Just one weekend of Six Nations action could demonstrate whether Ireland and Wales is best placed to challenge for the title, if France is stronger now the players are talking to their coach, and whether the promise of an inexperienced England squad can yield instant results.
Ireland and Wales go head-to-head in Dublin on Sunday in a repeat of their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal meeting four months ago, with the home side in a strong position to take advantage of Welsh injury problems and get some payback for a 22-10 defeat in Wellington.
Philippe Saint-Andre makes his debut as France coach with a home game against Italy on Saturday, when a callow England side heads to the cauldron of Murrayfield to face Scotland.
For so long among the title favourites, the English are arguably the biggest unknowns ahead of this weekend’s opening round.
Saint-Andre’s lineup for Sunday’s match at Stade de France contains 10 players from the side that lost October’s Rugby World Cup final, Ireland’s settled team shows only three changes from the side knocked out of the World Cup quarterfinals, and Scotland and Italy are largely known quantities.
England officials, seeking to forget a dismal World Cup campaign and a series of PR disasters, have overhauled their entire set-up and the starting lineup that takes on Scotland shows nine changes after the beating by France last outing.
“We have got 40 games between now and the next World Cup, and we need to put experience into that group of players so that they have got an opportunity to grow and develop on the international stage,” interim England coach Stuart Lancaster said. “But equally we go to Murrayfield for the first time and experience it and that is part of that journey.
“We also know that the result is paramount at the weekend, so we need to keep an eye on that.”
Given the English have not won at Murrayfield since 2004, defeat to the Scots would be no disgrace to a lineup boasting fewer than half the caps won by Scotland’s starting lineup.
Lancaster picked Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt in England’s first uncapped centre partnership in a decade and handed a debut to 30-year-old No.8 Phil Dowson.
David Strettle is recalled to the wing and Charlie Hodgson restored to flyhalf for his 37th appearance, making the most experienced player on the team.
Knowing that Saturday’s result could set the tone for his team’s entire campaign, Scotland coach Andy Robinson picked a new halfback partnership by recalling Chris Cusiter at scrumhalf and Dan Parks as replacement for injured flyhalf Ruaridh Jackson.
Winger Lee Jones is the only new face.
France will rely on the backbone of the team edged 8-7 by New Zealand in the World Cup final, but the match most on the players’ minds will be the embarrassing 22-21 loss to Italy in Rome last season – their first defeat to the Azzurri in the Six Nations.
“We shouldn’t believe that the match against Italy will be easy,” Saint-Andre said. “We will play with a lot of humility and desire. We will try to do anything to start well in this competition.”
Italy’s new coach, Jacques Brunel, changed nearly half of the team for his Six Nations debut but captain Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni still appear to be the most potent weapons.
Ireland will rely upon Keith Earls to fill the gap at outside centre left by injury to Brian O’Driscoll, and they are bent on revenge for what the players and coaching staff acknowledge was a below-par performance against Wales at the World Cup.
