All set for Six Nations showdown
Post categories: Rugby
| 13:35 UK time, Friday, 2 February 2007
I don't think there can ever have been a Six Nations Championship more keenly anticipated than the one which finally gets under way in Rome and Twickenham tomorrow.
Last week's RBS launch for the tournament in London produced a record attendance of media from all around the world and the anticipation has been cranked up this week each with each team announcement.
A special thanks from us though goes to Brian Ashton because Monday's England team set the sports world abuzz and took the sport to the front pages as well as the back.
Not surprisingly Jonny Wilkinson's return will dominate our discussion on the Tv coverage before the England game (4pm ko), but no one should forget that Andy Farrell's England debut after just 12 games for Saracens is an equally amazing story.
I was lucky enough to be there when Jonny last touched a ball for England - !
I've a less clear memory of much later that night when Great Britain rugby league team, captained by Farrell lost - who could have thought then that the pair would unite in Ashton's first 6 Nations selection!
Also tomorrow we'll have a feature on , himself back from a dislocated shoulder just two months ago and there is a fond look back at Scotland's last win at Twickenham in 1983.
And we have a coup at half-time in the Italy v France match (1.30pm ko) when former England coach Andy Robinson will join John Inverdale at Twickenham to discuss life after his traumatic experience as England coach.
Watch out for that one and have a great weekend's viewing - which for some of you may be in High Definition; This weekend both England v Scotland and Wales v Ireland on Sunday will be available in HD.
That's just one of the many new things we’re doing this year - , the tournament will be presented in a multi-screen format for the first time - with live network coverage, alternative commentaries, updated highlights of the match in progress, and highlights from earlier games, plus live stats for every match.
(Incidentally - you will also be able to watch one of the England women’s team’s Six Nations games on the red button for the first time on the 10 Feb - there will be live coverage of their match against Italy at Twickenham after the men's match.)
On the web we'll have – with two and a half minutes at half-time; five minutes after the final whistle; and a full 15-minute package after 24 hours.
Five Live's commentary will also be streamed on the web - or you could choose to listen to the local radio coverage as we will be streaming the commentaries (UK only) from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Cymru (welsh language) ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Ulster and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland.
If you have stumbled across our Six Nations blog, you'll have seen we have authors from all four of the home nations getting in on the fun – as well as two referees on hand to answer your queries about the laws of the game.
Jerry Guscott and Brian Moore have also filmed some skills drills on our Academy site - .
Our four columnists , , and Cusiter will also be taking your questions every week.
We've already had .
And RBS are also running on the 17 March – the day the competition comes to a climax.
That'll be some do - wonder who will be celebrating then??
