There was a time when an England team without Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson and Neil Back wouldn't be given much chance of winning the Six Nations championship.
Not any more.
Such is the depth of talent available to World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward that England remains a strong favorite to repeat its Grand Slam performance of last season -- even with Johnson now retired and Wilkinson out of the entire tournament through injury.
Woodward, whose team begins its title defense against Italy in Rome on Sunday, has also split up one of the best back rows in international rugby history.
Back's not even on the bench. And British Lions scrum half Matt Dawson, who set up Wilkinson's title-winning drop goal in the World Cup final against Australia, is only among the replacements.
Yet Woodward is still able to send out a starting 15 of World Cup players who should be strong enough to overpower Italy at the Stadio Flaminio.
"The starting 15 are all guys that have been involved with the World Cup and I expect them to move very swiftly into gear," Woodward said.
"It was interesting selecting the side and there are new players coming into a World Cup winning team. Some changes were made due to injury and some through retirement but I'm very excited about the team and looking forward to working with Lawrence Dallaglio as captain."
The championship kicks off with France vs. Ireland and Wales vs. Scotland on Saturday. The game at the Stade de France should decide which team will be England's biggest rival for the title.
While Woodward has one eye on the opposition, his main goal is to make England even stronger than at the World Cup.
Johnson will take some replacing at lock forward but his departure means that Danny Grewcock can make an impact at the heart of the pack. By dropping Back, Joe Worsley teams up with Dallaglio and Richard Hill.
Woodward has shuffled the back five to make up for the loss of rock solid center Tindall but he has recalled former New Zealand rugby league star Henry Paul as one of the replacements.
"We picked him a couple of years ago, and it was too early for him," Woodward said. "But he is now playing well for his club and he has found his position, which is inside center. If he comes on next Sunday, I will base the whole team around him."
If Paul returns to England action it will be just another problem the Italians have to deal with.
Although John Kirwan's team was boosted by winning two games at the World Cup, Italy has lost vastly experienced scrum half and team captain Alessandro Troncon for most of the championship with a knee injury. Flank forward Andrea de Rossi takes over as captain but the Italians will be without fly half Francesco Mazzariol and flanker Mauro Bergamasco because of injury.
"We are missing very important players and we will have to try and overcome this, although it will not be easy," said team manager Marco Bollesan, whose team has just two Six Nations victories over Scotland and Wales in four years.
Unlike England, the French have kept their brilliant back row intact with Olivier Magne, Serge Betsen and Imanol Harinordoquy starting against the Irish at the Stade de France.
But coach Bernard Laporte has been forced to replace fly half Fabien Galthie and hooker Raphael Ibanez, who have both retired.
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