a 21-17 win. Check out  – albeit fairly limited – highlights of the game

On Friday evening, Moseley held on against Plymouth to win by 9-3 in a try-less encounter at Billesley Common. Glyn Hughes kicked three penalties in the first half hour, but despite being dominant for most of a scoreless second half, Albion could only muster a losing bonus point from a James Love penalty.

Doncaster saw off improving Esher?s challenge winning 41-24 at Castle Park on Saturday thanks to a hat-trick, four conversions and a penalty from former Esher man Dougie Flockhart. Esher played their part in a scintillating game with three tries but headed back south empty-handed.

The Cornish Pirates exploited Bedford?s defeat to leapfrog them into second place with a 27-6 win at the Mennaye Field. Sunday wasn?t a day for running rugby in Cornwall either, but the Pirates? pack managed to breach the Exiles? line twice in the first half for Rudi Brits then Dave Ward to touch down.

By the interval, the visitors were 20-6 adrift and things didn?t get any better after the break when Matt Evans hacked and won the race to the line. The Welsh weren?t helped when Gordon Ross was binned in the 54^th minute. For extended highlights, click here: http://cornish-pirates.com/pirates_tv/eye_player.htm

London Scottish remain second from bottom despite a spirited performance against Nottingham at Richmond on Sunday. Tim Streather?s late try sealed it for the Green and Whites; with a game in hand, they now look certain to finish Stage One in the top eight.

Finally, leaders Bristol dispatched Rotherham 37-3 in front of 4,822 at the Memorial Stadium on Sunday to underline their promotion credentials. Tries from Will Helu and Fautua Otto in a dominant first period, and from James Merriman, Ross Johnston and Jack Tovey in the second half clinched the bonus point. Click here to see the tries: http://www.bristolrugby.co.uk/news/7540/video-bristol-rugby-vs-rotherham-titans/

This leaves Bristol nine points clear at the top. For how the table looks after week 19, click here: http://clubs.rfu.com/Fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=130433319

With the most intriguing Six Nations for years kicking off this weekend, week 20 of the Championship promises equal intrigue with Bristol at home to Moseley and Bedford, who will be keen to get back to winning ways, hosting Plymouth.

Raring to go! England's Katy McLean shows off the trophy with her fellow Women's Six Nations captains

ALL EYES might be on the men’s RBS 6 Nations as teams look to build on their World Cup success ? or erase the disappointments of New Zealand from their memory ? but the women’s championship should provide plenty of entertainment too.

After all, England Women have enjoyed far more success than their male counterparts recently. Having lost narrowly to New Zealand in the 2010 Women’s World Cup final, England gained revenge by beating the Black Ferns back-to-back for the first time and then drawing 8-8 with them to take the Test series 2-0 at the end of last year.

On the attack: Michaela Staniford breaks New Zealand's defence last November

Having not lost in the Six Nations since Wales beat them 16-15 in 2009, England are aiming to achieve a hat-trick of Grand Slams this spring as they look to build on the momentum created by their success against New Zealand.

England coach Gary Street says: “I think this is going to be the toughest Six Nations we have experienced in quite some time. Every game is going to be a challenge.

“If we can put the performances in, then hopefully the results will take care of themselves. Following our series win over the world champions New Zealand we have set ourselves a high bar to live up to and for us it will be disappointing if we can?t keep improving on our performances.?

In a boost to the profile of women’s rugby, two games will be played after men’s fixtures at their national stadiums ? England-Wales at Twickenham on 25 February and Wales-Italy at the Millennium Stadium on 10 March ? and Sky Sports will televise England’s penultimate game against France live on Sunday 11 March.

Taking the lead: Wales' Rachel Taylor

Wales finished fourth in last year’s championship, but will be looking to impress this season on those big stages. It’s the first time they have had the chance to play at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and new captain Rachel Taylor can’t wait. “Both stadiums have a huge capacity, which is something we’re not quite used to, but it’ll be great to get more exposure,” says the back-rower.

“Any exposure in Wales is great because we don’t have that much strength in depth so the more people that are aware of and become involved in women’s rugby the better. It’ll be great to run out at the Millennium Stadium. There’s always a great atmosphere there and the pitch looks fantastic to play on ? it’ll just be awesome.”

For all the Women’s Six Nations fixtures, click here

Happy days: Lee Jones celebrates a try for Edinburgh and will make his Test debut on Saturday

EDINBURGH WING Lee Jones will win his first cap for Scotland in their opening RBS 6 Nations game against England on Saturday at Murrayfield.

Jones is the only uncapped player in Andy Robinson’s line-up, while his club mates Ross Rennie and David Denton, both back-row forwards, will make their first starts in the championship. Rennie forces John Barclay, for so long Scotland’s first-choice openside, onto the bench.

Robinson said: ?I?ve been pleased with the consistency Lee Jones has shown and he fully deserves to win his first cap.

Lucky seven: Ross Rennie has ousted John Barclay as Scotland's openside

?Form has played a part in selection. Edinburgh?s qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and Glasgow?s performances in the RaboDirect Pro12 mean that competition for places has intensified, particularly in the back row.”

Scarlets wing Sean Lamont comes into the centre, where he proved so effective for Scotland during last year’s Six Nations, while his brother Rory starts at full-back.

Dan Parks and Chris Cusiter team up at half-back with Edinburgh’s Mike Blair and Greig Laidlaw are on the bench, while Jim Hamilton’s bulk will complement Richie Gray’s athleticism in the engine room.

SCOTLAND TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND ON SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY AT MURRAYFIELD, KICK-OFF 5pm

Rory Lamont; Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Sean Lamont, Max Evans; Dan Parks, Chris Cusiter; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford (capt), Euan Murray, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, Ross Rennie, David Denton.

Replacements: Scott Lawson, Geoff Cross, Al Kellock, John Barclay, Mike Blair, Greig Laidlaw, Graeme Morrison.

New boy: Clermont centre Wesley Fofana will make his Test debut for France on Saturday

FRANCE COACH Philippe Saint-Andre has picked a hugely experienced team to take on Italy in their opening RBS 6 Nations match on Saturday.

The starting XV contains 605 caps ? and there’s another 236 on the bench! ? but there is one uncapped player who will make his Test debut at the Stade de France. Wesley Fofana will partner Aurelien Rougerie in midfield ? the first time in history that both France centres have come from the Clermont Auvergne club.

Saint-Andre is full of praise for Fofana, saying: “He brings enthusiasm and freshness. We know his qualities, his speed. He must show his qualities, enjoy himself and show what he does for his club.”

Half century: France captain Thierry Dusautoir will win his 50th cap

Captain Thierry Dusautoir and tighthead Nicolas Mas will both win their 50th Test caps while loosehead Vincent Debaty will make his Six Nations debut. His only previous Test appearance came against Romania in June 2006.

Dusautoir forms a powerful back row with Julien Bonnaire and Louis Picamoles ? Biarritz No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy pushed onto the bench ? as the French attempt to avenge last year’s historical defeat by Italy.

Dimitri Yachvili is given the nod at scrum-half ahead of Morgan Parra with Francois Trinh-Duc in the No 10 jersey while Italy should be wary of an explosive back three featuring Julien Malzieu, Vincent Clerc and Maxime Medard.

FRANCE TEAM TO PLAY ITALY ON SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY AT STADE DE FRANCE, KICK-OFF 2.30pm

Maxime Medard; Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu; Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili; Vincent Debaty, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Pape, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire, Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Yoann Maestri, Imanol Harinordoquy, Morgan Parra, Lionel Beauxis, Maxime Mermoz.

Catching the eye: Ben Foden can be seen in England colours in the Six Nations but what does his food mosaic look like?

WE’RE USED to seeing Ben Foden running around rugby pitches for Northampton and England, but here’s your chance to see him made of food!

To celebrate his new deal with Multipower Sportsfood, the company commissioned acclaimed food artist Prudence Staite to produce a mosaic of Foden made purely from their products ? and here’s the video showing how they did it as well as the finished product.

For your chance to win a ball signed by Foden and Multipower product, head to our competitions page.

Putting his hand up: Leicester lock Ed Slater has a chance to impress for the Saxons on Friday night

ED SLATER and Jonathan Joseph will make their debuts for England Saxons against a strong Scotland A side at Galashiels on Friday night.

The Leicester lock comes in for Matt Garvey while London Irish’s Joseph, who was part of the England U20 side that reached the final of last year’s Junior World Cup, replaces Matt Hopper in midfield in two of eight changes made by Jon Callard to the side that beat Ireland Wolfhounds 23-17 last weekend.

Gloucester speedster Jonny May makes his much-anticipated first start on the wing while Nick Abendanon is at full-back and Ryan Lamb replaces Freddie Burns at fly-half.

In the pack, Exeter back-rower Tom Johnson takes over the No 8 shirt from Thomas Waldrom, Chris Brooker replaces his Harlequins team-mate Joe Gray at hooker and Gloucester prop Nick Wood comes in for Matt Mullan.

Callard knows that the Saxons need to add more finesse to an attacking game plan that stuttered last time out.

?We need to back up that performance against the Wolfhounds by getting it right away from home against Scotland this week,? said coach Callard.

?The endeavour and energy we showed last week at Exeter was first class, but not everything was absolutely spot on and we need to improve our accuracy and execution.”

Wise head: Scrum-half Rory Lawson went to the World Cup with Scotland

Scotland A have picked a strong line-up themselves, with Gloucester scrum-half Rory Lawson captaining the side against some of his clubmates.

His half-back partner is Duncan Weir, who has impressed for Glasgow this season, particularly with his metronomic boot. His exciting Warriors team-mate Stuart Hogg starts at full-back while Simon Danielli and Alex Grove add experience in the threequarters.

Up front, Glasgow provide the whole of the tight five ? Jon Welsh, Dougie Hall, Ed Kalman, Rob Harley and Tom Ryder ? and will be hoping that cohesion allows them to cause England problems in the scrum after the Saxons pack dominated the Irish in that area of the game last weekend.

?The Saxons showed against Ireland Wolfhounds last Saturday that they?ve got real ability across their side, so we know we need to deliver in every facet of our performance,” said Scotland A coach Michael Bradley.

?As a coaching team, we?re happy with the skill-set and the balance of the side we?ll have running out come Friday. It?s a real opportunity for a good number of guys to stick their hand up and show they?re worthy of selection during the RBS 6 Nations. The most effective way for them to do that is to contribute fully to a winning performance against the Saxons.?

ENGLAND SAXONS v SCOTLAND A, GALASHIELS, FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.30pm

England Saxons: Nick Abendanon; Ugo Monye, Jonathan Joseph, Billy Twelvetrees, Jonny May; Ryan Lamb, Ben Spencer; Nick Wood, Chris Brooker, Paul Doran-Jones, Ed Slater, George Robson, James Gaskell (captain), Andy Saull, Tom Johnson.

Replacements: Joe Gray, Rupert Harden, Kearnan Myall, David Seymour, Paul Hodgson, Freddie Burns, Miles Benjamin.

Scotland A: Stuart Hogg; Tom Brown, Alex Grove, Matt Scott, Simon Danielli; Duncan Weir, Rory Lawson (captain); Jon Welsh, Dougie Hall, Ed Kalman, Rob Harley, Tom Ryder, Stuart McInally, Chris Fusaro, Richie Vernon.

Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Ryan Grant, Ryan Wilson, Roddy Grant, Henry Pyrgos, Phil Godman, Peter Murchie.

The time has come! Who deserves the trophy this year?

THE LATEST issue of Rugby World is packed with Six Nations goodness! We’ve got in-depth interviews with those involved in all six countries, a guide to the strengths and weaknesses of each team, expert analysis from Stuart Barnes and the lowdown on the women’s tournament.

All in all, it’s your complete guide to the championship ? and if that’s not enough there’s also a Super Rugby preview, Paul Diggin goes back to his first club and David Pocock is profiled.

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The Front Row…

Win Six Nations tickets!

30 minutes with Maggie Alphonsi

Hotshots – Zach Kibirige (Newcastle) and Robin Hislop (Edinburgh)

Craig Chalmers – The ex-fly-half says eligibility rules need to be clarified

David Flatman – The Bath prop on how to solve the current scrum problems

Paul Wallace – What would the former prop like to see from Ireland?

Spotlights…

Chris Robshaw – Can the Quins back-rower live up to his billing for England in the Six Nations? By Sarah Mockford

Jamie Roberts – The centre tells Sarah Mockford it’s time for Wales to take their chances and turn promise into success

Tommy Bowe – Ireland have some personal wounds to salve, says Bea Asprey, and the Ospreys wing knows just the right treatment

Geoff Cross – The tighthead knows that Scotland’s route to the try-line starts with the boys up front, writes Katie Field

The Centres…

RBS 6 Nations – Stuart Barnes strips down the contenders and picks his team to win the tournament

England – Dan Cole is desperate to put a smile back on the faces of the Twickenham faithful

France – Philippe Saint-André may be new to the head coach?s job, but he?s ready to rule the roost

Ireland – Having missed all of last year?s Six Nations, Stephen Ferris is delighted to be back in the mix

Meet the Teams – We identify the strengths, weaknesses and key players of all the Six Nations contenders

Italy – Mauro Bergamasco played in Italy?s first Six Nations game and he?s not stopping yet

Wales – Fly-half Rhys Priestland didn?t even like rugby as a youngster, but he?s loving the game now

Scotland – Andy Robinson on how his side must stop making mistakes and start winning matches

Women?s Rugby – Meet multi-talented Michaela Staniford as we preview the Women?s Six Nations

Technical Zone – How to learn from the patterns of the Six Nations teams

Mini Zone – Get your minis playing Base Invaders and selling dummies

Fitness Zone – England?s Charlie Hodgson reveals his winning diet

Save Your Season – Rugby World is stepping in to help Eton Manor improve their fortunes in London One North

Super Rugby – A look at the entertainment business Down South

Big Debate – Should there be relegation in the Six Nations?

It Started Here – Paul Diggin takes us back to Northampton BBOB

David Pocock – There?s more to the Wallaby flanker than meets the eye

Sevens Rugby – New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens keeps on winning

The Backs…

Club Guide – All your grass-roots news, plus our Team of the Month and School Team of the Month

Naked Truth – Wales prop Adam Jones takes us though his career

Armchair Zone – The latest books and products

Tour Tale – There were no protein shakes in sight on this sevens tour

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