Let’s focus on here and now

Each of the protagonists, bar Italy, can legitimately talk up their Six Nations chances, writes Donal Lenihan.

I STRUGGLE to remember a Six Nations championship that looks as open as this one with all the participants — Italy excepted — in a legitimate position to talk up their chances of success. There is no outstanding team in the Championship this year, whereas in the past, there has been a clear divide between France, England (and lately Ireland) and the rest.

Here’s the rub: a number of questions hang over all of the pretenders with injury, selection and the form of key personnel a concern in every camp. One need look no further that current champions and reigning Grand Slam holders France as a prime example of a team that is literally capable of doing anything.

England will bring strong intent and ambition of a long overdue return to the summit of the Six Nations. Remember, they haven’t seriously challenged since 2003, the year they won the grand Slam and World Cup. However, injuries on successive weekends to Tom Croft, Courtney Lawes and new captain Lewis Moody have tempered expectations.

Speaking of injury, Warren Gatland must wonder if the curse on his Lions Test front row of Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones will ever relent. The have managed only one test together for Wales since their heroics in South Africa in 2009.

Scotland and 2009 champions Ireland have every reason to look forward to the tournament with high expectations, while Italy’s ambitions will be confined to winning a home game. With three of those on the schedule this year, they will fancy creating at least one major upset.

To what extent the World Cup occupies the minds and influences selection policies of the coaches remains to be seen even if Declan Kidney and Marc Lièvremont are already on record as saying this tournament will get the respect it deserves. That translates, I presume, into picking their strongest available teams for all games.

Ireland’s opening match in Rome and England’s encounter with Scotland offer dress rehearsals for their respective World Cup pool meetings in Dunedin and Auckland next October. I have always believed success breeds success and the fact that this year’s tournament is so open, it affords all the main countries the opportunity to seriously challenge for silverware.

So who is going to win? Having been present for France’s embarrassing 59-16 capitulation to Australia in November, ‘champion’ is just about the last word one should associate with Les Bleus. They were so bad that night; it is difficult to fathom where they could go — back to basics, I would have thought, for starters.

In that respect eccentric coach Marc Lièvremont has acknowledged the mistakes of the autumn and recalled the Toulouse quartet of Maxime Medard, David Skrela, Clement Poitrenaud and Vincent Clerc. France are probably the only team with the capacity to put that Australian massacre behind them and still win the Championship. It all comes down to picking the best team.

AT least the French coach has made a decent start with the squad he has selected for the opening two games. Sanity may yet prevail which could prove costly for Ireland given that they should arrive in Dublin in round two with an opening win against Scotland in the bag. Note ‘should’. I wouldn’t even bank on that though until I see what team Lièvremont selects.

At least Ireland should have enjoyed their biennial win over Italy in Rome by the time France travel to Dublin. They will also bring a feelgood factor into the tournament on the back of Leinster’s excellent form and qualification along with Ulster for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. While the Munster contingent have no such luxury on this occasion, that if anything will make their representation even more determined to make a positive impact in this tournament.

Despite all the doom and gloom caused by a spate of injuries, I fancy Ireland to do well and not just because they host England and France. Declan Kidney must bite the bullet and give Mike Ross his opportunity to lock the Irish scrum. For too long we have been told of all the things that he is deficient at. Now he’s picked for Italy for what he does well — scrummage.

That could help to minimise one of the principal attacking weapons that both Italy and France bring to the table.

MARTIN Johnson finally seems to have come to terms with the demands of international management and the past six months have seen an upward spiral in English fortunes with successive victories over Australia — home and away — the highlight. When one considers what the Wallabies achieved in Paris, that’s no mean feat.

The key find for Johnson has been Ben Youngs at scrum half. Not only does he pose a major threat himself with his lightening pace but he is tactically very astute for one so young. There is a lot of pressure on England to perform this year and with three games in Twickenham, everything points to them doing well.

So what of Scotland? On limited resources, Andy Robinson has worked minor miracles. Winning a test series 2-0, as Scotland did in Argentina last summer, is an achievement, one they followed up by beating South Africa at Murrayfield in November. The problem with Scotland is that when they are bad, they are very bad. But with Wales, Ireland and Italy all travelling to Edinburgh, they will fancy their chances of a blemishless home record. Their opening game in Paris will tell us a lot, but the Scots will have a good championship — without getting their hands on the silverware.

Wales remain the most frustrating side in the tournament. They are a macro version of the Ospreys in the Heineken Cup. We should not be surprised — there are a number of the same players on both sides.

Wales have not won any of their last seven internationals, and Warren Gatland is under serious pressure to deliver. I have lost faith in this current Welsh side. The minimum requirement for Wales is to beat England tonight. Lose it and he will soon discover just how small a country Wales is.