Starts this weekend, im not expecting much from England TBH, still a work in progress under the new coach Martin Johnson. France have been struggling recently too so i think this year it'll be a straight fight between Wales and Ireland

FIXTURE LIST

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7th
England ... v ... Italy - 3pm
Ireland ... v ... France - 5pm

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8th
Scotland ... v ... Wales - 3pm

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14th
France ... v ... Scotland - 3pm
Wales ... v ... England - 5:30pm

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15th
Italy ... v ... Ireland - 2:30pm

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27th
France ... v ... Wales - 8pm

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28th
Scotland ... v ... Italy - 3pm
Ireland ... v ... England - 5:30pm

SATURDAY MARCH 14th
Italy ... v ... Wales - 3pm
Scotland ... v ... Ireland - 5pm

SUNDAY MARCH 15th
England ... v ... France - 3pm

SATURDAY MARCH 21st
Italy ... v ... France - 1:15pm
England ... v ... Scotland - 3:30pm
Wales ... v ... Ireland - 5:30pm

We'll come last. We'll only beat the Italians, but they'll beat the Scots.

Johnson out!

Shit, I sound like a Newcastle fan...

is it usually this early? don't remember it starting in february before
not really a rugby fan but I do keep up with the 6 nations and world cup, as long as we beat wales im happy!

Wales or France will win it.

Heres how i see it panning out

WEEK 1
England ... v ... Italy - ENGLAND BY 15
Ireland ... v ... France - IRELAND BY 10
Scotland ... v ... Wales - WALES BY 7

WEEK 2
France ... v ... Scotland - FRANCE BY 20
Wales ... v ... England - WALES BY 5
Italy ... v ... Ireland - IRELAND BY 15

WEEK 3
France ... v ... Wales - FRANCE BY 3
Scotland ... v ... Italy - SCOTLAND BY 3
Ireland ... v ... England - IRELAND BY 15

WEEK 4
Italy ... v ... Wales - WALES BY 30
Scotland ... v ... Ireland - IRELAND BY 20
England ... v ... France - ENGLAND BY 15

WEEK 5
Italy ... v ... France - FRANCE BY 30
England ... v ... Scotland - ENGLAND BY 15
Wales ... v ... Ireland - WALES BY 12

That would mean Wales winning it on points difference

1. WALES ........ 8
2. IRELAND ........ 8
3. FRANCE ....... 6
4. ENGLAND ........ 6
5. SCOTLAND ........ 2
6. ITALY ........ 0

Think you're being a bit favourable towards Ireland Yella.

Favourable? I think im being very honest, i feel that the French will suffer, they have a raft of injuries including their first choice fly half, England are building for the future plus Scotland and Italy are ... well ... shit.

I feel that it'll all come down to that final match in Cardiff

England i thought were at best average today but the evening game was a treat, Ireland/France was a great game for the neutral whih i thought the Irish slightly deserved.

I am very worried about today. The Missus (from the Welsh Valleys) is looking forward to it immensely.

I'm not worried about getting beaten - that is almost a foregone conclusion. I'm worried about getting so badly thumped that England don't recover and get the wooden spoon.

This could hurt

I think we're doing OK so far, just seen Goode kick a drop goal after Sackey scored on the break, but we're still losing 9-8.

Still though early on its much better than last week, but we have to improve the discipline, we're giving away far too many penalties

Wales 9 v 8 England at half time, great game of fast rugby this one.

Come on England

Indisipline and crap defending yet again

England can't tackle and there are no decent kickers.

Good try by Armitage.

20-15.

Ooh, how close was that to 20 each, cracking game of rugby this

23-15, Flood just missed (by his standards) a relatively simple penalty

What do you mean 'by his standards'? Flood is a crap kicker. Goode is even worse.

I know he's crap, but even he could have got that, god they miss Wilkinson

FT: 23-15, overall a great game and an improvement on last week from England, at least they gave the Welsh a fright

Obviously not. Do need Wilkinson, or even Cipriani who is a good kicker.

Discipline lost it. 2 sin bins. Numerous pens - which lost the game. Poor.

Worsley was very good, Harry Ellis also did well, the rest were average. Borthwick isn't a captain, Vickery isn't what he was - proven by poor summage, there is a lack of pace - only Sackey, poor kickers, poor tackling - only Easter and Worsley did well with the tackling. Johnson has a lot of work to do.

I agree, thats the only gripe i had and it was the same problem against Italy, giving away silly and needless penalties and persistent offsides, funnily though Sackey's try came during one of the sin bin's.

To be fair though, Wales were excellent, they might very well go on and get another grand slam

They did it all without the best player in the world. Is Shane Williams was playing, it would of been by more, for sure.

Aye, i saw they never had Gavin Henson either. All bodes very well for them

Wales are at the top of their game, England are trying to build a team. With Martin Johnson at the helm, I believe England will challenge for next year's Six Nations and will be a serious force in world rugby for the next four or five years. I am certanly more optimistic than a lot of people on here and I thought both teams contributed to a cracking game of rugby yesterday. Be patient England supporters, we have the talent coming through to make a big impact.

Incidentally, what will all the penalties and two yellow cards, we got no change whatsoever from the refereee yesterday.

england really should have won yesterday, and would have if he hadn't missed 2 pens and a conversion, and if paul sackey had got a lucky bounce when he was clean through, and the ref was a bit harsh to say the least

Flood comes in for Goode on Saturday.

Any one know why Cipriani isn't being considered?

Well from wot i've seen of him in an England shirt, he's been poor, then again with the main 2 fly-halves out injured (Wilko and Hodgson) we aint got much choice really.

We're going to get thumped by the Irish

Have a bit of that!

The most boring game of rugby I've seen in a long time. 1 poor team, and 1 team who weren't up for it. England's discipline lost it - again.

Vickery isn't the player he was. His scrummaging these days is very poor.

Borthwick is not captain.

Tait should start - not sure where though, probably on the wing instead of Cueto - who is shit.

Really is a crap England side.

england gave away to many penalties, and if ronan o'gara hadn't messed up ireland would have been way clear by halftime, agree that cueto should be dropped for tait, cueto is crap and tait is argubarly our best winger

I don't think Tait's best position is on the wing, he is better as a centre, imo. But I think Tindall and Flutey are a good centre combo, although Flutey was crap today. Tait could go FB, but Armitage is looking decent, although he needs to do more running.

To be fair, if England played fairly Wales would have slaughtered them.

Wales were never going to win the grand slam again. The media have overhyped them and in their first two games they never met up to that hype even with pretty decent performances. Wales on their day are the 3rd best side in the World.

That's coming from someone who spent a large part of their life in Wales and would support the national sides over the England sides.

For most of his career, Tait has played at number 12 (inside centre) both for England and the Falcons, not sure where he's been playing for Sale though since we let him go.

Anyway, i've always thought that was his best position, his pace is great to free up the ball and lay on for the likes of Sackey

To say Ireland were poor is a tad harsh. England played lockdown with their big forwards and got bodies in the way quite well. They upset the rhythm and kept the tempo slow and quietened the usually vociferous Croke Park crowd. Yes, O' Gara had a poor game at out-half, but his place kicking still wasn't too shabby.

The 2nd half went our way because England lost their cool and lost thier patience. Ireland capitalised with a series of good phases, and O' Driscoll was excellent.

I'm still not sure if we'll do the Grand Slam, but the 6 nations is in our sights with the good score difference.

I dont think you'll do the grand slam as i cant see you beating Wales in Cardiff but nope, i would'nt rule out Ireland winning the championship either.

As for us, i'd settle for beating our mortal enemy, SCOTLAND

Wales have Italy though and if Wales can be at their best I wouldn't be suprised to see Wales' point difference be larger than yours.

True, but Italy always seem to play well in 1 game out of the 5, so here's hoping.

Ireland were poor. To only win by 1 when you are the home team, have a much better team and played 1/4 with a player advantage, is very poor.

Ireland didn't win - England gifted then the game though indiscipline.

Danny Care should never play for England again - he's a fucking idiot

The try at the end sugercoated the scoreline. If O' Gara's kicking had not been erratic then we would have been home and dry by half time.

It's all if and but.

If England were disciplined we probably wouldn't have conceeded the try as we would of had another forward on in all those rucks. If Care hadn't been binned we may have taken advantage during a time where we had a decent amount of the ball, but lacked numbers in midfield.

If you think Ireland were good - you're wrong

I'm not saying Ireland were good, simply because England didn't allow them to be. They were average, but poor is a tad harsh. Just my opinion.

Excellent Start for us, England 17-0 France

The French defensive play has been shocking so far

England 24-0 France, this is a breeze so far

EDIT: Make that 29-0, what a performance

OMG, This is now getting ridiculous

England 34-0 France (Flutey 2nd Try)

FT: England 34-10 France

TABLE

1. Ireland ........ 8
2. Wales ........ 6
3. England ........ 4
4. France ........ 4
5. Scotland ........ 2
6. Italy ........ 0

So now the full equation is this, to win the title, Wales have to win by more than 13 points to win the 6 nations otherwise Ireland are champions, a win for Ireland would deliver the grand slam.

If Ireland were to win the Grand Slam they would be, without doubt, the worst side to achieve the slam in living memory. This has been a very poor championship.

I hope that Wales can redeem the competition by wiping the floor with the Irish. The Welsh have at least tried to play some Rugby

Part of me wants the Irish to beat the Welsh, then we can nick 2nd place off them if we beat Scotland.

Besides, the Irish haven't won a 5/6 nations title for donkeys, theyr'e overdue one

Ireland have won. Fully deserved.

That means England are runners up, we were great today too beating the Scots

Have to agree with what Exiled says above. This Championship has been very poor. Ireland deserve to be Champs, although this must be the worst team ever to win a Grand Slam?