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Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland rev up to deny England
London, Feb 05: Italy were the only one of the Six Nations teams not to make the quarter-finals of last year`s World Cup.
London, Feb 05: Italy were the only one of the Six Nations teams not to make the quarter-finals of last year's World Cup.
They also have a new captain in Andrea de Rossi, who has also just been nominated to be the skipper as England begin the defence of their Six Nations title in Rome.
"We have a whole week ahead of our match against England and we are ready for it and we are looking for it," Rossi said.
Italy had beaten the Welsh 30-22 in the Six Nations eight months earlier, their second win following r first-up success against Scotland in 2000.
The organisers have put their faith in England's cross-Channel rivals France winning their first four games to make their Paris encounter on the last day of the tournament the decider.
French coach Bernard Laporte, however, refuses to buy in to such an assumption.
"No, I don't think so. There is Ireland, Wales who also played well at the World Cup can have a good campaign, Scotland are also progressing. So, I don't think that France is the only nation capable of beating England," Laporte said.
The tournament gets underway on Saturday (February 14) when France play at home against Ireland.
Captain Brian O'Driscoll believes the Irish and the French are not the only nations capable of challenging England.
"I think there is Wales, the way they have played, a couple of displays in the latter parts of the World Cup really showed they are a rejuvenated side, Scotland have a new coach in Matt Williams, so they all want to impress. So I certainly won't pick just ourselves and France, particularly with the way the draw has gone, that we have England and France, so it's going to be particularly tough for us. So, I think it's going to be avery open competition."
Ireland's initial match will be a repeat of the World Cup quarter-final when France cruised to a 43-21 victory.
The French were eliminated after losing the semifinal to eventual champions England 24-7 and Olivier Brouzet believes the World Cup would be a thing from the past when they meet again in the final match on February 27 in Paris.
"It won't be a revenge after the semifinal a few months ago. We must forget that, we have to assume that we are just behind the best team in the world."
Completing the opening round, Wales face Scotland at home on February 14. Wales are on a high following their entertaining World Cup finale when they pushed New Zealand and England hard before ultimately losing both games.
Wales captain Colin Charvis said they would face opponents who have all the potential to improve.
"We've seen a coaching change of staff there I am sure they will have a lot of confidence in their squad and the new coaching staff is well renowned around the world, os it going to be a tough challenge for us."
Scotland's coach Matt Williams said the Six Nations should be seen as an investment for the future.
"We really got this exciting group of backs coming through that we be playing at the Six Nations, that's exciting. And in the long term or medium term, 18 months down the track we will have a very competitive side. This championship will be particularly difficult for us with so many new players. But we're in terms of a long term view and that's exciting because we are getting the support from our chairman, our director of rugby and the whole nation on that long term view," said Williams who took over from Ian McGeechan after the 203 World Cup in Australia.
Hooker Gordon Bulloch is set to be named on Thursday (February 5) as Scotland captain for this year's Six Nations Championship.
He has won 58 caps since making his debut in 1997, will take over from scrumhalf Bryan Redpath, who stood down after Scotland's World Cup campaign ended with defeat by hosts Australia in the quarter-finals.
"It's very different now, a lot of guys retiring after the World Cup. We've come to new training grounds in Stirling, the facilities there are first rate and obviously, all the coaches have changed as well, so it's not being an easy job for the last three or four months," the 28 year-old said.
Bulloch is poised to lead the Scots in their Six Nations opener in Wales on February 14 before they host England in the Calcutta Cup match the following weekend.
Bureau Report
The organisers have put their faith in England's cross-Channel rivals France winning their first four games to make their Paris encounter on the last day of the tournament the decider.
French coach Bernard Laporte, however, refuses to buy in to such an assumption.
"No, I don't think so. There is Ireland, Wales who also played well at the World Cup can have a good campaign, Scotland are also progressing. So, I don't think that France is the only nation capable of beating England," Laporte said.
The tournament gets underway on Saturday (February 14) when France play at home against Ireland.
Captain Brian O'Driscoll believes the Irish and the French are not the only nations capable of challenging England.
"I think there is Wales, the way they have played, a couple of displays in the latter parts of the World Cup really showed they are a rejuvenated side, Scotland have a new coach in Matt Williams, so they all want to impress. So I certainly won't pick just ourselves and France, particularly with the way the draw has gone, that we have England and France, so it's going to be particularly tough for us. So, I think it's going to be avery open competition."
Ireland's initial match will be a repeat of the World Cup quarter-final when France cruised to a 43-21 victory.
The French were eliminated after losing the semifinal to eventual champions England 24-7 and Olivier Brouzet believes the World Cup would be a thing from the past when they meet again in the final match on February 27 in Paris.
"It won't be a revenge after the semifinal a few months ago. We must forget that, we have to assume that we are just behind the best team in the world."
Completing the opening round, Wales face Scotland at home on February 14. Wales are on a high following their entertaining World Cup finale when they pushed New Zealand and England hard before ultimately losing both games.
Wales captain Colin Charvis said they would face opponents who have all the potential to improve.
"We've seen a coaching change of staff there I am sure they will have a lot of confidence in their squad and the new coaching staff is well renowned around the world, os it going to be a tough challenge for us."
Scotland's coach Matt Williams said the Six Nations should be seen as an investment for the future.
"We really got this exciting group of backs coming through that we be playing at the Six Nations, that's exciting. And in the long term or medium term, 18 months down the track we will have a very competitive side. This championship will be particularly difficult for us with so many new players. But we're in terms of a long term view and that's exciting because we are getting the support from our chairman, our director of rugby and the whole nation on that long term view," said Williams who took over from Ian McGeechan after the 203 World Cup in Australia.
Hooker Gordon Bulloch is set to be named on Thursday (February 5) as Scotland captain for this year's Six Nations Championship.
He has won 58 caps since making his debut in 1997, will take over from scrumhalf Bryan Redpath, who stood down after Scotland's World Cup campaign ended with defeat by hosts Australia in the quarter-finals.
"It's very different now, a lot of guys retiring after the World Cup. We've come to new training grounds in Stirling, the facilities there are first rate and obviously, all the coaches have changed as well, so it's not being an easy job for the last three or four months," the 28 year-old said.
Bulloch is poised to lead the Scots in their Six Nations opener in Wales on February 14 before they host England in the Calcutta Cup match the following weekend.
Bureau Report