Marc Lièvremont, the new coach of France is looking to lead his team to their first hat-trick with three back-to-back victories and along with England they have made a prefect start.

France and England top the table with four points.  Ireland and Wales may feel they are still in the chase with two points. While Scotland and Italy already look like they are going to be fighting over the wooden spoon.

There are no games this weekend.  The next round of matches will be played on 26^th and 27^th of February.

Friday 26^th March
Wales v France

Saturday 27^th March
Italy v Scotland
England v Ireland

The big showdown may well be the final game of this year’s RBS Six Nations tournament when France play hosts to England at the Stade De France on 20^th March 2010.

Viagogo is offering rugby fans an opportunity to watch their team at the six nations for free. Customers who purchase tickets to see England v Ireland at Twickenham will receive a full refund in the event that the number 10 scores a full house (try, conversion, penalty, drop goal)

Fans who purchase tickets for Wales v France at the Millennium stadium will receive a full refund if three different Jones’ score a try!

Rugby fans who purchase tickets for France v Ireland at the Stade de France will get a full refund if Ireland’s captain Brian O’Driscoll repeats his 2000 triumph and scores a hat-trick of tries in Paris.

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Early exchanges were heated and passionate, with both sides taking risks yet failing to rack up points for much of the first half-hour.

However, an explosive start to the second half saw Ireland accelerate away from the Six Nations Title holders and drag the score to 14-9 with two tries from Bowe and skipper O’Driscoll, duly converted by Ireland’s all-time top points scorer Ronan O’Gara.

Wales fought their way back into the game, the squad desperate to at least secure the Triple Crown in front of their home fans. By the time Stephen Jones’ drop-goal had sailed through the posts on 75 minutes, it looked to be all over, setting up a heavy anticlimax for the Irish national squad.

Yet Ireland pushed forward and at last the ball was fed to O’Gara in the pocket straight in front of the posts, and the fly-half finally secured a historic Grand Slam.

Whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s games there will be much to take away for all squads involved and many lessons learned by those players who failed to take the tournament by storm.

Of course there is still fierce pride to play for in the fixtures of Italy Vs. France (13:15 GMT) and England Vs. Scotland (15:30 GMT). Yet all eyes will rightly turn to the titanic clash between Wales and Ireland at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (17:30).

It has been 61 years since Ireland last won a Grand Slam way back in 1948 and the golden generation of the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, John Hayes and Paul O’Connell are on the threshold of what could be their last ever shot at the title. Without a doubt, national coach Declan Kidney will have his side psyched for a massive effort.

Wales, on the other hand, have so far struggled to reach the standards that won them the 2008 and 2005 Grand Slams. Although rated by many to be as strong if not stronger than the squad of last March, they will need to win by a 13-point margin to take the Six Nations title.

It’s difficult to build up the hype around this finale fixture any more than it has been already; perhaps it is best summed up by the words of Ryan Jones, the Welsh captain:

“It’s Test rugby because emotionally it’s going to be tough. Psychologically and physically it will be extremely hard.”

Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Mark Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues).

Ireland: Rob Kearney (Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster); Ronan O’Gara (Munster), Tomas O’Leary (Munster); Marcus Horan (Munster), Jerry Flannery (Munster), John Hayes (Munster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster), Paul O’Connell (Munster, capt), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), David Wallace (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Wales will be without their World Class winger Shane Williams after the 31-year-old has failed to recover from an injury in the win over Scotland (13 – 23) last Sunday. Gavin Henson will also miss the battle with England with a calf problem. But Wales will still be favourites to win against England, after their unconvincing win against Italy (36 – 11) at Twickenham, last Saturday.

Wales are looking to win a record-equalling eighth successive Six Nations win. Wales v England is on Saturday (14th February) kick-off – 5.30pm. Before that France take on Scotland at the Stade De France.  Kick-off 3pm.

Ireland are the other team looking to defend a 100% record in this year’s 6 Nations Championship.  Last Saturday, Ireland beat a much fancied France team (30 – 21). Tomorrow (Sunday 15th February) Italy host Ireland. Kick-off 2.30pm.

Buzzin Sport on TV

All three 2009 RBS 6 Nations Rugby games are live on BBC1 television, this weekend.

After the second weekend of matches, I will expect to see Wales and Ireland leading the competition, both with a 100% record; and pre-tournament favourites Wales go on to retain the 2009 RBS 6 Nations Rugby.

Wales will join England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy in a series of games in February.

Former Rugby England World Cup captain turned manager, Martin Johnson will be attempting to reclaim the Six Nations crown when he leads England into battle.

The opening matches start this weekend, Saturday 7th February with England v Italy at Twickenham, and Ireland v France and the BBC will have live exclusive coverage of every 2009 Six Nations match.

BBC One live coverage of the England v Italy match starts at 2pm (kick off 3pm) and Ireland v France at 4.50pm (kick off 5pm).

England manager Martin Johnson announced the England team to face Italy today. The most noticeable exclusion was Danny Cipriani.  The 21-year-old Wasps fly-half will instead play for the England Saxons squad to face Ireland A in Dublin this Friday.

Martin Johnson has surprised many rugby critics by recalling Andy Goode to the team. Goode hasn’t played for England for two years but has been picked on merit after a good season with Brive.

The England Rugby team to face Italy:

D Armitage (London Irish); P Sackey (Wasps), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Flutey (Wasps), M Cueto (Sale Sharks); A Goode (Brive), D Care (Harlequins); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), L Mears (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, Captain), N Kennedy (London Irish), J Haskell (Wasps), S Armitage (London Irish), N Easter (Harlequins).

On Sunday Scotland play Wales.

For more information visit the 6 Nations official website.