THE Six Nations is back!
So SunSport rugby correspondent Jonny Fordham has given his reasons to be cheerful, and fearful, for all of the nations fighting it out.
Can England secure a historic hat-trick of titles? Will it finally be Ireland’s year after they denied Eddie Jones‘ side the Grand Slam in Dublin last time?
Will Wales continue to under-perform? Can Scotland finally live up to the hype? Will Italy do any more than prop up the table? And will France finally get their act together?
England
Reasons to be cheerful: They have lost just one game in 23 Tests under Eddie Jones.
They are the Six Nations defending champions and play Ireland at home last for a possible title showdown.
Reasons to be fearful: Another injury to Billy Vunipola has exposed a lack of depth at No8 – a key position in Test rugby.
The back-row looks powder puff when it comes down to the bare bones.
Wales
Reasons to be cheerful: Stubborn Warren Gatland has finally been forced to change his stale side.
And with a Scarlets backbone of Rhys Patchell and Gareth Davies pulling the strings fans might finally have something to get excited about.
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Reasons to be fearful: No Sam Warburton. No Taulupe Faletau. No Rhys Webb. No Jonathan Davies. No Dan Biggar (for now).
Time for the newbies to make their mark.
ENEMY WITHIN England boss Eddie Jones turning to military manoeuvres at identifying own weaknesses before Six Nations kick off
Scotland
Reasons to be cheerful: Stuart Hogg is back fit and firing.
Finn Russell will pull the strings and Tommy Seymour is flying also. That Glasgow trio are key to making this side tick.
Reasons to be fearful: It was all bagpipes and no puff last year – they got hammered by England at Twickenham and couldn’t back-up all the hype.
Ireland
Reasons to be cheerful: Stuart Lancaster’s Leinster are storming Europe and their stars from Johnny Sexton to rookie Jordan Larmour will look to tear-up the Six Nations.
Reasons to be fearful: Not many, really. But they did have a low-key autumn compared to others.
France
Reasons to be cheerful: If it all comes off then there will be fireworks.
Fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, 19, could be one of the breakthrough acts of this year’s tournament.
Reasons to be fearful: The Top14 is becoming like the Premier League and full of big-name foreign imports restricting growth of France’s homegrown payers.
And now we are starting to see a knock-on effect in the Six Nations.
Italy
Reasons to be cheerful: Erm… Rome is beautiful at this time of year?
Conor O’Shea and Mike Catt will have to spring a few more surprises on their tournament rivals to get their first Six Nations win since taking over.
Reasons to be fearful: With just two professional Italian top-tier clubs they lack the depth of players everyone else can pick from.
They’re also a one-man team with Sergio Parisse.
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