Italy v England LIVE rugby: Six Nations latest updates

The start of a new World Cup cycle is always a time of recasting but this has been a dramatic winter of abdications and coronations. Five of the six competing nations will be under new captains, Jamie George, Peter O’Mahony, Finn Russell and Gregory Alldritt are familiar faces; Dafydd Jenkins and Rory Darge rather less so.

Four of the fly halves who ended last year’s competition as their nation’s first-choice option are absent. In the past year, the record men’s cap-holders for England, Wales and Italy have entered international retirement, and several more centurions have laid down their shields.

Adam Beard has delivered a “don’t write us off” message ahead of Wales’ Guinness Six Nations campaign that begins against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.

Wales’ chances have largely been dismissed by the bookmakers, as they they set off on a long road towards Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia with a new-look squad.

Several big names are no longer part of Wales’ rugby landscape, headlined by Louis Rees-Zammit’s departure for a possible career in American football, while cap centurions Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny have retired from Test rugby.

Into the breach step Jamie George and George Ford, their rugby lives spent so often in their great mate’s shadow but now with new opportunity in his absence. New skipper George is just about Farrell’s most-trusted rugby chum, the pair first encountering one another at a Hertfordshire Under-14s trial and inseparable on a rugby pitch since; the most gilded of the academy crop who became Saracens’ golden generation. It is with great pride that the hooker steps into Farrell’s shoes, a passionate England fan realising the dream of a lifetime as his country’s rugby figurehead.

An intriguing Six Nations is underway as annual championship returns as open as ever.

All six sides find themselves in some state of flux ahead of the tournament start, with the ramifications of the Rugby World Cup still felt months on from events in France.

Here, Indy Sport looks at the likely outcomes with a number of picks covering best player, top tryscorer and much more:

Fraser Dingwall will take extra satisfaction from his England debut knowing it embodies a triumph of persistence.

Dingwall starts Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Italy at inside centre as reward for his impressive form for Northampton, who provide three of the backline at the Stadio Olimpico.

Injuries to Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi have presented the 24-year-old with a platform to offer the solution to England’s perennial problem position – and it has been earned the hard way.

Sebastian Negri has no interest in mincing his words when it comes to Italy’s performance on the big stage last autumn. “Look, there’s no doubt about it, we let ourselves down at the World Cup,” he admits.

England, Ireland, Wales and France are all likely to have new captains at the helm, while Italy begin life under Gonzalo Quesada after a post-tournament coaching changes.

Williams began his career with the whistle in 2011, and was appointed to the New Zealand High Performance referee squad three years later.

A step-up into Super Rugby followed in 2016, with Williams the first official in the competition from the North Island region of Taranaki.

Andy Farrell hailed Ireland’s ruthlessness and composure after their Six Nations title defence was launched with a record-breaking five-try demolition of 14-man France.

The reigning Grand Slam champions propelled themselves into pole position for further championship glory by dismantling the ragged pre-tournament favourites 38-17 in Marseille.

Ireland’s bonus-point success, secured by tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher, plus 13 points from Jack Crowley, was their largest winning margin away to France.

Everyone in Irish rugby can at last smile again. It has been a long four months since the agonising defeat in the World Cup quarter-final, but this win was an almost perfect return to French soil to take charge of a Six Nations for which they are now significant favourites.

There was plenty to like from Ireland’s familiar faces in a convincing win over a 14-man France. Bundee Aki was excellent and Caelan Doris too but it was the performance of two newer names that will most please Andy Farrell after a giant stride towards the defence of their grand slam crown. Great faith had been placed by the Ireland head coach in Joe McCarthy and Jack Crowley at lock and fly-half respectively; the pair rewarded Farrell with two fine performances.