Triple Crown winners Ireland will get the 2008 Six Nations Championship underway when they host Italy next February (2nd) while England will meet Wales in the later game on the opening Saturday.
Champions France will open their defence the following day (February 3rd) with a trip to Murrayfiled to face Scotland.
The championship will run until March 15th, 2008 when all six teams will be in action in what is already being referred to as the second of two "Super Saturdays". The final round of games on that day will see Italy take on Scotland, England v Ireland and Wales v France.
"Super Saturday" Part One takes place on February 23rd when Wales play Italy in Cardiff (3pm), before Ireland play Scotland at Croke Park (5pm), followed by the late kick-off between France and England in Paris at 8pm.
France will be seeking a first hat-trick of championships in
19years while Ireland will hope to improve on this year's Triple
Crown campaign. All this just months after the World Cup takes
place in France later this year.
Six Nations chairman, Jacques Laurans, said: "The dust has
barely settled on one of the most exciting tournaments in recent
history, yet we can now look forward in detail to the challenges of
next year.
"Events have shown once again that this championship is incapable of prediction, and is a thoroughly competitive event from start to finish.
"Moreover, the fact that so many teams began their final games with a chance of winning outright augurs well for our nations' prospects in the Rugby World Cup, which takes place later this year."
2008 Six Nations Schedule
Saturday, February 2nd
Ireland v Italy (2pm)
England v Wales (4.30pm)
Sunday, February 3rd
Scotland v France (3pm)
Saturday, February 9th
Wales v Scotland (2pm)
France v Ireland (4pm)
Sunday, February 10th
Italy v England (2.30pm)
Saturday, February 23rd
Wales v Italy (3pm)
Ireland v Scotland (5pm)
France v England (8pm)
Saturday, March 8th
Ireland v Wales (1.15pm)
Scotland v England (3.15pm)
Sunday, March 9th
France v Italy (3pm)
Saturday, March 15th
Italy v Scotland (1pm)
England v Ireland (3pm)
Wales v France (5pm)