The New Year means the Six Nations is merely weeks away.
With civil war erupting in Wales between the Welsh Rugby Union and its four regions and the participation of the English and Welsh clubs in the Heineken Cup next season in doubt, the countries of the northern hemisphere will be pleased their domestic issues make way for the annual tournament that spans seven weeks starting on the 1st February.
Here we take a look at each of the six countries looking to be crowned Six Nations champion come the 15th March, starting with England.
England
2013 Six Nations finish: second
Head coach: Stuart Lancaster
Captain: Chris Robshaw
England had a good series of results in the Autumn internationals, starting with victory against the Wallabies before blowing away a wounded Argentinean side and, despite losing to New Zealand, the All Blacks were certainly put through a stern examination.
Stuart Lancaster will be pleased at the revelation of Number 8 Billy Vunipola. The Saracens forward was rampant, as his ball carrying skills punched holes into the opposition defence and easily went passed the gainline carrying his team forward.
In the pack Dylan Hartley performed excellently, putting to bed his lowest point of his career when he was sent off in the Premiership final for Northampton against Leicester in May last year for abusing the referee and torpedoing his place in the British and Irish Lions squad.
It is in the backs where Lancaster has problems but presents opportunities.
Manu Tuilagi’s injury rules him out for at least most of the Six Nations and his presence will be sorely missed. His ability to break the line and his physicality a plus in attack or defence shows he is the one world-class talent within England’s backs.
Lancaster will at least be pleased Brad Barritt has returned to fitness, with the Saracens centre a reliable defensive stalwart.
Tuilagi’s replacement will likely be Billy Twelvetrees who has played well for England in recent months. Another option in the centre is Luther Burrell of Northampton, who has been in good form.
Among the fly halves it is likely Toby Flood might be ostracised should he move to the Top 14 (likely to Toulouse) at the end of the season. Lancaster will no doubt continue with the policy of exile for players who move to France as the Armitage brothers have found out.
That means Owen Farrell will likely be England’s first choice fly half towards the 2015 World Cup but Flood’s replacement is likely not to be Danny Cipirani but George Ford.
The 20-year-old fly half has been central to Bath’s excellent season so far in the Premiership, where they find themselves in third place. Ford’s move from Leicester in the summer has rejuvenated his England prospects, as he is now seen in the England set up as backup to Owen Farrell.
The wings are up for contention, Chris Ashton’s place is especially under threat with an abundance of talent vying for those spots – even minus the exciting Christian Wade and Marland Yarde, who are both out of the Six Nations.
There are three players that can make the Elite Playing Squad (a sort of preliminary squad) but only two can get into the main Six Nations squad that will be announced later this month.
The first is 23-year-old Jonny May. Though his team Gloucester are having a terrible season in the Premiership, May has been one of their star players – it reminds me of Ben Smith at the Highlanders last season in Super Rugby.
Should May get selected he will hope he can replicate Ben Smith’s world-class form for the All Blacks.
The second option is Leicester’s Miles Benjamin who has returned to form after a long-term neck injury ruled him out for over a year.
The third option is Bath’s Anthony Watson, who is my choice to get ahead of Miles Benjamin and Jonny May. The reason behind this is both Benjamin and Watson faced off on Sunday in a pulsating encounter at Welford Road. Though the Tigers denied Bath a famous victory with a last minute try to end it 27-27 it was Watson who was simply sensational, despite Benjamin scoring the first try of the game.
The 19-year-old who has been switched from fullback to wing since moving from London Irish in the summer has been deadly. He showed that against the Tigers, as he scored a brilliant try and Leicester’s players (that included Benjamin) found it difficult to contain him.
Bath’s head coach Mike Ford spoke after the game of how Stuart Lancaster was intrigued about Watson’s performances that have been part of Bath’s excellent season.
“Stuart has talked to me about [Watson] playing wing and that was the best he’s played all year, without a question,” said Ford.
“It was against a serious side away from home, so that’s very promising.”
England’s forward pack will no doubt look to impose themselves and led by Chris Robshaw (who is looking ever more the captain with each game) Lancaster will look to lay down a marker by winning the Grand Slam.
However, take a look at England’s fixture list and it will be no easy picnic.
Their first game is certainly an imposing one – a trip to the Stade de France against the French, who will want to improve after a less than impressive 2013.
Their next fixture against Scotland is at Murrayfield where the Scots have been able to achieve memorable victories. When the wind swirls and the rain is lashing down it is certainly not a comfortable place to be.
England’s games against Wales and Ireland are at home and they must win those if they want to win a Grand Slam – especially against Wales, as they are in their World Cup group.
Though their last game is against Italy in Rome it is by no means an easy game. The last time they faced the Azzurri in Rome was at a snowy Stadio Olimpico, where the Italians could have won a famous victory it if they had composure and had a reliable kicker that day.
However, Stuart Lancaster and his players are confident, looking to lay down a marker to their rivals – especially those in the southern hemisphere.
Player to watch
Mike Brown. The Harlequins winger was the man of the end of year Tests for England who showed Lancaster he should play at fullback instead of wing.
He cemented the No.15 jersey and is continuing his good form for Harlequins.
Predicted finish
Second.
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