England
Overall record (since 1883) Played: 378
Won: 192
Drawn: 38
Lost: 148
Championships: 22
Grand Slams: 11
Most points in season - 146 (1998)
Most tries in season - 20 (1914)
Biggest win 46-6 v Ireland (1997)
Biggest defeat 6-33 v Scotland (1986)
Championships post-war - 12
Post-war wins - 100
Wins in the 1990s - 32
Clubs - 2,049
Players - 167,000
Prospects: A definite feeling of postWorld Cup anti-climax, as the last rites are observed on Clive Woodward's tenure. They remain ruthless flat-track bullies, but the World Cup reinforced the view that they are vulnerable under pressure. Have been shorn of several experienced performers (Cockerill, Garforth, Johnson, Guscott), as well as the potency of Greenwood and Luger.
On the flip side, the world-class Lawrence Dallaglio is not only still on board, but the redemption fires still rage within him. The back row, indeed, is the best in the championship. Even so, that alone hardly warrants favouritism. Whisper it quietly, but it could even go quite pearshaped.
Key man: Matt Dawson - A reformed player of late, he has galvanised Northampton, even taking the kicks and becoming much more of a sniping threat. Having inherited the captaincy, if Dawson can do all that and look after Wilkinson, then it will go some way to keeping the chariot on track.
France
Overall record (since 1883) Played: 279
Won: 133 Drawn: 17
Lost: 126
Championships: 11
Grand Slams: 6
Most points in season - 144 (1998) Most tries in season - 18 (1998)
Biggest win - 51-0 v Wales (1998)
Biggest defeat - 0-37 v England (1911)
Championships post-war - 18
Post-war wins - 113
In the 1990s - 26
Clubs - 1720
Players 95,400
Prospects: Last season they covered the whole gamut, managing the wooden spoon and going on to make the World Cup final. They'll hardly scale those semi-final heights again, for it would be a monumental ask of Magne, Lamaison, Dominici and co, but anything near would be enough to win the championship. Highly-regarded Bernard Laporte was a shoe-in as coach and is liable to bring more direction. The question is will he sacrifice flair? Thomas Castaignede's presence at full back suggests not. For all the tactical shifts, they have a settled team, and post-World Cup, they are the most buoyant of the six nations. With England at home France are generously priced at 9 to 4 second favourites. The traditionally tough trips to Cardiff and their bogey ground Murrayfield reduces chances of a 10-point Grand Slam.
Key man: Christophe Lamaison - If the Brive out-half can rediscover the heights of his Twickenham Grand Slamwinning haul two seasons ago or his unerring direction and control against the All Blacks, then France would be entitled to the favourite's tag.
Ireland
Overall record (since 1883)
Played: 375
Won: 142
Drawn: 24
Lost: 209 Championships: 10
Grand Slams: 1
Most points in season - 71 (1983)
Most tries in season - 12 (1928, 1953)
Biggest win - 24-0 v France (1913)
Biggest defeat - 6-46 v England (1997)
Championships post-war - 8
Post-war wins - 75
In the 1990s - 8
Clubs - 205
Players - 16,500
Prospects: The sheer ignominy of Ireland's World Cup exit was possibly an all-time low and not only is Warren Gatland's neck on the line, but so are the necks of the 11 players surprisingly retained from Lens. Perhaps the hurt can inspire a reaction.
They have rolled the dice with the selection of Mike Mullins at inside centre and Ireland will clearly endeavour to play more through the hands and on their feet, for potentially it's the most creative Irish midfield in years.
We shall see whether some defensive solidity will be lost as a result. There also remain question marks about the back row and the lack of a true cutting edge out wide.
The three home fixtures look winnable - but then again Ireland have only won once at home since '93, and that was four years ago. Four points is the Irish target, anything more will constitute the best season since '93.
Key man: Keith Wood - He has to call the toss and call the shots, take the throws and take the ball on (yet act as decoy), while also inspiring the team, the crowd and the country, and maybe score a few tries and, most of all, stay injury-free.
That's all.
Italy
Overall Test record
Played: 288
Won: 133
Drawn: 13
Lost: 142
Championships: -
Grand Slams: -
Most points in season -
Most tries in season -
Biggest win -
Biggest defeat -
Championships post-war -
Post-war wins -
In the 1990s -
Clubs - 505 (incl schools).
Players - 11,700.
Prospects: Sadly, the Azzurri's domestic structures are not equipped to compensate for the gradual erosion of the recent team. The concession of a century of points against South Africa was followed by another hammering by the All Blacks. They endured the most dispiriting and pointless World Cup of the six nations, showing a pervasive ill-discipline and inability to cope when the exchanges moved into fourth phase or beyond.
These things take time, but if Brad Johnstone can harness Fiji's talents and instil discipline within their ranks, then it could well be that the Italian federation have landed the biggest coup of the season. With an even bigger sense of occasion today than the World Cup, they could even trouble the Scots. Anything less, though, and they could quickly become the whipping boys. Not likely to feature, but they've targeted the Irish game. Wonder why?
Key man: Diego Dominguez - it almost goes without saying. At 33, his best years may be behind him and there were signs of his head dropping in the World Cup, but he's still a class act and it is simply imperative for the Italians that he stays injury-free. A strong guiding influence, he is a metronomic kicker.
Scotland
Overall record (since 1883) Played: 380
Won: 169
Drawn: 22
Lost: 189 Championships: 14
Grand Slams: 3
Most points in season - 120 (1999)
Most tries in season - 17 (1925)
Biggest win - 31-3 v France (1912), 38-10 v Ireland (1997)
Biggest defeat 16-51 v France (1998)
Championships post-war - 6
Post-war wins - 89
In the 1990s - 21
Clubs - 276
Players - 11,700
Prospects: Despite poor administration, dodgy structures and the weakest domestic game (save for Italy), as ever the Scots can put all that behind them in the championship (the champions began as outsiders last season). The Telfer legacy lives on under the careful stewardships of three-time Lions coach Ian McGeechan. No home union performed better or emerged more buoyant from the World Cup than Scotland, their irreverent parting shot against the All Blacks providing a morale boost.
At least this season the Super District players have benefited from more games. They remain a settled outfit and the hardened edge of their kilted Kiwis remains intact, while their fixtures are theoretically more favourable this year, with England and France at home. Against that, Gregor Townsend will hardly score a try per game again, his minder John Leslie is ring-rusty, and the galloping Eric Peters will be missing altogether.
Key men: The Leslies - Martin is the main man up front with a tryscoring knack, and newly-installed skipper John is probably the best Kiwi inside centre of all. John calls the shots and takes the pressure off Townsend. However, he has just recovered from injury and cannot be expected to be at his best.
Wales
Overall record (since 1883) Played: 376
Won: 198
Drawn: 23
Lost: 155 Championships: 22
Grand Slams: 8
Most points in season - 109 (1999)
Most tries in season - 21 (1910)
Biggest win 49-14 v France (1910)
Biggest defeat 0-51 v France (1998)
Championships post-war - 13
Post-war wins - 109
In the 1990s - 12
Clubs - 372
Players - 18,340
Prospects: Optimism, as ever, is huge, undiluted by Wales's relatively poor World Cup. They'll remain hard to beat and haven't been disrupted unduly by injuries, retaining a strong spine running through the team, from the experienced Garin Jenkins at hooker through ol' metronome Neil Jenkins at out-half and attacking catalyst Shane Howarth at full back.
It may well be an inspired move by the exceptional Graham Henry to give Dai Young the captaincy and so free Robert Howley, who is possibly too much of an instinctive player to be weighed down by such onerous responsibilities. Nevertheless, they needed two late kicks from Jenkins to poach one-point wins last season and as the World Cup reinforced, they are still searching for a top-class cutting edge out wide. Key man: Neil Jenkins - Having established a new world points' scoring record during the World Cup, Jenkins enhanced his icon-like status within Welsh rugby - and perhaps even to a degree within the squad. Aside from releasing his backs with his under-rated, flat distribution, it almost goes without saying that the Dragons' fire hinges largely on his boot.
