Rome assignment provides attractive start to Ireland's fresh campaign

Ireland will open their Six Nations Championship campaign against Italy on February 3rd, 2001, with a visit to the Stade Flaminio in Rome. Coach Warren Gatland will be mindful of the surprise that the Italians sprang on Scotland at a similar stage last season but for the thousands of Irish supporters who will travel it will prove a wonderful destination and an exciting addendum to the calendar.

Indeed Ireland must travel three times next season, with the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, and Murrayfield, Edinburgh, the other away venues. The Italian match offers a testing opening to the Six Nations programme in that expectation will be considerable following last season's campaign. This is offset against the backdrop of not having won away against the Italians.

France will travel to Lansdowne Road for the second round of matches, determined to avenge last season's historic defeat - in an Irish context - at the Stade de France. That same weekend, February 17th, England host Italy and Scotland entertain Wales, the latter a traditionally high scoring and entertaining encounter.

On March 3rd the Irish team will be hoping to continue their impressive record in Cardiff while Scotland journey to Twickenham for the Calcutta Cup and the probability of a hostile reception after they famously denied England a Grand Slam last season. France become the second nation to visit Rome next season.

There are two matches on March 17th, St Patrick's Day, but ironically Ireland do not play. Instead they host last season's champions, England, at Lansdowne Road one week later on March 24th. Gatland's charges round off their campaign with a game against Scotland, traditionally a wonderful place to party, albeit in the last two decades to drown your sorrows.

That day England play France at Twickenham in what many will view as the pivotal game of the championship. There are only two games on a Sunday. France play Scotland on February 4th and Italy entertain Wales on April 8th. Greater spice will be added to the competition in that a Lions squad will be selected at the conclusion of the Six Nations to tour Australia in the summer of next year.

Meanwhile Ulster's difficult draw in the European Cup got worse over the weekend when it was confirmed that Toulouse, France's third seeds, would fill the vacancy left in Pool Three alongside the Irish province, Cardiff and Saracens. Toulouse, the 1996 European Cup winners, lost their French championship semi-final to Stade Francais on Saturday, but are ranked one spot higher than Pau, who were beaten by Colomiers in the other semi-final, because of their better Heineken Cup record.

Pau will take on Glasgow Caledonians, Leicester and Pontypridd in Pool Six while the top two seeds will be settled in Saturday's French final.