Yes it's finally here, a tournament that for most of us is the highlight of our annual rugby calendar. That in no way detracts from the Rugby Championship for our Southern Hemisphere friends but as International Test Rugby's oldest annual dustup, the Six Nations has so much history behind it that it's hard to top in terms of a sense of occasion. Some editions have been less than stellar but this year's competition looks set to have us glued to our TV screens for the next two months. Add into the mix the colorful crowds, which are such an integral and important part of this classic tournament, and ladies and gentleman get ready to start your engines this Saturday!

Good natured debates are already crowding the airwaves and discussions in pubs and bars around the globe as rugby's oldest tournament prepares to spool up once more. There is no doubt that as always there are some clear front runners, but in our opinion this year's tournament looks set to be one of the closest in history. We are fairly certain however that a Grand Slam for any of the six participants is quite frankly out of the question. Even the best, whom many think this year are France are going to encounter a banana skin along the way to Super Saturday on March 19th.