For rugby fans this is in all likelihood the most exciting time of the year bar the autumn internationals. The names of the six nations squad always brings much reaction to the selection, nevertheless good or bad it can be. As always the squad selection will contain a good deal of surprises altho the question remains as to whether the surprises are good ones.
Cipriani, the wasps fly 1/2 has played down talks of him being called up to attend meaning there will be spots available for a good deal of fly halves around the country, a good deal of of which whose names can not be on the tip of our tongues.
England will be trying to push on after an indifferent autumn series versus new zealand, australia and argentina and will be looking to win the competition in spite of everything being versus them, the press included. They do have the tools to compete at the highest level and the sole real question remains as to whether they can put all those tools in the same box and play as a team looking to impress themselves more that the fans.
Talk continues in regards to expansive rugby but in all honestness, england are no good at it. England are best when they bully sides into submission, whether or not overlaps appear then fine but there is no must whip the ball down the line versus organised defensive teams from set pieces.
With the squad to be named on 3rd day of the week and the 6 nations just around the corner, england manager martin johnson will acknowledge it is time for his team and staff to begin delivering a good deal of essential wins, the most proficient online bookmakers do not believe this will be the case and are offering 4/1 to win the championship, 8-1 to win the grandslam and have set france as 6/4 favourites for the tournament.
