If Jonny Wilkinson and Riki Flutey can operate somewhere close to their peak then England could be a real threat

I DON’T wish to alarm anyone or suggest that I have too much time on my hands but I did a little research into the popularity of the Six Nations Championship as a spectacle. It was a case of chasing something tangible rather than word-of-mouth affirmations and the BBC website proved the perfect conduit to my goal.

Last year six millions people tuned in to Ireland’s game against England at Croke Park, while five million watched Ireland take on France in the same venue. In 2003 the BBC announced viewing figures of 94 million for the Six Nations; last season it had risen to 125 million viewers over the duration of the tournament.

This is just one tiny method of illustrating the popularity of the Six Nations. There is no doubt that it boasts a sizeable corporate value, one reflected in the €23 million that RBS are believed to have negotiated to retain their presence as titular sponsors until 2013.

For Northern Hemisphere players the tournament is the next best thing to the Rugby World Cup, while their Southern Hemisphere counterparts are taking an increasing interest based on several conversations I’ve had with players at London Irish. The guys are keeping on eye on the competition ahead of rugby’s four yearly showcase in New Zealand in 18 months time.

I noticed Martin Johnson’s claim that the current England squad was the strongest he’s had at his disposal since taking over. It appears an unusual statement when you consider that only one English team, Northampton Saints, managed to make it to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and accomplished this by squeaking in as eighth seeds.

That lack of success in Europe’s premier competition has to have dented confidence a little bit. Johnson was looking for a reaction in Portugal where they conducted a pre-tournament training camp. One area where he will certainly have cause for optimism is the 10-12 axis; a pivotal partnership in any team especially in the modern game.

England have Jonny Wilkinson and the excellent Riki Flutey and anyone with any doubts about Flutey’s pedigree need look no further than the Lions tour during the summer. Seilala Mapusua is a huge player for us at inside centre and sets the tone both in terms of attack and defence and this was recognised when he was voted the Guinness Premiership Players’ Player of the Year last season.

Flutey has the talent to influence games in the same way. Look at what Gordon D’Arcy does and you’ll see firstly how fortunate Ireland is in this respect and how the player directly outside the outhalf can be a game breaker.

If Wilkinson and Flutey can operate somewhere close to their peak then England could be a real threat. They’ll always manage a decent supply of set-piece ball and possess pace to burn on the wings so if they can throw in a creative spark then that ambition could burn brightly: as opposed to crash and burn which is what we did in the European Cup last weekend.

The mantra of my former coach while at Leinster, Matt Williams, ran like a tickertape through my mind for a few days: DNFUJ (The last two words in the acronym for those who have forgotten is ‘up January, the first two ‘do not, and the one in the middle rhymes with cluck). In that period we have lost two matches and drawn one. It’s hardly inspiring but it will hopefully spur us on in the other two competitions. If that happens then at least we’ll have absorbed a lesson.

At this point several players with heavy mileage over the first half of the season will be rested in terms of game time and that was certainly the case for yesterday’s game against Harlequins where Toby Booth gave some young players and those who have had limited opportunities so far the chance to impress.

This part of the season can be tricky with players dipping in and out and that disruption in terms of changing personnel on a weekly basis is manifest in the occasional disjointed display. It’s important that the internationals assimilate as quickly as possible when coming back to the club and not alone physically. Depending on results they could return on a massive high or having to eat with the plastic cutlery for safety reasons.

On Wednesday it was poker night with my Irish friends – about eight of us get together every fortnight – who live in London. It’s always a hugely enjoyable occasion even last week one of the guys, who could probably be described as a semi-professional in terms of the game and usually just looks on, decided to play. Suffice to say that while he was building the Taj Mahal with his chips I would have struggled to construct a gazebo; and that’s without the roof. You know you’re in trouble when you can shuffle all your chips with one hand.

The television was on in the background and as a Liverpool fan I was suitably dispassionate about the outcome of the Manchester derby. The boys usually arrive about 8.0pm and leave by 11.0pm. It’s £25 to play and if you lose that stake before 9.0pm you can buy back in once. It’s our very own watershed. To keep the hunger pangs away it’s usually tea and Jaffa cakes: I am an athlete after all.

I had a second meeting with Barclay’s Bank last week with a view of trying to do a little part-time work with one eye on my career after rugby. I was more nervous that I expected but everyone has been very kind. Whatever schedule is decided I know I’ll enjoy and appreciate that experience.

Speaking of financial matters I see that Saracens have been waving the chequebook around, enticing Soane Tonga’uiha, — the Tongan is rated as one of the top loosehead props in the Premiership – scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth and Matt Stevens to the club.

Stevens will join when his two year ban for cocaine use is up in January of next year. I obviously don’t condone a sports person taking drugs but everyone deserves a second chance; look at Lawrence Dallaglio.

In my experience it’s not that prevalent in rugby. Stevens is running a coffee shop in Bath along with his former team-mate, the England hooker Lee Mears and keeping fit by competing in jujitsu tournaments. I was talking to some of the props in our club and they rate him in the scrum whereas I just thought he was good around the park.

In the current climate I needed a bit of cheering up so I took myself off to the local Comedy Club – it was the place where Graham Norton started when he came to London – something I’d do five or six times a year. It had the desired effect.