The Six Nations is back!

As I'm sure most of you are aware, the northern hemisphere's premier international competition is back. More importantly it's back during a World Cup year, as the teams look at their final competitive preparation before the biggest competition of all. Looking at the 6 Nations this year it seems to be filled with just as much fire and passion as previous years, but there also feels as if there is a "calm before the storm" consensus between the teams too. Nobody seems to be confident in their title chances this year: Ireland are the bookies favourites but much prefer being underdogs; England are carrying around more injuries than can fit in the physio room; France are just as confused as ever; and Wales has the eternal air of pessimism.

What this post is here to do, is to look at each team and their prospects in this year's tournament. It might also provide some of you with some sneaky player picks for the Tackle Pad Fantasy League.

England
First things first, the injury list. Not only is it long it also almost entirely consists for first choice players. Lawes, Launchbury and Parling missing from locks could weaken the lineout a lot. Wilson missing from tight-head is a concern at scrum time. Wood another lineout operator and ball carrier gone. The peerless "Ice-Man" Farrell is missing too. The list goes on. However this is England, the biggest player base in the world, in one of the most competitive leagues, the replacements are still a mighty prospect: Cole returning from injury stabilises the scrum, Haskell is in the form of his life in the back row, and Ford ended the autumn in possession of the 10 jersey.

That's enough about the injuries, England do come into the 6 Nations in fine form, especially from their pack having utterly dominated Australia at the end of November. George Ford's excellent kicking put them in good field possession for their top quality lineout to operate, which eventually lead to two tries for the wrecking ball Ben Morgan. England may be without Morgan for this year's tournament, but Billy Vunipola has stepped up his game in recent weeks and looks hungry to reclaim totally possession of the shirt with his power and offloading. If England are looking weak anywhere in particular it is in the centre of the park, in the past few years England have gone through more centre partnerships than Heston Blumenthal has canisters of liquid nitrogen. Sure it hasn't helped that injuries have happened to most of the potential suitors for the 12 and 13 shirts, but I'm still not certain Stuart Lancaster knows who'd he'd pick if everyone was fit. The outside centre berth is owned by the terrifying shape of Manu Tuilagi, but at 12 he needs to decide and soon.

Overall despite the injuries England aren't looking too bad, they have the replacements coming in that can do a reasonable job, and they have a fly-half that can run the game but still unlock defences with ease, and if Lancaster teams Ford up with his Bath team-mates England might just find the back-line attack they've been lacking. There are chinks in the armour, but England are still a threat to the title.
Predicted Finish - 3rd

France
Yeh, this becomes a list of clichés. France are still as unpredictable as ever, they go from beating Australia (3rd in the rankings at the time) to losing to Argentina in one autumn series. The phrase "You never know which French team will turn up", is accurate in two senses. One: they are a team that likes to blow hot and cold when it comes to performance, being practically unbeatable one week to lethargic and weak willed the next. Also however is the selection process of Philippe Saint-Andrewhich has meant the consistency of combinations in key areas has been woefully lacking. However just in time for the World Cup, France seem to have begun to find a consistent selection, only time will tell if this is true or even going to pay off.

The back-line is flooded with talent and flair, Wesley Fofana is the world most lethal attacking centre, Teddy Thomas looks like a natural finisher and then there's the class of Huget on the opposite side. The question is if the half backs can get the backline running, and if the pack can provide the consistent, clean ball for them to use. And it's something I really do doubt, the French pack used to fill opponents with fear, capable of mauling you off the park and smashing you at the breakdown, and now it doesn't seem to be there. If France really want to reclaim their place at the top of Europe they need to rediscover the fear factor.
Predicted Finish - 5th

Italy
Italy are forever the underdogs, and it's not really likely to change this year. They have certainly improved in recent years, even in the autumn just gone they put up a stern fight against South Africa but they still lack the fire-power of other teams. The pack while certainly formidable doesn't strike fear into opponents hearts especially not teams like England and Ireland with their dominant front fives. And the back-line despite having some eye-catching talent (Campagnaro, Benvenutti and Masi spring to mind) has never clicked together. This could be down to the problem of finding a decent half-back pairing to run the game for them, with no confident players filling the nine and ten jerseys week in week out they never really find the spark to allow a threatening line up to reach its potential.
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The outcome of this year is likely to be the same for Italy, just looking at the placement of their two professional teams - 11th and 12th in the Pro12 - tells you the sort of form that can be expected.
Sergio Parisse will no doubt rage against the dying of the light as he continues to be one of the greatest back-row players of all time, the man was carrying balls one handed before Chabal, and offloading before Kieren Read. But rugby is a team game and one man can't swing a tournament.
Predicted Finish - 6th

Ireland

Current Champions. Third best team in the world. England and France at home. This tournament is Ireland's surely. Joe Schmidt is nothing short of a maestro, turning an Ireland team from eternal underachievers into world beaters. World beaters who did it while missing some big names from their pack. The game plan revolves around two top class half backs who control the ball, the field and the play with pinpoint kicking and decision making. Sexton will certainly miss the opening fixture against the Italians, which is worrying but gives Schimdt the chance to see how Madigan does in his place. Madigan doesn't quite have the puppet master touch of Sexton but is talented none the less, and against the weakest team in the tournament he could reap the rewards. Especially with the backline looking at its most threatening in a long while, as they look to find the replacement to the retired O'Driscoll.

The pack provides the platform for Murray and Sexton to dominate, and it's almost back to full strength as we head towards the World Cup. The ever present Paul O'Connoll remains at the pinnacle of second row play in what is touted as his final year of rugby; O'Mahoney is a break-down operator of excellent quality too. Ireland looks strong heading into the competition although the trip to Cardiff at the end could prove a troublesome game and deny them a Grand Slam. Ireland at full fitness are practically impossible to stop, but Cian Healy hasn't played in months, Sean O'Brien is missing and Sexton's lingering concussion is worry that could dent title credentials. Despite all of this, Joe Schmidt has developed incredible strength in depth in every position across the park and can deal with these losses and maintain the quality of performance. These performances may not be as exciting as the way New Zealand play or France (sometimes), but as the saying goes "A win is a win", and that is what Ireland have learnt to do. Win.
Predicted Finish - 1st

Scotland
The most exciting prospect this year in my opinion. Have shown genuine strides during the autumn, with good game control, a pack which seems confident in their ball retention ability, a back line which wants to score tries and a fly-half that wants to let them. Too long Scotland have been content with scoring drop goals and kicking to the corner, now in Finn Russell they have an outside half who is confident in his own running ability, and able to link up with his backs with crisp passing. The centre partnership isn't quite solid and set yet, but there has been promise from Mark Bennett at 12 and Dunbar at 13. Providing a physical partnership that has an eye for a weak defender, and provide secure defence something that has always been lacking for the Scots. The outside backs are by far the most mouth watering section of the side: Tommy Seymour has already proven his international try scoring ability, including an interception against the All Blacks; Sean Lamont provides immense physicality and a useful get out with his aerial ability, he also brings experience to the young side; lastly Stuart Hogg has a boot made of Semtex capable of launching 60m returns with ease, but his pace and willingness to run it back is the best part and defines the new Scotland style.

This new style of attacking rugby, letting the forwards carry hard with confidence before unleashing a very quick backline, could provide difficulty for many teams when they face Scotland. The lineout is still a little shaky on occasion but the towering Gray brothers have begun to show it could be a good weapon with work. The scrum has become solidified but it isn't exactly a weapon, so care must be taken by Scotland there. However they have the ability now to take the game to teams, they have three games at home, peerless kicking from Laidlaw and a defence which can frustrate teams. Scotland could surprise people this year.
Predicted Finish - 4th

Wales
They finally broke their Southern Hemisphere "hoodoo", and come into the tournament practically

clean of injury, only Dan Baker the reserve No. 8 in the autumn is missing. And a chance to beat the old enemy first up. It doesn't get much better for Wales than that. On top of all of that, the first choice players come into the tournament on the back of some superb performances in Europe: Jamie Roberts stamping his credentials as the best inside centre in world rugby; Leigh Halfpenny dominating from the tee; and North scoring tries for Saints on a regular occurrence. The half-backs are comfortable and confident after having three games against the best together, Rhys Webb provides Wales with the spark and the tempo while Biggar controls the game while defending his channel almost as well as the legendary Wilkinson. It says a lot when the form players in the Welsh regions can't make it into the starting team about just how much talent there is in the Welsh set up. Gatland has a wealth of players at centre and in the back-three and I expect the likes of Liam and Scott Williams to get their chance during the tournament just to develop the strength in depth before the World Cup.

The pack practically picks itself for Warren Gatland and his staff, with Samson Lee being a young revelation at tight head, Jake Ball securing his place alongside the legendary Alun Wyn Jones, and the backrow of Lydiate, Warburton and Faletau are a fearsome trio. This collective has the ability to control scrum time, and the ball carrying ability on par with the very best. Not to mention captain Warburton rediscovering the breakdown ability that shot him to fame during the 2011 World Cup. Wales have historically been praised on their back-line flair and exuberance; their forwards are fast gaining their own notoriety.

Overall Wales have the talent, but they've long been insulted for a one dimensional game plan or "Warrenball". Yet in the autumn we saw the inkling of something more, Wales looked to play heads up rugby, spotting gaps and using their brilliant runners (North, Cuthbert, Davies) to attack whenever the chance is there. However we also saw the lineout suffer a lot during the November tests, with inaccurate lineout throws costing good field position on more than one occasion. It's incomplete red-zone success like this that hampers the likelihood of Wales winning the championship.
Predicted Finish - 2nd