1. The Tactical Battle

The Tactics

IF variety really is the spice of life then the Six Nations, coming as it does so quickly after the thrills and spills of the Heineken Cup, is set to warm the hearts of all rugby enthusiasts over the course of the next seven weeks.

JUST imagine for a moment that you are a Welsh rugby fanatic.

IT WAS always going to be very difficult this year to follow the highs of 2009 and the accompanying silverware that found an Irish home, including a Six Nations Grand Slam, a Heineken Cup for Leinster and a Magners League for Munster.

DESPITE an horrendous eight-hour delay in Clermont Airport last Sunday night, arriving in Dublin at 5am, I am looking forward to next weekend already.

THE contrasting fortunes of Tony McGahan and Joe Schmidt heading into the crucial back-to-back rounds of the Heineken Cup could not be highlighted more forcibly than by the selection dilemmas facing both men this week.

WE HAVE a lot to be grateful to Scotland for. Had they not beaten South Africa in Murrayfield last Saturday week, both the Springboks and New Zealand would return home from their respective tours of the four home unions with a clean sweep.

NOW we know.

JUST as Scottish rugby was beginning to feel good about itself again after a string of impressive winning performances against Ireland and a double away to Argentina, the All Blacks came to town.