With the first and positively the plum installation of the end of the week occurring at the Millennium Stadium this evening, here are a few considerations on the current year's six countries competition.

Ireland is evidently the #1, with England not far behind. Sadly, attributable to the absence of profundity, Ireland isn't probably going to satisfy the bookies' energetic examination. Notwithstanding a brilliant arrangement of results in the pre-winter internationals, the Irish start the competition without Heaslip, Healy and Sexton, all totally crucial to their goal. That shouldn't inconvenience them incredibly against Italy, in any event, playing ceaselessly yet Sexton's proceeding with issues with blackout should make immense uneasiness, for this competition as well as for the World Cup as well. Their deficiency of class substitutions is featured by the determination, for this game, of free forward O'Brien, who has played practically no rugby since his drawn out physical issue. Kearney, Bowe and Zebo make an intense back three, the middle blend in the post O'Driscoll/D'Arcy period is helpful, O'Connell, O'Mahony, O'Brien and Best are altogether a-list advances yet Ireland without Sexton is a side no less than 20% less successful.

Britain ought to presumably be six countries top picks, in spite of the fact that they are especially hard hit by wounds. Farrell, Tuilagi, Morgan, Lawes, Wilson, Launchbury, Parling, Barritt, Eastmond and Tom Wood are on the whole absent for the visit to Wales. With a settled mix, Wales will hope to dominate this game however an annoyed will be a major lift for England and make them firm top picks for the title. None of different groups has anything like the assets of the English. In any event, missing their best three locks for this game, they can put a strong second column on the field. The tight stages stay significant weapons for themselves and there are as yet quality backs, for example, Mike Brown. Outwardly, particularly against Wales, shortcomings could be taken advantage of assuming the Welsh are adequately intense to guarantee North and Cuthbert get the ball. As the competition advances, England should add angles to their play outside forward predominance. In the World Cup, against southern side of the equator groups, the advances won't be sufficient.

On paper, Wales look a decent group yet whether they have the kind of mental strength of the superb sides of the seventies is dubious. With the expansion of Webb at scrum around 50% of, the back line looks total and extremely perilous. Biggar should be the flyhalf at the world cup and outside him he has staggering 3/4. The free threesome of Lydiate, Warburton and Faletau is top class however much will rely upon the front five. In the event that they can coordinate fire with fire against the old adversary this evening, Wales ought to feel great fulfilled.

The most troublesome group in world rugby to break down is the French all of the time. So erratic thus much a group of dispositions, no one at any point knows what's in store from the French. Two South Africans, Kockott and Spedding, make their beginning introductions tomorrow and the Kockott/Lopez mix is the fourteenth halfback matching of the Saint Andre time. In the wake of missing the entire of the 2014 mission, Dusautoir is back and is important for a valuable back three in the scrum. Bastareaud and Fofana are a risky focus matching and there is pace out wide. France need to succeed at home against Scotland yet whatever occurs, we will likely be unaware with respect to the future opportunities for the French.

Scotland brag their best adjusted group for a long time. The tight five is amazing with Murray, Ford and Dickinson in the first line, upheld by the extremely huge Gray siblings at lock. Bizarrely for the Scots, they have speed and size on the wings in Visser and Seymour and the tricky Hogg at the back. Notwithstanding, when the wounds set in, the absence of profundity will be uncovered. As usual, they will play near their true capacity.

Italy are probably going to be the whipping young men of the competition. Just the honorable Sergio Parisse and the maturing Castrogiovanni are a-list. They will presumably front up in the pack yet are logical, as usual, to observe the going intense at the back, where they don't have adequate, speed, size or expertise to irritate the best.

It is a genuinely open competition this year and there are likely four sides that can win it.