The 2016 RBS 6 Nations launched in style on Wednesday morning at the Hurlingham Club and the six captains present an intriguing mix of the old and the new.
There are three brand new skippers for this year’s Championship – that gets underway in ten days’ time on Saturday February 6 when France welcome Italy to the Stade de France – and they are all hookers.
Rory Best takes the armband for two-time defending champions Ireland after Paul O’Connell’s retirement, Eddie Jones’ England have Dylan Hartley at the helm and France under Guy Noves will be led by Guilhem Guirado.
Those three were joined by Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw, Wales’ Sam Warburton and Italy’s Sergio Parisse on Wednesday – three captains that have led their country with great distinction for many years.
Best’s Ireland will be hoping to make history this year as the first ever team to win the Championship for three years in a row and the Ulster hooker is confident his side are up to the task.
“Whenever you come into the RBS 6 Nations camp for the first time you put everything that has happened with your club sides behind you,” he said.
“The provinces have not done as well in the Champions Cup this season, but I think once we get out there we’ll see that we’ve got a good mix of young players and more experienced guys, so we feel like we’ve got a good balance.
“Right across the board, you have to have a good squad to win things. We’ve done that in the past, and feel like we’ve got people who can come in if they have to and will be excited to do so.”
The Welsh injury curse
Ireland kick off their campaign by welcoming Wales to the Aviva Stadium on Sunday February 7 and Warren Gatland will be hoping for a clean bill of health from his Wales squad.
Long-term absentees Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb and Scott Williams will miss out but after an injury-ravaged World Cup, but Warburton’s return from knee ankle ligament damage is a welcome boost.
“I was a little bit worried when I did the injury (in November), I just missed out on an operation which was good news,” said Warburton.
“I got back and played Calvisano last weekend, if there is an option to jump in again this weekend for the Blues and sharpen the tools that will be great.
“We were chucked in the deep end with injuries at the World Cup, it’s normal to have three or four. But it was great in that we played tough teams, in a hostile environment and came through OK.
“If they put in a good shift in World Cup, they can do it in Six Nations.”
Laidlaw looking forward
The second game of the first round of the Championship pits the old enemies Scotland and England together for the Calcutta Cup clash at BT Murrayfield.
And Laidlaw insists that optimism is high in the Scottish camp under head coach Vern Cotter.
“There is a lot of excitement around Scottish rugby at the moment,” he said.
“It was a fairly successful World Cup for us but we are aware we went out in the quarters alongside some of the teams in this competition so we’re looking forward to another challenge.
“The Calcutta Cup is important every year. England is always an incredible game to be involved in, and I’ll be honoured to captain Scotland there as starting well is important.”
Hartley searching for English redemption
England will be led out in the Scottish capital by their new skipper Hartley and the Northampton Saint has promised to lead from the front.
“First and foremost the focus for me is to play well, with a massive focus on set-piece,” he said.
“I want to do my best, I want to win, to do well for the shirt, I want to lead by example.
“The foundations are there, we have good core group, experience and young guys coming through.
“There is disappointment from World Cup we want to put right, this is a motivated group and we are hugely excited about the first game.”
Guilhem’s good vibes for France
The first game of the Championship will see Noves’ France side welcome Italy and Guirado cannot wait to lead his side out for the first time.
“For me it’s all new. We’ve only had two days of training. There are several players who have finished their international careers. We know all the French people have high expectations,” he said.
“It’s a massive honour and I take a lot of pride. But France needs to start winning games, to win the tournament. It will be difficult because everyone is here to win so we are preparing for the first game against Italy.”
Parisse stands tall
And Italy’s talisman Parisse knows that his side will once again have their work cut out for them when hostilities open in ten days time.
“I’m 33 years old, even if I look like I am 40. Personally and for all the Italian team it’s a good opportunity to play this tournament,” he said.
“We have ten uncapped players as part of the team. For us in the Italian team its tough but it’s a good opportunity. It a chance for the young players to show they deserve to be in the Italian team.”
Click here for the complete TV coverage and fixture list for the 2016 RBS 6 Nations
