Toulon open to joining Premiership

I have to check the date to see it's not April Fools Day.

This will never happen, no idea why owner is saying this. Have they had another falling out with Top 14 clubs?

Sounds like his usual mouthing off. Although you would have thought that the Pro 12 would be the better option as those teams as used to the travelling around Europe

Yeah Pro 12 would be a better fit, though the tv monies are considerably less that Premiership. Anyway we all know this isn't gonna happen, but it's semi funny I suppose.

Re: Pro 12 I think there have been rumblings about ditching the two Italian clubs in favour of adding London Welsh and Scottish to the league. That's something I could see happening or at the very least expanding to a Pro 14.

The Six Nations TV schedule for this season has been released

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/lat...ons-broadcasts

The analysis - if you can really call it that - has been taking place in the commentators thread.

On to on-field matters some cracking matches this weekend in Europe

Always love the final round of matches, so many twists and turns, permutations and combinations

Even teams that have already qualified will want to ensure a home quarter. That's why I love this competition- always something to play for!

Group B between Ospreys, Exeter, Clermont and Bordeaux is the one to watch out for- every team can still qualify!!!

Challenge Cup Quarters

Quins v London irish
Gloucester v Dragons
Sale v Montpellier
Grenoble v Connacht

3 English teams and Grenoble in semis?

First time in 18 years no irish team has made European quarters. Absolutely no complaints

Six Nations chances look as grim as ever

English and French marginilisation plan is working then.

Perhaps but it doesn't excuse the pathetic performance by each province (bar a two week flurry by Ulster vs a washed up Toulouse)

The form Irish XV is very, very far away from the one that'll be picked. Little chance we'll beat wales or England imo and we will also be vulnerable to France and Scotland

Or just the Irish teams didn't turn up. Ulster were unlucky but Leinster were poor. Munster have been shocking this season. Maybe the fact they have to try during the Pro-12 now rather than just do whatever they want and still qualify is stretching them further?

I hope so, and I'm Irish

The year Leinster and Ulster made the final was farcical. It's much better for NH rugby to see a level playing field all round at club level.

Ulster weren't even great tbh. Oyonnax were a disgrace and Toulouse are finished. You cannot afford to get zero points from a home match in this comp

Hartley confirmed as England captain

After weeks of speculation/media leeks Eddie Jones chooses Dylan Hartley to be his captain.

This should be......interesting.

At least Wayne Barnes can't send him off playing for England.

I'm sure Craig Joubert can step up the the task

So with the 10 players released back to the clubs it looks like England's 15 will be something like:

1. Cole
2. Hartley
3. Vunipola
4. Kruis
5. Launchbury
6. Robshaw
7. Haskell
8. Billy V
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. Nowell
12. Farrell
13. JJ
14. Watson
15. Brown

Interesting to see if Devoto and Clifford get on.

I'm quite disappointed by Haskell being at 7 but I just think it's going to be a stop gap solution for this 6N whilst George Smith teaches Clifford and Kvesic the ropes... and we just need to get Sam Underhill back over the boarder as I think he could be the hope in 4 years time.

Underhill is a fantastic n7, England need to get him asap.

Care could be 9 yet!

Ollie Devoto is laughable, can't even get into Bath team

Itoje is fierce unlucky

Agree on Itoje, I think the thing is with Launch, Lawes and Kruis all playing superbly he's clearly 4th in that pecking order, but with more potential. He'll be capped before the champs are over I'd think, any injury to a 2nd row or Robshaw (who I don't think has ever been injured, is he wolverine?) and he should be in the match day squad.

Ah yeah he has so much more time yet to establish his place for over a decade

Lawes is having a very mediocre year though, but he still is a serious option from the bench tbf

Kruis and Launch would be the Lions partnership on form. I'm still in disbelief as to how someone as average as Geoff Parling made the team at RWC.

All in all this looks a better lineup than the Lancaster era

6/4, justified faves? I have a feeling Wales will pip them though

So first starting 15 for 6n named

Wales team: G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Clermont Auvergne), J Roberts (Harlequins), T James (Cardiff Blues); D Biggar (Ospreys), G Davies (Scarlets); R Evans (Scarlets), S Baldwin (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), L Charteris (Racing 92), A-W Jones (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: K Owens (Scarlets), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), T Francis (Exeter), B Davies (Wasps), D Lydiate (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Priestland (Bath), A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)

Is it just me or is this the most low key build up ever for a six nations? I do think the failure of the NH teams at the RWC really puts a question mark on the prestige of the event in its current state. That said I'll be glued to it as ever

It's a Wales or England title for me and given the uncertainty over England with a new mgmt team I think Wales are the safer call at the minute.

Wales who were probably the one NH team (along with Scotland I guess) who can leave with their heads held high from the RWC are slowly getting players back after their injury crisis and have a stable and steady team for a while now. they're the least unknown quantity in the event, and I do think they have a squad tailor made to beat their NH rivals. They really need to avoid a slow start like with recent years though. Traditionally perform well after a RWC year (won slam both times under gatty thus far)

England's whole campaign could hinge on a real banana skin at Murrayfield on Saturday. If they navigate that one they have both Ireland and Wales to come at home, they'll be super confident. I do expect one mess up somewhere along the way though, so I'd predict 4 wins again, for the 5th or 6th season running.

I think we'll see France improvement under a new coach and I have a feeling they'll beat either England or Ireland in Paris and finally claim a big win again. I think a title is a bridge too far though

Scotland's hopes also hinge on Saturday, a win and they could become a real dark horse for a title shot, a loss and they're already in a wooden spoon battle perhaps.

Ireland are already a write off for me, too many injuries, confidence dented in the RWC and too many players playing sub-par for their clubs, who have all done terribly in Europe. There remains a real unnerving possibility Ireland could lose all their first 3 matches. I expect a similar injury-riddled campaign to 2013 if I'm honest

Italy with all due respect are only making up the numbers and will be targeting their annual "six-pointer" vs Scotland already. They'll no doubt give a good account of themselves in a game or two but there are too many matches in this competition for a thread-bare squad

If I had to predict I'd go

Wales (PD)
England
France
Ireland
Scotland
Italy

It's the most intriguing campaign for a while though, imo

It does seem a bit more low key that usual, but I think that might be to do with Prem and Pro 12 starting later. There has barely been much time to get used the regular season starting then all of a sudden we've got 6 Nations.

As for who wins this, I'd probably swap a few of your placings around.

Wales/Ireland (PD)
England
Ireland/Wales
France
Scotland
Italy

No chance Ireland will be winning it, to be honest.

Sure, if the actual form xv was picked then there might be a sliver of hope but when the likes of Sexton, Murray, R.Kearney, Toner and Heaslip are bang off form, you combine that with the injuries to O'Mahony, Henderson, Bowe, Healy, Ross, Moore (with Sexton probably a bang on the head away from missing the whole comp), the retirement of POC, the fact a few raw players will be introduced and add all that to the fact they were grossly found out at the RWC quarters and the club teams are at a real low ebb and it is pretty nigh on impossible paint a positive picture ahead of the campaign

I'd take 2 or 3 wins playing a positive brand of Rugby to be honest and re-building the side.

Hopefully McCloskey gets plenty game time at 12, Payne at FB and Jackson starts a game or two at least. I'd hope it may be the unearthing of Stander also

I think you'll be surprised though with Ireland. I really think Heaslip and Sexton seem to step up when in the Green jersey, particularly Sexton.

I'd put Wales as favorites (which they'll hate), and then England or France behind them. Ireland and Scotland are both dark horses for the reasons you mentioned already with Scotland, and my belief that the players can turn it on when in the national jersey.

England team: Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (captain), Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, George Kruis, Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Mako Vunipola, Danny Care, George Ford, Jack Nowell, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Mike Brown.

Replacements: Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Courtney Lawes, Jack Clifford, Ben Youngs, Alex Goode and Ollie Devoto.

Not that much of a change in starting XV from RWC, interesting to see how differently we play on Saturday.