England pose with the Six Nations silverware despite being denied the Grand Slam by a resurgent Ireland side in Dublin © Getty Images

With the battle for northern hemisphere supremacy done and dusted for yet another year, we pick through the pieces of the Championship to offer you a cut-out-and-keep list of the 10 things we learned...

1. A southern hemisphere side will win the Rugby World Cup
The race for the Six Nations crown may have been high on drama but it was largely low on quality. Only Ireland's demolition of England in Dublin will have the Tri-Nations giants worried but they will not lose too much sleep. There were glimpses of a brighter future for some but no side produced the consistent quality that will be required to win the World Cup. And with only pre-tournament tune-ups between now and the big one there is very little opportunity to iron out the sizeable kinks.

2. The current Television Match Official set-up is flawed
The farce that played out during Wales' victory over Ireland at the Millennium Stadium was shocking. Touch judge Peter Allan and referee Jonathan Kaplan conspired to drag the name of the Championship through the mud by failing to spot what was wrong with Matthew Rees' quick lineout in the build-up to Mike Phillips crucial try. Allan's decision-making was laughable while Kaplan's hands were tied by protocol. The International Rugby Board needs to act to allow the use of TMOs in such scenarios, and not just to clarify the act of scoring, and if they don't they risk their showpiece event being blighted later this year.

3. Player of the Championship will not be player of the Championship
In a change from previous years the shortlist for the best player in the Six Nations was based on the Man of the Match awards and not the views of a distinguished panel. As a result some key names are missing from the list vying for pubilc votes that will decide the honour. But worse than that - the players who won the Man of the Match in the final round are not included! As a result Italy's Sergio Parisse and Scotland's Richie Gray - arguably the Championship's stand-out performers - must make do with our praise. We can only hope the public rescues the sponsor's credibility by giving the honour to Ireland's Sean O'Brien or Wales' Sam Warburton.

4. The Lansdowne Road roar is back
Ireland's crushing victory over England highlighted many things, including the fact that their new home can generate the same kind of atmosphere the old ground was famous for. It just needed a very special performance from the Irish and the opportunity to derail England's bid for a Grand Slam. What it didn't need was the incredibly annoying input of the public address system, which piped in the sterling efforts of a band of drummers. In the words of the Daily Telegraph's Mick Cleary - "It was crass, tacky and disrespectful. Heroic deeds do not need an accompanying soundtrack."

5. Italy are no longer also-rans
The Azzurri may have ended up with the wooden spoon once again but they more than held their own in this year's Championship. The historic victory over France was of course the highlight, with Mirco Bergamasco booting his side to their first Championship victory over their neighbours, but they also had Ireland on the rack and worried Wales. They didn't turn up against England and they are still heavily reliant on the likes of Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni but they are arguably the most improved side in the Championship and will never be taken lightly again.

6. The only predictable thing about France is their unpredictability
We may have known this one already but no-one saw the post-Italy meltdown coming. To remind you, coach Marc Lievremont accused his side of "cowardice" and said they had betrayed the French shirt. "I do not have the impression we asked them to walk on the moon," said Lievremont following his side's failure to play as instructed. His outburst took the spotlight off the players and they did return to winning ways against Wales, but all is not well and Lievremont's tenure is unlikely to continue past the World Cup.

7. Initiation traditions alive and well
England winger Chris Ashton revealed in an interview prior to his side's Grand Slam decider with Ireland one of the demands made of debutants. "When you play for England for the first time, you have to have a drink with everyone in the team. That’s one drink with each person, and it’s whatever they want to have. So after my debut [against France in March 2010], I was battered." Nice. Then there is the supposed humiliating act of singing a song in front of the rest of the squad - but this back-fired in the case of Alex Corbisiero. The New York-born prop silenced his hecklers with a rap about his side's victory over Italy.

8. Age will not wither them.
Ireland skipper Brian O'Driscoll celebrated his 32nd birthday during this year's Championship but his star shows no sign of waning. Already assured of legendary status having been the driving force behind Irish rugby over the past decade, he wrote another famous chapter in his glittering career with three tries that carried him past the Championship record previously held by Scotland's Ian Smith. But the Scots can take heart from the longevity of one of their own - veteran fullback Chris Paterson, who rolled back the years with some outstanding displays and industry that belied his 32 years.

9. Performance-related pay?
Fresh from penning a new contract with Scottish Rugby that will see him remain in charge of Scotland until 2015, Andy Robinson steered his side to fifth place in this year's Championship. Similarly, Wales coach Warren Gatland orchestrated a fourth place finish with the ink on his own four-year contract extension just about dry. In contrast, the Rugby Football Union will not rush into talks about a new deal for Martin Johnson - whose contract runs until the end of the year - despite their title success. France coach Marc Lievremont is unlikely to stay in the post beyond this year despite a runners-up berth while Italy coach Nick Mallett is also seemingly on the way out despite masterminding their latest stunning upset. Go figure.

10. Chris Ashton's swallow dive is here to stay
You couldn't escape Chris Ashton's elaborate try celebration in the opening weeks of the Championship as the England speedster raced to a record-equalling six scores - and he even did it when he didn't score. The tries may have dried up but we can expect to see the celebration again after he shunned a warning from boss Johnson about the risks involved. He won't be told you know.

Believe it or not - Italy's Sergio Parisse is not in the running for the Six Nations Player of the Championship © Getty Images

The shortlist for the Six Nations Player of the Championship was announced earlier this week and threatens to plunge the competition back into the mire just a few short days after the Cardiff blunder that made the game a laughing stock.

In a change from previous years, where a panel of experts selected the shortlist, the 12 names in the mix this time around earned their place by being named Man of the Match during the first four rounds of the Championship.

As a result we have the following vying for the public votes that will decide the winner:
Toby Flood (England)
Sean O’Brien (Ireland)
Maxime Medard (France)
Chris Ashton (England)
Sam Warburton (Wales)
Thierry Dusautoir (France)
Fabio Semenzato (Italy)
Tom Palmer (England)
Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
Andrea Masi (Italy)
James Hook (Wales)
James Haskell (England)

I am sure the change in selection criteria was well-intentioned and I can see how the idea of pooling the Man of the Match winners will have attracted the support of the title sponsors, but it ignores the consistency of others who warrant recognition - as well as those who may produce a dazzling display in this weekend's final round of matches.

Looking at the shortlist, there can be little argument about the inclusion of O'Brien, Ashton, Warburton, Palmer, O'Gara and Haskell but the rest can count themselves very lucky. The England trio of Flood, Palmer and Haskell loom large as likely winners of the honour should they complete a clean sweep with victory in Dublin, but that depends on their ability to wield some influence in what is sure to be a tough and tense encounter.

So who is missing from this list? Any selection criteria that ignores Italy's Sergio Parisse is fatally flawed. His ability to consistently excel is astounding and time and time again he is the driving force behind his side - most recently in their historic victory over France. Ask coach Nick Mallett to name his most valuable player and there will be little hesitation in his answer. One of Italy's two truly world-class performers (prop Martin Castrogiovanni is another who sadly misses out), Parisse can feel a little hard done by while his countrymen Semenzato and Masi can thank him personally for every vote they receive.

Another name that warrants inclusion was Scotland lock Richie Gray. The youngest player in the Scotland squad is fast-becoming their best player, and with just 21 years on the clock there is evidently more improvement to come. But we are talking about the here and now and his three performances (injury denied him an appearance against Wales) underlined his value to the Scots with lung-busting efforts in defence and attack ensuring he was a central figure on each occasion. If the Scots do pick up the Wooden Spoon it will not have Gray's finger prints on it.

Who else? England No.8 Nick Easter may not attract the same kind of plaudits as Parisse but he certainly rivals his Italian counterpart in terms of consistency while Wales' Craig Mitchell also deserves a mention, having filled the significant void left by Adam Jones when many had questioned his ability to do so.

Knowing how these public votes tend to work, Ashton is likely to pick up the award due to his scoring exploits. His current tally of six tries (two against Wales and four more versus Italy) leave him level with England's Will Greenwood and Wales' Shane Williams in the race for the single season record while he is two tries short of the Championship record held by England's Cyril Lowe and Scotland's Ian Smith. Even if he doesn't eclipse these records the honour looks destined to go the headline-grabbing winger's way.

Personally, I would like to see one of the back-row trio of O'Brien, Warburton or Haskell take the prize, but I will not annoint anyone just yet. With a Grand Slam, the Championship title and the Wooden Spoon on the line who is to say another name will not cry out for inclusion this weekend?

UPDATE - As of March 18, Italy's Andrea Masi is leading the race for the honour with 21% of the vote. Oh dear.

SECOND UPDATE - March 23, Masi scoops the award with 30% of the vote - just ahead of his team-mate Fabio Semenzato. Congrats to Masi but the organisers can hang their heads.

The Six Nations is almost upon us and I am delighted to announce the return of the ESPNscrum Fantasy Rugby game - click here to get involved.

We've got some great prizes up for grabs but even better than that, you've got the chance to prove to our various correspondents/analysts that you know better than them when it comes to the battle for the Six Nations silverware.

Be sure to register your team before the action kicks off on February 4 and we'll let you know how are experts are faring as the competition plays out.

Reason to be cheerful: France captain Thierry Dusautoir and coach Marc Lievremont © Getty Images

As the dust settles on this year's battle for Six Nations glory it is time to choose our Team of the Championship.

France celebrated their 100th Championship with their ninth Grand Chelem and unsurprisingly their dominance is reflected in our selection - but how many of Marc Lievremont's charges get the nod in our team? None of France's title rivals managed to derail their Championship challenge but have any of their players earned a place in our side?

Here's who caught our eye and as ever we would love to hear you thoughts:

15. Clement Poitrenaud (France)
The Toulouse star was back to his devastating best in this year's Championship with a series of outstanding displays. He played with a breath-taking confidence and his ability to spark an attack from nothing is a joy to behold - and there were none of the dreadful errors that have plagued his career.

14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
The Irish speedster's star continues to rise. Two tries against England and another against the Scots cemented his reputation as a world-class finisher. Lethal in attack and tenacious in defence, he poses a threat all over the field.

13. James Hook (Wales)
Hook began a new chapter in his international career with a move to outside centre at the start of the Championship and took to it like a duck to water. Wales may have struggled for consistency but they can rest easy that they have found a long-term home for Hook's undoubted talent - and he weighed in with three tries to help cement his selection.

12. Yannick Jauzion (France)
The veteran's centre partner Mathieu Bastareaud may have stolen most the headlines but Jauzion thrived in a supporting role - grabbing two tries with his usual mix of power and pace.

11. Shane Williams (Wales)
Young guns may have stolen a lot of the headlines but old stager Williams showed he could still get the job done with the match-clinching score against the Scots and his 50th for his country against France - he may be 33 but there is life in him yet.

10. Francois Trinh-Duc (France)
Handed a rare extended run in the side, Trinh-Duc has repaid the faith shown in him by Lievremont by forming a lethal half-back pairing with Morgan Parra. Not quite the finished article but at just 23 years old he has time on his side.

9. Morgan Parra (France)
Not only the best scrum-half in the Championship but the most valuable place-kicker - notably booting his side to Grand Slam glory against England. The 21-year-old thrived on the responsibility handed to him by his coach and orchestrated his side's charge to the title.

1. Thomas Domingo (France)
Another of France's young guns, the 24-year-old Domingo came of age in this year's Championship and repeatedly punched above his weight at scrum time.

2. William Servat (France)
An ever-present throughout the Championship and another of the pillars of the French forward effort - and he even doubled his international try tally - to two.

3. Nicolas Mas (France)
A formidable scrummager who helped wreak havoc throughout the Championship. And he claimed a rare Man of the Match honour for the front row union with a calculated display against England.

4. Simon Shaw (England)
There were not that many high points for England in the Championship but the physical element provided by Shaw was definitely one of them. There are plenty of miles on the clock but he is still a formidable presence at the set piece and in the loose.

5. Julien Pierre (France)
The Bourgoin lock's chance came and he grabbed it with both hands and held off the challenge of crowd-favourite Sebastien Chabal in the process. And he allayed any fears with some accomplished performances.

6. Kelly Brown (Scotland)
Like the equally formidable Killer Bs - John Barclay and Johnnie Beattie, possesses a potent mix of strength and intelligence and used both to good effect to get the better of more illustrious opponents.

7. Thierry Dusautoir (France)
The all-round excellence of the French skipper was the bond that held his side together on the rare occasion they were under the cosh. His dynamism knows no bounds and could snaffle the Player of the Championship honour from Harinordoquy and Parra.

8. Imanol Harinordoquy (France)
The warrior-like Harinodoquy is favourite for the Player of the Championship honour thanks to a string of vintage performances. More often than not the driving force behind a dominant French pack and showed an unrivalled hunger for work.

Well, there you go. And to think last year's Team of the Championship did not include one Frenchman.

Lewis Moody will lead his country for the first time against France on Saturday night © Getty Images

OK - it may have taken an injury to break the seemingly unbreakable bond between England manager Martin Johnson and Steve Borthwick but as the saying goes - out of adversity comes opportunity - in this case for Lewis Moody.

The 31-year-old flanker will lead his country for the first time against France on Saturday night and has a real chance to stake a claim for the role on a permanent basis. I have long pushed his claims for the captaincy and it appeared that after an outstanding series of displays in the autumn during an otherwise disappointing campaign that his time had come. But sadly no. Johnson stood by his man - as he has done since appointing him on his arrival in the post in 2008 - although he appeared to flirt with the possibility of a change by not re-appointing Borthwick when he announced his squad for the Six Nations - opting to keep the media guessing until the opening game.

Borthwick has been the subject of much criticism since assuming the captaincy with many questioning his on-field leadership and his performances. To be fair to the Sarries lock, he has rediscovered some form of late and is a key lineout technician but still wants for dynamism elsewhere which is one element that Moody has in abundance.

The Bath-bound star can often be seen throwing himself into ruck and re-starts and charging headlong into a flying boot and it is that crowd-pleasing approach that has won him many fans since he stepped up to the international arena in 2001. A Rugby World Cup winner with England in 2003 and a tourist with the British & Irish Lions in 2005 he is no stranger to the big stage and is no longer the loose-cannon that managed to get himself sent off against Samoa a few years back. He is also equally able and eloquent in front of the cameras which may also go in his favour as England look to counter claims that they are also losing their way off the field.

The task facing Moody is a daunting one. France are in sensational form and have been the best side in this year's Championship by some way. But no doubt he will tackle the task and the captaincy with the same kind of verve that has served him so well up until now.

England skipper Steve Borthwick chats to referee Marius Jonker during his side's recent clash with Scotland © Getty Images

As expected, the introduction of southern hemisphere referees into this year's Six Nations mix has caused more than a few ripples with their interpretation of the tackle law a point of confusion but instead of pointing the finger at the officials themselves the blame should be heaped on the International Rugby Board for making a pig's ear of their latest attempt to improve the game as a spectacle.

The lack of a global calendar is always going to cause problems when changes are made to how the game is played - a fact that has been underlined by the IRB's edict regarding Law 15.6.c that demanded referees apply all of the law regarding to the tackle.

The decision to put a stronger emphasis on all the law regarding to the tackle (in effect make sure a tackler releases the ball-carrier when he goes to ground before re-engaging effect) was taken at the referees conference in November last year and stressed again in February according to Paddy O'Brien, the IRB's referees manager but the message obviously did not get through to all parties.

SANZAR embraced the directive, that was issued during their off-season, and all the participating sides and officials were therefore singing from the same hymn sheet when the Super 14 kicked off in February. The problem for the northern hemisphere is that the ruling came midway through the European season when such a change in emphasis would not be so straightforward and any tinkering would be met with criticism from all sides.

As a result there was a problem looming long before the Six Nations kicked off last month and this was magnified when the southern hemisphere officials were despatched north with O'Brien urging them to apply the directive when handling the high profile Championship clashes - despite the fact that they would not be entering the equation until round three of the competition.

The likes of Jonathan Kaplan, Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence and Craig Joubert did as they were told and as a result you can understand the anger and confusion of those coaches and players forced to accept different interpretations from one week to the next. The Six Nations is arguably the most high-profile rugby event outside of the Rugby World Cup and toying with such an imortant event was a mistake. Officals should be grateful that their mis-management has not resulted in an even bigger disaster.

The Irish Times went so far as to say it the issue had "landed like a grenade" in the middle of the Six Nations and although a little dramatic you can understand the sentiment. It should never have got to this point and the IRB must shoulder the blame for such a half-hearted attempt to inject life into the game no matter how sound their original intention.

A breakdown in comunication? Maybe. But still not acceptable. The IRB should have briefed the coaches before the start of the Championship and not weeks into the battle for the northern hemisphere crown. The referees were reportedly contacted on the eve of the Championship for the purposes of clarifying the ruling but the message obviously did not hit home judging by the apparent differences in interpretation. And it would probably help if the media were kept informed on such matters to help the wider rugby public keep across any changes.

Europe's leading unions should have also seen this coming - especially the RFU given their previous concern over the tackle area. If the RFU and their rivals were in the loop as of November last year they should have acted accordingly to prevent the issue blighting the Six Nations. They will be better served by embracing the changes as they will be in play between now and Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

Law 15: Tackle – ball carrier brought to ground.

15.6.c: Players in opposition to the ball carrier who remain on their feet who bring the ball carrier to ground so that the player is tackled must release the ball and the ball carrier. Those players may then play the ball providing they are on their feet and do so from behind the ball and from directly behind the tackled player or a tackler closest to those players’ goal line.

Sanction: Penalty kick.

The Chiefs' Stephen Donald gets hold of the Lions' Wandile Mjekevu in a rare example of tackle in their recent Ellis Park clash © Getty Images

The Chiefs' mind-blowing 72-65 victory over the Lions in Johannesburg last weekend sparked an intriguing debate with pundits in the northern and southern hemispheres giving the issues raised as much air as the sides gave to the ball at Ellis Park.

For those who somehow managed to miss news of the clash that was the highlight, or lowlight depending on your opinion, of the second round of this year's Super 14 here is a brief synopsis - 137 points, 18 tries and zero tackles - ok, I lied about the last bit but it would not surprise me if the defence coaches committed hara-kiri this week - such was the shameful lack of defensive patterns.

With a grand total of 137 points the teams comfortably beat the previous record of 118, set in Natal's 75-43 win over the Highlanders back in 1997. The 18 tries scored was also a record, surpassing the 14 touchdowns in the Crusaders' 96-19 victory over the Waratahs in 2002.

In total Round 2 of the southern hemisphere's premier domestic competition saw an incredible 52 tries, a record for the second round but not an all-time record although my calculator gave up on me when trying to verify those reports.

In contrast the latest round of Guinness Premiership served up just 15 tries - in six games - with a 9-0 win for Wasps against Saracens and a 12-12 draw between Newcastle and London Irish singled out for scorn by some.

The critics, and the supporters of Super Rugby, point to the directives handed down to referees by SANZAR on the eve of the new season. Thankfully, these were not law changes (remember the ELVs mess?) but a bid to get tough - at the breakdown, at scrum time and with the kick and chase - with strict application of the laws in the hope of bringing the x-factor back to the competition after its reputation took a hammering in 2009.

But it seems to have been forgotten that round one of this year's Super 14 failed to hit the heights that followed a week later. Official statistics showed that penalty kicks produced 153 points in the opening clashes of the season compared to 45 points at the same time last year. There were also 30 tries scored that weekend compared to 44 in the opening round last season. It's still early days in the competition and judgement is probably best reserved for at least a few weeks until all the teams have come to terms with the new parameters they are working within.

No one wants to see dour low-scoring, penalty dominated matches blighted by piles of bodies killing the ball at the breakdown - although my Scrum colleague and Wasps flanker Tom Rees insists the Adams Park clash was far from that - but at the same time there is no real value in the kind of light-weight fodder like the Lions-Chiefs game where the absence of defence was probably more telling than any clampdown in terms of officiating. What we need is a game that falls someway between the two where the contest at the breakdown remains an integral part of the game but where quick ball becomes the norm rather than the exception - possible? Let's hope so.

The game in the southern hemisphere is reportedly suffering due to the quality of the product being served up and having been thwarted in their attempts to push through the game-changing ELVs, you can understand their attempts to shake things up especially with swathes of empty seats clearly evident at the early Super 14 matches. But if it results in a starkly different game to that played in the north we, and particularly the International Rugby Board, have a real problem. The IRB should be taking the lead here, not SANZAR, but you sense the latter grew tired and frustrated at the lack of progress made at the top table.

As England boss Martin Johnson urged this week, the IRB should be ensuring that refereeing is standardised around the world. Perhaps Johnson fears the worst this weekend when South African referees Jonathan Kaplan and Mark Lawrence will enter the Six Nations fray at the Millennium Stadium and Twickenham, fresh from their latest Super 14 commitments. Reports suggest they have been urged to adopt the same approach to officiating as they have done in recent weeks which will have got Johnson and his rivals jumping - that's for sure.

To be fair, it is too early to draw conclusions between the two and let's hope we find some middle ground before the hemisphere's go head-to-head later this year.

Morgan Freeman poses with the Six Nations silverware © BBC

The opening Six Nations action may not have been the greatest advert for the game but the BBC Sport trailer for this year's Championship surely was - for those that may have missed it, it featured Morgan Freeman reading William Ernest Henley's Invictus poem over a montage of action - stirring stuff. Click here to check it out.

The promo obviously ties into the recent release of the new Clint Eastwood film based around Nelson Mandela's first term as President of South Africa and specifically the role the 1995 Rugby World Cup played in the country's recent history. If we gloss over the worrying commercial aspect of this creative element we can applaud the license-fee funded BBC for raising the bar for this sort of thing.

The use of the Oscars-magnet that is Freeman easily trumps Sky Sport's Heineken Cup promo from a couple of seasons ago in which the equally accomplished if not so crowd-pleasing thespian Stephen Berkoff recited the powerful 'play as a team or die as individuals' speech originally delivered by Al Pacino in the film Any Given Sunday. Click here to check it out.

Now, if Sky Sports managed to secure the services of Pacino himself...

Will England's opening performance also get the photoshop treatment this weekend? © Getty Images

England and their kit partner Nike have officially unveiled their latest sartorial venture - the one-off shirt to mark the Rugby Football Union's Cententary Year that will be worn for one night only against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.

If Martin Johnson's ambitious selection for the Twickenham showdown and the small matter of almost 130 years of rugby rivalry was not enough to draw your eye to Saturday's game then surely the chance to see England take to the field in their retro-skin-tight number will do the trick.

Who will take the Six Nations silverware home this year? © Getty Images

The Six Nations is without doubt an institution. A firm favourite with players, coaches, fans and the media, it is a mainstay of the rugby calendar and its appeal appears to grow year on year. The Championship is also a commercial success from the lucrative title sponsorship and broadcasting rights down to the pubs and clubs that rake it in on match days. But should the Six Nations start looking a little further afield in a bid to cash in on the lure of the Championship?

Writing in our very own Forum, one of our readers raised the prospect of staging a Six Nations match in the United States in a bid to raise the profile of the sport in that country. But is such a move viable?

A similar arrangement has worked very well for Australia and New Zealand with Hong Kong and Tokyo playing host to Bledisloe Cup games in the last two years. Those fixtures have provided a much-needed windfall for the Unions involved and also helped boost efforts to develop the game in the Far East. And the NFL's decision to stage regular season games in London has been an unequivocal success on all fronts. So should the more commercially astute of the Six Nations be seriously considering following suit?

At first glance, a match between England and Ireland at Giants Stadium in New York is an attractive proposal and given the make up of the city's population an 80,000 sell out would appear possible. Some thoughtful scheduling could minimise the concerns regarding travel fatigue and turnaround time and a nice cheque from USA Rugby for making the trip and a large cut of the revenues - that would no doubt have to be shared amongst the Six Nations - would also help soften the blow. But the added bonus would be increased exposure for Championship brand and those of the teams involved which in turn would bring financial reward elsewhere, notably when it came to broadcasting rights outside of Europe.

The decision to go down such a route would of course rest with the Six Nations Committee and the Home Nations as I fear a France v Italy game would not have US fans flocking in high enough numbers to warrant the expense of staging the fixture. It would be a brave move to tinker with such a successful format and may incur the wrath of fans that are arguably the lifeblood of the Championship. And given the limited five-match schedule it would have to be a very attractive package for any of the Unions to take it on considering it would mean relinquishing a lucrative home tie and the financial rewards that brings. But the potential rewards may have some reaching for the atlas.

The curtain has fallen on this year’s Six Nations and it is time to pick Scrum.com’s Team of the Championship.

	Ireland skipper Brian O'Driscoll lifts the Six Nations Championship silverware © Getty Images

Sadly for some, we cannot select Ireland's starting XV from Saturday no matter how historic their achievement but there is no doubt that the men in green deserve to dominate our selection.

Here's who caught our eye (and remember this is on their Six Nations form and not necessarily our picks for the Lions!):

15. Delon Armitage (England)
The London Irish speedster has made a smooth transition into the international ranks and is a major plus point for Martin Johnson's resurgent England. Three tries to his name and has played himself into Lions contention.

14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
Arguably the best winger on show in the Championship and claimed two tries including a key score against Wales. Lively and dangerous, he proved a constant threat and can sing too.

13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
The best player in the tournament. Simply inspirational in defence and attack. Try-saving tackle against Scotland and Grand Slam-rescuing tries against England and Wales.

12. Riki Flutey (England)
Another ever-present in the Martin Johnson's England regime, the Kiwi-born centre has grown in confidence throughout the Championship on his way to four tries and a man of the match performance against Scotland. A significant threat with Lions potential.

11. Thom Evans (Scotland)
There are very few high points for Scotland to reflect on after another disappointing Championship but the emergence of Evans as a high-class attacking threat offers hope for the future.

10. Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
The Irishman may not have been the most consistent fly-half in the Championship but he came through a minor crisis of confidence to deliver when it mattered most in the Grand Slam decider.

9. Mike Phillips (Wales)
The Wales No.9 is still finding his feet again on the international stage after battling back from a major knee injury but was still a significant physical presence and produced a couple of notable breaks as a reminder of his best.

1.Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Solid up front and an impressive tackle count and work rate in the loose has all but cemented the prop's place on the Lions.

2. Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
Perhaps the most debateable position after all the leading contenders failed to stake a strong claim. But Ireland's dominance in the lineout has Flannery getting the nod.

3. John Hayes (Ireland)
Veteran Hayes is closing in on a century of caps and shows no signs of stopping. Solid and reliable and a key to Ireland's Grand Slam success.

4. Paul O’Connell (Ireland)
A colossus for Ireland in the lineout and led by example as pack leader, dragging his side to glory. A huge motivational force at the heart of Ireland's title challenge and took it on himself to claim the all-important lineout that led to O'Gara match-winning drop goal.

5. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
Athletic in the lineout, bags of stamina in the loose and bursting with national pride. He has matured into a formidable presence and his leadership potential was also recognised by coach Warren Gatland.

6. Stephen Ferris (Ireland)
His Championship was brought to a premature end due to injury against Wales but can reflect on an outstanding tournament.

7. David Wallace (Ireland)
A superb Championship, consistently a thorn in the side of opponents and claimed a memorable try against Italy.

8. Sergio Parisse (Italy)
Pushed O'Driscoll for the player of the Championship honour with a string of performances that underlined his world-class stature. The heart and soul of a disappointing Italy side and would walk into any of the other Six Nations line-ups.

Five of the six nations represented - with France's Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy unlucky to miss out - and a side that could easily hold its own against any side in the world.

Let us know your thoughts on our selection.

Wow. What an epic. We expected tension and drama but what we got went far beyond the great expectations. And as Irish fans around the world try to shake off the excesses of last night it will hit home again that they are Six Nations Grand Slam champions.

Super Saturday faced a tough task to lift this year's largely disappointing title-chase into the realms of classic Championships but it had the trump card of a potential Grand Slam up its sleeve.

France got things started by running in seven tries on their way to a half century against Italy in Rome with Sebastien Chabal bouncing back to form. But France coach Marc Lievremont, like many of his predecessors, will rue his side's inconsistency that once again cost them dear.

The England resurgence continued with a Calcutta Cup victory over Scotland that will offer further hope to Martin Johnson and fans who not so long ago thought their side had lost their way. England finish the Championship with the most tries and the greatest points difference and ran Ireland close in terms of tries conceded. England are far from the finished article but it appears they have ridden out the storm of criticism and are building towards something special once again. Scotland however are not. Despite his side's best efforts to rescue something from the campaign, Frank Hadden's time as coach appears up.

And then to Cardiff. The clash between Ireland and Wales lived up to the billing and then some. A thrilling encounter that swung one way and then the other before one final dramatic twist. It was an intense battle with players putting their bodies on the line and Brian O'Driscoll and his apostrophe chums (delightfully coined by Mick Cleary of the Daily Telegraph) Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara leading the way.

Wales fly-half Stephen Jones and O'Gara traded drop goals before the stadium fell silent for the last kick of the game. Jones had the chance, albeit a tough one, to burst Ireland's bubble and clinch victory and the Triple Crown for his own side. Those who could bear to watch, including the Irish players, saw his effort drop just short of its target sparking jubilation and despondency in equal measure. The 61-year wait for only their second clean sweep was over - at last.

Such was the heart-pounding and nerve-shredding nature of the clash that you felt sorry for Irish legend Jackie Kyle, sat in the stadium, and the rest of the remaining heroes from 1948 who, like the rest of use, were put through ringer to the last.

And on a day of great performances, mention should also be made of referee Wayne Barnes for a job well done. His clear authority allowed the game to flow and was never in danger of getting in the way of the occasion as some may have feared.

This year’s Championship will go down as a classic, thanks largely to its thrilling finale and nowhere will that be celebrated more than across the Irish Sea.

Six Nations report card:

Ireland: A - The best team in the Championship led by the best player - Brian O'Driscoll. Answered every challenge laid before them to write their name in the history books.

England: B+ - Flirted with disaster but silenced critics by re-discovering an exciting element to their game. Room for further improvement.

France: C - Inconsistent to the point of being infuriating. Need to find a settled element to their side to capitalise on their brilliance

Wales: B - Brave defence of their title, unlucky to be on the wrong end of the best two performances in the Championship.

Scotland: D - Too many shortcomings although there are seeds of hope. Time for change.

Italy: F - Deserved Wooden Spoon. Never recovered from the worst selection decision in Championship history (Bergamasco's scrum-half nightmare) and appear to be going backwards

OK - this year's Six Nations has hardly been a classic in terms of the standard of rugby but Super Saturday offers one final chance for the Championship to leave its mark.

France's clash with Italy in Rome and the Calcutta Cup clash between England and Scotland at Twickenham are very much the warm-up acts for the big one and even if those games plummet to new depths in terms of entertainment value they will not be able to detract from the spectacle that awaits between Ireland and Wales in Cardiff.

Ireland are on the brink of only their second Grand Slam - and their first for 61-years - and their first Championship title since 1985. Meanwhile, Wales have their sights on their 25th outright Championship title that will see them draw level with fierce rivals England in the all-time table. all they need is a 13-point winning margin - anything else will see the Six Nations silverware travel back across the Irish Sea with the thousands of fans who are set to invade the principality for the game.

Both sides have line-ups that blend experience with exciting talent and bags of potential - but will the pressure of the occasion weigh heavy on their shoulders? In Ireland's case history suggest it will whereas Wales can reflect on two Grand Slam seasons in the last three years.

The small matter of a Lions tour to South Africa later this year adds another fascinating element to the clash with it set to serve as a glorified trial. It will be no surprise if the side that lines up against the Springboks for the first Test at Kings Park in Durban on June 20 has a distinct Irish/Welsh flavour and this game could go a long way to deciding the pecking order.

Lions coach Ian McGeechan will be one of many interested observers as a number of personal battles play out in front of a capacity 75,000 crowd. Fly-halves Stephen Jones and Ronan O'Gara will audition for the Lions No.10 shirt, Martyn Williams and David Wallace will do battle for openside superiority and Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy will look to outshine their Welsh counterparts Gavin Henson and Tom Shanklin.

Leadership is also set to play a huge part in the destiny of this year's Championship. Ireland's Paul O'Connell and Brian O'Driscoll and Wales' Ryan Jones are all in line to lead the party to South Africa and every decision is likely to be scrutinised on Saturday. For example, Wales take a narrow lead into the last quarter of the game - does Jones demand an expansive approach in search of the required winning-margin and with it risk defeat against a dangerous counter-attacking side or settle for the victory that brings the Triple Crown?

This year's Championship has provided few stand-out moments, flashes of brilliance have been rare and many games have been plagued by aimless kicking with the finger of blame resting firmly on the ELVs. Can Ireland and Wales conjure a feast of running rugby that will erase those bad memories? These two sides have featured in the best games of the Championship so far (Ireland v France and France v Wales) so the signs are good.

The common view appears to be that Wales, driven by a passionate home crowd, will end Ireland's Grand Slam dream but not do enough to deny them the title. But this is the Six Nations remember and things do not always go to plan - one of the reasons why it has such special significance for all fans.

The team that not only handles the pressure but thrives under it will claim this year’s title but which side will be able to throw off the shackles of expectation? Glory beckons the brave.

The shortlist for the Six Nations Player of the Year has been announced with the Championship ambassadors offering up the following list of players:

Delon Armitage (England)
Lee Byrne (Wales)
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
Sergio Parisse (Italy)

Who would get your vote? Initial results suggest that the voters (anyone can play their part via the official Championship website) are favouring Armitage, O'Driscoll and Parisse.

No doubt all six have worthy claims but for me O'Driscoll and Parisse are vying for the honour with the last round of games set to decide my preference. Parisse has battled valiantly in a poor side earning man of the match honours with performances that have underlined his credentials as one of the best players in the world. In contrast, a resurgent O'Driscoll has led a strong side to the brink of glory but has been no less influential.

Amidst fears that such a system can be abused, Wales wing Shane Williams' victory in last year's vote at least suggests fans can get it right.

No resting on their laurels

England boss Martin Johnson has long-insisted that a display such as that which accounted for Les Bleus was not far away for his side and he will be delighted to have been proven right.

	England's Delon Armitage celebrates scoring a try against France © Getty Images

The problem is that now we know what they are capable of it makes any future shortcomings even more inexcusable.

It was so refreshing to see England cutting loose after so many stilted performances – attacking at pace, offloading before, during and after contact, players of all shapes and sizes having the confidence to lead the attack, all built on another solid defensive display.

And most pleasing of all is that they appear to have learnt the painful lessons of recent weeks.

Today’s game was all about pressure – England showed that they could handle it and even exerted enough of their own to knock France off their stride. But they are not the finished article.

For all the glow generated by the incisive running of Riki Flutey (who continues to improve in his first year of Test rugby), electric pace of Delon Armitage and assured direction of Toby Flood and others there remain areas of concern.

They are some way off their single-digit penalty goal having smashed through the double-figure barrier once again but mistakes and penalties are always going to come. It was just matter of being in control and thankfully England even heeded warnings from the referee where in the past they have seemingly not.

In terms of personnel there is no doubt England lost some of their spark when Flood was forced out of the game - what would Danny Cipriani made of such an opportunity? Instead we had Andy Goode who could not conjure the same magic.

They also struggled to maintain their focus in the second half and got lost a little and will need to ensure they are more ruthless against superior opposition.

So, now they’ve raised the bar how do they maintain it? Confidence remains the key factor – the players must play with the same belief, in themselves and the game plan. The team have not lacked for intensity throughout the Championship but they have failed to execute, to transfer from the training pitch to the main stage – until today that is, and they must sustain that success rate. The onus is on England to repeat this performance against the Scots next weekend.

England took great strides today but it will mean little if they do not improve again on Saturday. But the exciting thing for fans is that even though England were not the finished article today they still put one of the world’s better sides to the sword - and there appears to be more to come from Johnson’s side. More of the same please.

Mutual back-slapping

There was a lot of mutual praise flying around Twickenham following England’s victory as if everyone knew that this was a turning point for the side but they should be wary as to how fickle elite sport can be. Just ask France.

Manager Martin Johnson singled out his backs coach Brian Smith (“all the work that Brian has put in on our attacking game really paid off.”) and captain Steve Borthwick (“I am happy for him that all the heartache he has had has paid off.”) and the England skipper in turn thanked his boss (“Martin Johnson has been absolutely superb. He is young in the job but he has been brilliant. He worked incredibly hard along with his management team.”) and even the crowd (“There needs to be special mention today to our fans.”).

You could be forgiven for thinking it is the end of the Championship but there is one game left against Scotland next weekend who would love nothing more than to burst their old rival’s bubble.

England need to finish this year’s Six Nations with two emphatic wins if they are to truly silence their critics. Anything but leaves breathing room but also doubt. Johnson and his team can enjoy tonight but the work starts again tomorrow.

No place like home

With two wins from two games at Twickenham, albeit contrasting vastly in terms of performance, it would appear that there is no place like home for England.

In their five-try rout of France they played with the self-assurance of a side pushing for the title and not desperately trying to rescue some credibility from the Championship as was the case. And that confidence was evident within the crowd as well.

Maybe it was the warm Spring sunshine or the copious amounts of wine and beer being quaffed but there were no major fears or concerns amongst those surveyed around the stadium. Now either they don’t read the papers, or websites, or they were just choosing to brush off the flack that has been raining down on their side.

As far as the majority of those asked were concerned, blame for the side’s failure to perform rested with the players who had ‘let Johnno down’ and the manager himself was spared any criticism. The players ‘would get it right’ I was assured – such blind faith should have been expected I guess, especially from those having coughed up for a ticket.

And come kick off it appeared this belief was not isolated to a few in the North car park. The national anthem was greeted with more gusto than usual as was the team’s entrance and that was not lost on captain Steve Borthwick – who received special praise from the crowd as his face loomed large on the big screen in the closing moments.

"There needs to be special mention today to our fans,” he said following the game. “Recently at home we've not been great, coupled with two away losses, but they were magnificent today. You could sense it right from the start when we were warming up. It's up to us to draw that reaction, we're the ones who are privileged enough to wear the shirt."

Football celebrations

The birth of a new-look dynamic England appears to brought with it a penchant for football-style celebrations. Long gone are the days of simply dotting down and running back to half-way.

Perhaps it was the new-found intensity of the Twickenham crowd, or all the pent-up frustration within the England camp? Either way, the celebrations had a somewhat more dramatic feel to them.

Of course, the celebrating before touching the ball down (Mark Cueto) is nothing new but the gesturing to the crowd and the old football favourite of grabbing the badge on your shirt (Delon Armitage) are. Before you know it they will be kissing said badge, pulling their shirts off and leaping into the crowd. You have been warned.

The weekend has already started for legions of Wales fans if the splashes of red throughout St Pancras International railway station are anything to go by. It appears many fans are embracing the latest Six Nations innovation - Friday night matches.

Phones must be ringing in offices throughout the principality with fans offering their best excuses for skipping work having scoured Dorland's Medical Dictionary for a suitable, but not too serious ailment - whether they can muffle the sound of tannoy announcements in the background is another task altogether.

With a 9pm kick off for tonight's game these fans are making an early break for the continent - I jus thope they have the stamina and the capacity for the amount of continental lager that they are set to consume.

Love the idea or loathe it - I think Friday night action is here to stay, such is the power of TV and other commercial interests. The controversy will soon be forgotten - remember the fuss over Sunday games? The game will still be a sell-out no doubt and new memories and traditions will begin tonight.

Surely Six Nations matches are an event worthy of their own day? Imagine a game on a Friday, one on Saturday then the final one on Sunday? Sound good? 'Super Saturdays' are great for the armchair fans but murder for those trying to cover it all or those attending one an unable to see the others. But they do have their appeal as a grand finale.

The Six Nations kicked off with great fanfare this weekend and with the eyes of the rugby-loving world descending upon the northern hemisphere England and Italy chose to serve up one of the worst adverts possible for the game. Thankfully Ireland and France produced a classic to restore the faith of those who had sat through the disappointing opening game. And Wales showed enough class against Scotland to reassure everyone that the Six Nations is a premier event in the rugby calendar and not some second-rate spectacle.

One man in particular will be glad to see the back of this weekend which brings us to the 'Bergamasco Experiment'. It sounds like it could be a 1950s 'B' movie with radioactive monsters invading small town America. Sadly for Italy's Mauro Bergamasco this video nasty features his failed attempts to portray a scrum-half. Maybe he should opt for a more method approach should his coach Nick Mallett have any more rash thoughts when it comes to selection - maybe he will give Martin Castrogiovanni a run in the No.9 shirt? Thankfully for Mauro the film only lasts forty minutes.

One man happy to see Mauro hog the headlines would have been England boss Martin Johnson. The unfortunate Italian's inadequacies overshadowed England's shortcomings to a certain extent but at the same time magnified them as Johnson's side failed to find a clinical performance to silence their critics. OK, they may have scored five tries but you'll never see a less convincing five-try performance. The knives were immediately out following the game and any feel-good factor fly-half Andy Goode may have left the game with will have surely have evaporated on sight of the morning's papers. But there was more good than bad for the Brive No.10 and it would not surprise me to see Johnson retain his services for the trip to Wales next weekend. He may not be the most dynamic option available but at least England know what they're getting with him. Scrum-half Harry Ellis is also worthy of mention for a lively display that is set to keep Danny Care honest.

Across the Irish Sea, Ireland and France produced a great feast of exciting, running rugby. A vociferous Croke Park crowd certainly added to the occasion but the rugby certainly lived up to the billing. The sweeping move for France's opening try by Imanol Harinordoquy whet the appetite for what was to come. First Jamie Heaslip carved his way through a gap in the visitors' defence showing Clement Poitrenaud and Julien Malzieu a clean pair of heels with a delightful change of direction. Brian O'Driscoll conjured memories of the Lions tour in 2001 with a trademark linebreak for Ireland's second score before Gordon D'Arcy made a dream return by forcing his way over. To mention just the tryscorers would do fly-half Ronan O'Gara a disservice who was back on the front foot in every way. France refused to roll over but had to eventually settle for second best but they will not come up against much better in this year's Championship. In addition, coach Marc Lievremont is likely to have learnt a great deal more from this defeat than his English counterpart would have done at Twickenham.

As if we didn't know already, Wales' commanding performance against an impotent Scotland underlined the fact that we have three excellent sides in this year's Championship. They may not have hit the heights of the previous evening's game in Dublin but they were not be pressed to produce. As a result, their ability to dominate proceedings and control the game was arguably all the more impressive. They ran the show with the likes of Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts, Lee Byrne and Andy Powell underlining their credentials with stand-out performances. Wales coach Warren Gatland has reason to be relish the clash with England next weekend. For Scotland coach Frank Hadden it is an all too familiar problem of a lack of firepower. But he may have seen the light with the introduction of Max Evans - now only if he can offer a recall to his equally-electric brother Thom.

This year's title-race already appears to have split into a two-tier battle. On opening showings, Wales, Ireland and France will be competing for the crown. If England get their act together they may offer some resistance to that classification but money now says they will struggle to find the required cohesion and direction that was so lacking on Saturday in time to upset the odds. If pushed, I would say Ireland and Wales could well be battling it out for the silverware and maybe the slam in the last match of the Championship on March 21.

But this is the Six Nations I guess...

Blue skies and freezing temperatures welcome the start of this year's Six Nations. Your correspondent is doing his best to keep his hands warm at England's HQ whilst watching England and Italy warm-up ahead of kick off.

Most notable thing today so far - Italy skipper Sergio Parisse is not only one of the best players in the world he can pass a ball a full 45m (and some - the ball was still flying when caught) off either hand. Other observations - Italy coach Nick Mallett does not feel the cold (he's prowling the Twickenham pitch without a coat), former Strictly Come Dancing star and ex-England international Austin Healey is happy to sign autographs, the credit crunch does not appear to be hitting the pockets of England fans going by the brisk trade being done at the new Twickenham shop, bright blue curly wigs are the attire of choice for travelling fans (and a practical piece of clothing on a day like this) and the PA announcer is a fan of Girls Aloud - nothing like a bit of lightweight pop to get you psyched up for an international. Oh, and it's cold. Enjoy the game.

Forget the chimes of Big Ben, the new year begins with the Six Nations as far as I am concerned. My favourite time of year - and here's ten reasons why this year's Championship will once again deliver...

1. Your Valentines Day dilemma answered
What could be more romantic than a trip to Paris to see the Scots take on France at the Stade de France? And with a bit of luck you could be in a cosy bistro in the 3ème arrondissement in time to see Wales and England go at it in Cardiff. No need to thank me - just thank my wife for understanding why I will not be able to take her out.

2. Friday night lights
The Championship will break new ground this year with the first-ever Friday night game when France entertain Wales under the lights of the Stade de France on February 27. OK, thousands of fans will not be able to make the trip across the channel (unless they skip work) but this latest innovation is most likely here to stay so let’s embrace it.

3. BBC commentators dust off their microphones
I make no excuses for being a fan of ex-Scrum pundit John Inverdale and the likes of Jiffy, Jerry, Austin et al and the addition of Lawrence Dallaglio should bring some further impact. Their commentators however are sure to infuriate as much as inform. Get ready for some further gems from the Eddie Butler and Brian Moore double-act (Cardiff should once again be a real feast for the ears) while messrs Cotter and Mullins vie for second-billing.

4. Lions carrot promises added from Home Unions
Now, normally the Celtic rivalry, cross-continent bragging rights or the determination to stick it to England are reason enough for Europe’s elite to bring their best game to the Championship table. However, this year we have the mouth-watering prospect of a Lions tour looming on the horizon ensuring endless personal battles throughout the next couple of months between those players hoping to nail down a tour berth. Expect more intensity, more dazzling performances and sadly more casualties.

5. Even my Mum knows about it
My mum’s passing interest in rugby only used to flicker into life to check if I had finished a match in one piece. But there is one exception to that statement – the Six Nations. OK, she won’t be chugging back beers berating Nigel Owens’ failure to police the offside line but will at least be aware that it’s a busy time for her son.

6. Silverware
Not only is there the Six Nations Championship trophy on offer, and the more recently introduced Triple Crown platter, we also have a variety of other fetching silverware up for grabs. The oldest is the Calcutta Cup, contested between England and Scotland since 1879. Elsewhere there is the Centenary Quaich (Scotland v Ireland), the Millennium Trophy (England v Ireland), the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (Italy v France). Thankfully there is no actual Wooden Spoon for the side propping up the table.

7. Jolly boys' (and girls') outing
One of the great traditions of the Championship is the 'away day'. Thousands of fans will be gearing up for one or more trips over the next couple of months with exotic destinations like Paris and Rome enticingg some while the post-match delights of St Mary’s Street in Cardiff awaits others. Despite the current economic climate (and the Six Nations Committee’s decision to schedule a Friday night game) fans are once again set to provide a financial boost to hotels, restaurants and bars across the continent.

8. History
The Home Nations have been battling it out for northern hemisphere supremacy since 1883 – that’s 125 years of history to get your teeth stuck into. Compare that to the Tri-Nations that began in 1996! (OK, the Bledisloe Cup dates back to the 1930s and South Africa and New Zealand have been going at it since the 1920s). That gives us plenty of material to draw on be it on the pages of this website or in the pub. And where there’s history there’s hope – except for Italy where England are concerned as they have never beaten their illustrious European neighbours whereas they have beaten their other rivals at least once (albeit not in the Six Nations). But then, there's always this year?

9. You can get a ticket!
It’s not every year you can get a ticket to your country’s biggest rugby fixture but thanks to the credit crunch and some indifferent form there have been plenty of tickets up for grabs. Even tickets for Twickenham went on a limited general sale after some clubs returned their allocation (I can’t remember that happening for matches against the likes of France). This fact may also say something about their hopes for Martin Johnson’s side this year. And there’s always the secondary ticket market that appears to be booming.

10. Scrum.com will be there every step of the way
This will be the first Six Nations for the latest incarnation of Scrum.com. We’ll be providing unrivalled coverage of this year’s Championship including live commentary from every game and in-depth analysis from our team of correspondents. And for those not already signed up – don’t forget you can put your mouse where your mouth is and give our Fantasy Game a crack. Get involved!