See below all the fixtures for this year's RBS 6 Nations Rugby Championship, together with a small Team by Team guide. This year sees the first ever evening game played on Friday 27th Feb at the Stade de France, with 'Les Francais' hosting the mighty 'Pays de Galles'. A great idea me thinks!
Saturday, 07 February 2009
England v Italy, 15:00
Ireland v France, 17:00
Sunday, 08 February 2009
Scotland v Wales, 15:00
Saturday, 14 February 2009
France v Scotland, 15:00
Wales v England, 17:30
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Italy v Ireland, 14:30
Friday, 27 February 2009
France v Wales, 20:00
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Ireland v England, 17:30
Scotland v Italy, 15:00
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Italy v Wales, 15:00
Scotland v Ireland, 17:00
Sunday, 15 March 2009
England v France, 15:00
Saturday, 21 March 2009
England v Scotland, 15:30
Italy v France, 13:15
Wales v Ireland, 17:30
TEAM BY TEAM INFORMATION :
FRANCE
COACH: Marc Lievremont - The maverick coach is under increasing pressure after 12 months of experimentation and unconvincing performances in last year's Six Nations and the November internationals.
STRENGTHS: Back three
Lievremont seems set to pick Toulouse's Maxime Metard at full-back, leaving France with a lethal selection of wing options in the shape of Cedric Heymans, Aurelien Rougerie, Julien Malzieu and Vincent Clerc, who is returning from a knee injury.
WEAKNESSES: Fly-half
France may be blessed with brilliant attacking talent but do they have leadership at fly-half to set it free? David Skrela and Lionel Beauxis are injured while Frederic Michalak has a suspect temperament. Much depends on the out-of-form Francois Trinh-Duc.
DID YOU KNOW? France will host the first-ever Friday night fixture when Wales travel to Paris on February 27.
ENGLAND
COACH: Martin Johnson
After a baptism of fire in November, Johnson enters his first RBS 6 Nations Championship in charge and England cannot afford to test the public's faith any longer. Johnson may be short of experienced bodies but he needs results.
STRENGTHS: Back three
England are blessed with a wealth of options out wide but they must utilise them. Armitage, Ugo Monye and Paul Sackey were virtual spectators in the autumn when they offer England pace and power in attack.
WEAKNESSES: Forwards
It seems incredible but England's cauliflower-eared brigade are struggling. The traditional red rose scrummaging dominance has been neutralised since the World Cup. They lost key balls against the head to both Australia and New Zealand in November.
WALES
COACH: Warren Gatland
Gatland oversaw Wales' transformation from World Cup deadbeats to Grand Slam champions in a matter of months. The pressure is on Gatland to break Wales' traditional boom-and-bust cycle and deliver more success.
STRENGTHS: Defence
Wales are a lethal, instinctive attacking side but their 2008 title campaign was founded on a brave and physical defence which was drilled by Shaun Edwards and conceded just two tries in five Tests. With that foundation the likes of Shane Williams can make hay.
WEAKNESSES: Lineout
Alun Wyn-Jones is a magnificent footballer and Ian Gough a committed competitor but as a unit the Welsh lineout is not as effective as others in the competition, particularly Scotland's which they face first up.
IRELAND
COACH: Declan Kidney
Kidney replaced Eddie O'Sullivan following Ireland's disappointing campaigns in the World Cup and Six Nations. Kidney has led Munster to two Heineken Cup triumphs and he has some exciting young talent to work with.
STRENGTHS: Half backs
Ronan O'Gara is an astute playmaker as well as a top-class kicker while Tomas O'Leary has been pulling up trees at scrum-half for Munster this season
WEAKNESSES: Consistency
Ireland have been capable of winning the Six Nations every year since 2005 but they have under-performed, eventually costing O'Sullivan his job. Big-name players are prone to go missing at key times. Ireland need to develop a steeliness.
SCOTLAND
STADIUM: Murrayfield
COACH: Frank Hadden
If 2008 was a year of missed opportunities - a poor Six Nations and narrow defeats to South Africa and New Zealand - Hadden views 2009 as a major opportunity for Scotland to show their potential with a host of impressive youngsters coming through.
STRENGTHS: Scrum
Scotland have one of the most powerful packs in the competition and boast at least four potential Lions tourists in the shape of prop Euan Murray, hooker Ross Ford, lock Nathan Hines and flanker John Barclay.
WEAKNESSES: Fly-half
Phil Godman claimed the Scotland 10 jersey on the summer tourto Argentina because he is a more creative option than Dan Parks. Hadden must decide what kind of game he wants to play although neither sets the world alight.
ITALY
COACH: Nick Mallett
Nick Mallett guided South Africa on a record run of 17 victories and won two French titles at Stade Francais. He accepted the challenge of unlocking Italy's potential but the first year was tough with just two wins from 10 - against Scotland and Argentina.
STRENGTHS: Forwards
The Azzurri back row is dynamic with the energetic Mauro Bergamasco on the openside and Parisse at number eight. Marco Bortolami can be dominant in the second row while Martin Castrogiovanni is one of the Guinness Premiership's leading props.
WEAKNESSES: Fly-half
The stand-off position has been a major issue for Italy. Mallett seems to have ended the experiment of playing Andrea Masi out of position. Treviso's Andrea Marcato is promising - his drop goal accounted for Scotland last year - but he has much to prove.
For more information visit the BBC Sports pages online and also on Sportinglife.com
