Humbled by a woeful Rugby World Cup performance, Ireland are quietly confident of rebounding in the Six Nations.
After a shock first round exit at the World Cup in France four months ago, Ireland are determined to redeem themselves.
"When things haven't gone well, like at the World Cup, it takes a lot to convince people you are a good player again," scrumhalf Eoin Reddan said ahead of Ireland's opening Six Nations game against Italy in Dublin today. "While some players have been doing quite well [for their clubs], we need that consistency to show people the World Cup was a one-off."
PHOTO: AP
Little has outwardly changed since then for Ireland, with longtime coach Eddie O'Sullivan still in charge and 11 of the players kept from the side that was beaten by Argentina in their final World Cup game.
Virtually the same lineup went close to winning last season's Six Nations, a title they have not won since 1985. Despite winning the Triple Crown, Ireland lost the title to France on points differential.
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll said he regretted the bold statements made about the team's ambitions last year.
PHOTO: AP
"Maybe we were guilty of being too honest come World Cup time," O'Driscoll said. "We were all saying what we could achieve and maybe we got ahead of ourselves a little bit. But we've taken a step back from that now in that nobody's spoken about anything other than the Italy game. We have our own expectations for the Six Nations, but we'll keep them to ourselves this year."
Italy won two matches last year for the first time since joining the competition in 2000, and have former South Africa maestro Nick Mallett as coach. Mallett is aiming to avoid the fatigue that regularly affects his side in the last quarter.
Italy are largely the same side that lost to Scotland 18-16 in their final World Cup game in September, but Mallett is counting on the untested halves pair of Pietro Travagli and Andrea Masi.
England play Wales at Twickenham today, giving No. 8 Luke Narraway his Test debut and welcoming back Iain Balshaw, Mike Tindall and David Strettle, who missed the World Cup with injury.
Coach Brian Ashton has also named three other rookies on the bench -- former New Zealand rugby league international Lesley Vainikolo, flyhalf Danny Cipriani and scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth.
England reached the World Cup final after a disastrous start, and their players are keen to keep developing.
"We need to carry on from where we left off [at the World Cup], carrying on that momentum, but at the same time you need to look ahead," England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson said. "There is no pretentiousness or arrogance in this squad. It is very open and very respectful and everyone is keen to listen."
New Wales coach Warren Gatland picked a record 13 Ospreys players in his first team in a bold but understandable move given his short preparation. He's also focusing on keeping all of his squad at Welsh clubs.
Winger Mark Jones and flanker Martyn Williams -- returning from retirement -- are the only non-Ospreys in the starting lineup and only replacement Gareth Cooper plays outside Wales.
Wales lock Ian Gough said there was a greater intensity and energy in training and a confidence that the side could end a 20-year losing streak in England.
"We've got to be on our mettle and go out there and beat the juggernaut," Gough said. "No one has got anything to fear."
France are bidding to be the first to win the tournament outright three times in a row and bounce back from the disappointment of finishing only fourth in their home World Cup. The French, under new coach Marc Lievremont, play Scotland at Murrayfield tomorrow.
Scotland's youthful squad gained valuable experience at the World Cup and coach Frank Hadden retained nine players that started in the quarter-final loss to Argentina.
Nick De Luca will debut at inside center, partnering Andrew Henderson. Chris Paterson, Scotland's most experienced back, will watch from the bench, with flyhalf Dan Parks taking sole charge of kicking.
They will face a revamped France under Lievremont, who is starting four rookies -- flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc, winger Julien Malzieu and props Lionel Faure and Julien Brugnaut. There are two more uncapped players in the reserves.
"We are going to ask that they promise to deliver," Lievremont said.
"We also want to tell them that we will bear part of the responsibility for their errors. They must innovate. They must make mistakes. That is how one progresses," he said.
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