Former Wales captain Ryan Jones will take the place of banned lock Bradley Davies in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Millennium Stadium visitors Scotland.

Chris Robshaw will captain an unchanged England team into Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the side that lost the RBS 6 Nations opener against France for the game against England in Rome on Saturday.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in his 30-man squad for the for the first two games of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

IF the current spin whirling around this Sunday’s World Cup clash is to believed, Italy’s backline will be standing around twiddling their thumbs under the Otago Stadium roof while their pack goes about the business of trying to arm wrestle Ireland into submission.

IF Italy ran with the ball as much as they do with their fighting talk, we could be in for a very different game this Sunday rather than the arm wrestle they will try and force on Ireland.

Italy claimed their first RBS 6 Nations victory over France at the 12th attempt with a sensational 22-21 upset in Rome this afternoon.

SAM WARBURTON believes Wales are turning around their RBS 6 Nations campaign after the “doom and gloom” of an opening day defeat against Grand Slam-chasing England.

Italy 16 Wales 24

Italy 11 Ireland 13

Italy 11 Ireland 13

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 24-man squad for the first two games of the RBS 6 Nations.

Clermont Auvergne 28 Racing Metro 17

Clermont Auvergne 28 Racing Metro 17

ON the injury front, no news is normally good news.

OVER 41,000 tickets have already been sold for Leinster’s clash with Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium this weekend. The way things are going, the able-bodied males among them could consider bringing their boots.

Leinster 29 Clermont Auvergne 28

Leinster 29 Clermont Auvergne 28

THERE isn’t much in the way of history between Leinster and Clermont Auvergne, but what little there is will always remain a source of some satisfaction for the Irish province.

LEE BYRNE has revealed he feared the selection axe for Wales’ successful Italian job after his yellow card calamity at Croke Park.

Wales 33 Italy 10

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the starting XV that lost their last RBS 6 Nations match to England for the game against Scotland in Rome on Saturday.

Carlo Antonio Del Fava is the surprise inclusion in Italy’s 30-man squad to face Scotland in their next RBS 6 Nations clash.

LEICESTER tight-head prop Dan Cole has admitted the prospect of anchoring the England pack in a full international was not even on his radar at the start of this season.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has been forced to make two changes to his 24-man squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations match against England in Rome on Sunday.

Leicester 20 Clermont Auvergne 15

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the starting XV that lost to Wales for Saturday’s final RBS 6 Nations game against France.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has dropped six players from his squad to face France in their final RBS 6 Nations game in Rome at the weekend.

ON a cold day in Rome, Ireland turned the heat up on the RBS Six Nations title challengers and hit the top of the table on point difference from Wales, the reigning champions.

Italy 9 Ireland 38

England 36 Italy 11

CLERMONT AUVERGNE saw their faint Heineken Cup hopes extinguished despite a comprehensive bonus point victory against Montauban in the all-French Pool One clash at Stade Marcel Michelin last night.

PHILIPPE Saint Andre has urged Sale Sharks not to undermine the “massive achievement” of beating French giants Clermont Auvergne, by losing their Heineken Cup showdown against holders Munster.

THEY’RE back and they’re gunning for revenge.

Scotland head coach Frank Hadden insisted there were positives to be taken from their 23-20 defeat at Italy.

Italy 23 Scotland 20

France 25 Italy 13

Wales 47 Italy 8

Ireland 16 Italy 11

Italy coach Nick Mallett has put his faith in experience for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations opener with Ireland at Croke Park.

Scotland 18 Italy 16

Italy will be looking to put down a marker ahead of their probable winner-takes-all Pool C match against Scotland when they meet Portugal at the Parc des Princes tomorrow.

Alessandro Troncon will earn his 100th Test cap when he lines up for Italy against Portugal in the World Cup Pool C match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

WHAT an incredible afternoon of rugby. On Saturday morning a margin of four points separated Ireland and France at the top of the championship table.