Le crunch

Opening match could decide Six Nations title

LONDON (AP) -- Could the Six Nations title be decided in the first match?

England hosts defending champion France in the opening round on Feb. 15 at its home ground of Twickenham.

The two teams are set to battle for the title again this season, with revenge and an elusive Grand Slam high on England's mind. Meanwhile, France will have to overcome the positive drug test of prop Pieter De Villiers.

"The game against France is a massive one," England coach Clive Woodward said. "They are the Grand Slam champions and were the only team to beat us last year, and I'm sure the competition will be very intense."

The French, who won all their matches in last year's tournament, handed England its only defeat last year -- a 20-15 loss at the Stade de France.

This time, England has the home advantage and that could be the deciding factor.

Ahead of November's World Cup in Australia, all sides are seeking early psychological points. Players will be staking their claim for a World Cup berth.

All countries start the season on a high. England, France, Scotland, Wales and Ireland won matches when southern hemisphere Australia, New Zealand and South Africa toured Europe in November.

Meanwhile, Italy is lessening the margins of its defeats.

Also on Feb. 15, Italy hosts Wales in Rome, and Scotland plays Ireland at Murrayfield the day after.

France, runner-up to Australia in the 1999 World Cup, has transformed its team from Six Nations also-rans in 2001 into Grand Slam winners in 2002. But French team manager Jo Maso isn't over confident.

"We've got our feet on the ground and enough humility to understand that we have had an exceptional season," Maso said. "We have still got a lot of progress to make to position ourselves long-term among the world's best teams."

De Villiers, the South African-born prop with 28 France caps, was excluded from the England game after it emerged this week that he tested positive for cocaine and Ecstasy on Dec. 18.

De Villiers insists he did not take drugs and has asked for a follow-up test. But he could miss the entire tournament.

French captain Fabien Galthie, named the player of 2002 by the International Rugby Board, has the powerful Imanol Harinordoquy, Olivier Magne and Serge Betsen at the heart of his backrow.

Back Thomas Castaignede and wing Aurelien Rougerie are also available after long-term injuries.

Harinordoquy is particularly keen to beat England.

"The only memories I have of England and the English are unpleasant ones," the 22-year-old said. "As long as we beat England I wouldn't mind if we lost every other game in the Six Nations."

England has an 18-game winning streak at Twickenham -- and hasn't been beaten at home in either the Five or Six Nations since 1997.

Woodward's side has won 22 of its last 24 test matches, but this year desperately wants to complete a clean sweep after years of coming up short.

"I have always wanted to win a Grand Slam," England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson said. "It's no good me pretending that it doesn't matter because I'm desperate to say I've got one. I've had five attempts at it, but each time it has proved elusive.

"In its way, that encapsulates the essential beauty of the Six Nations. No team can afford to be complacent."

Jason Leonard could become only the third player to reach 100 caps. Frenchman Philippe Sella (111) and Australia's David Campese (101) lead the way.

While England faces its 2002 Grand Slam nemesis first up, it could still trip up, with its final game scheduled in Ireland. Two years ago, Ireland ended England's Grand Slam bid, but because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic, the competition took six months to complete.

Ireland, last season's third-place finisher, and fourth-placed Scotland both had confidence boosting wins over southern hemisphere sides last November. The Irish upset world champion Australia, while the Scots beat South Africa for the first time in 33 years.

Scotland has lost center Ben Hinshelwood for the tournament with a broken leg, while former captain Budge Pountney retired, unhappy at the way the team is run.

Captain Bryan Redpath said Scotland had to build on its 21-6 defeat of South Africa in November.

"The need to use our heads was a vital lesson that we learned from the South Africa game," Redpath said. "If we don't learn from it, then we'll struggle against Ireland, France and England."

Ireland has home ground advantage this year -- as well as hosting England in the final game, it welcomes France on March 8. It hasn't been beaten at Landsdowne Road in the Six Nations since April 2000.

In November, Ireland beat Australia for the first time in 23 years, with flyhalf Ronan O'Gara scoring all the points in a 18-9 win in Dublin.

Captain Keith Wood is still injured, meaning Brian O'Driscoll continues as stand-in skipper. Center Rob Henderson returns after missing most of the domestic season with a broken arm.

Wales has shown encouraging signs under coach Steve Hansen, who took over from fellow New Zealander Graham Henry last year.

"We have come a long way and proved that we can be competitive against the top sides," Hansen said. "Now, we just have to keep it going when we get together for Six Nations."

However international progress could be overshadowed by a restructuring of domestic rugby -- which has already forced the dismantling of its second tier "A" team and threatens to combine rugby clubs.

Wales only won once in last season's Six Nations, a 44-20 victory over Italy, but lost at home by under five points against France and Scotland.

Hansen has picked two rookies in his squad, Matthew Watkins and Ceri Sweeney, but also has experience with captain Colin Charvis and back Rhys Williams.

Italy has only won once since it joined the competition in 2000 -- a 34-20 victory against Scotland in Rome in its first ever Six Nations match. Since then, Italy has lost 14 successive games.

New coach John Kirwan took over from fellow former All Black Brad Johnstone last year.

Flyhalf Diego Dominguez may lack fitness because of a three-week layoff with concussion in late January, while center Matteo Barbini is likely to miss the tournament after breaking his ankle.

"There is a lot of pressure here in Italy to get a result," Kirwan said. "It would be fair to say that this country needs a result ... so we can get some positivity and keep moving forward."

 

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