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LONDON - Three new coaches, three new captains, Twickenham up to 82,500 capacity and a wide open tournament - the Six Nations championship looked in rude health at the launch of the 2008 edition on Wednesday.
Europe's top teams came home from the World Cup with the full range of emotions, ranging from England's cussed pride in reaching the final, through France's mixed up disappointment to Wales and Ireland's embarrassment at their early exits.
Now, three months on, they prepare to do battle again in the 125-year-old tournament, which begins on February 2 when Ireland host Italy and England play Wales, with France visiting Scotland a day later.
There are new coaches for Wales (Warren Gatland), France (Marc Lievremont) and Italy (Nick Mallett) and all three have installed new captains in the shape of Ryan Jones, Lionel Nallet and Sergio Parisse.
"It's extremely open and you can't predict a winner," said England coach Brian Ashton.
"There is always an unpredictability about the Six Nations but this year, with three new coaches, there is an uncertainty too and it's going to be a fascinating tournament."
England followed up their victory in the 2003 World Cup with a third place finish in the Six Nations and since then have finished fourth twice and third last year having won three of the previous four.
Ashton has promised a more expansive style than seen in the World Cup but said he refused to put a time frame on the introduction of the new faces he has added to his training squad.
England begin with a home game against Wales at Twickenham, where the Welsh have not won for 20 years, but Gatland says his new team should have no fear of the expanded ground or the team playing in it.
"I was involved in Ireland winning in Paris for the first time in 27 years so it's important we travel there with self-belief," said the New Zealander who took over from Gareth Jenkins after the World Cup.
Mallett's knowledge of the tournament comes from a longer distance but as one of the most knowledgeable and respected coaches in the game, he is well aware of the task he faces with the Italy team he inherited from Frenchman Pierre Berbizier, despite their best tournament finish of fourth last season.
"Italy have the potential up front to really dominate teams and I want to see them be more ruthless but we also need to develop in other ways," said the man who led South Africa to a record-equalling 17-successive test wins.
They begin with a difficult trip to Croke Park where Ireland will be desperate to atone for their numbingly disappointing World Cup showing.
"We've got to stop looking backwards," said coach Eddie O'Sullivan, who is keeping faith with most of the squad who struggled in France.
"We didn't become a bad team overnight and we have the opportunity with the Six Nations to get back to where we were last year.
Lievremont showed his hand early when he named his 22 to play Scotland on Tuesday and with home games against England and Ireland France look well placed to begin a new era by adding to their tally of three titles from the last four championships.
Scotland, who finished bottom last year, gained some belief from their World Cup showing and coach Frank Hadden, said "There's a growing sense of confidence in this group."
- REUTERS
