05/02/2016 Inside Six Nations

Now on Sportsday, it's time for our first Inside Six Nations of 2016.

Welcome from Murrayfield ahead of the start of the Six Nations. This

is our first inside Six Nationses of 2016.

Humbled by the Southern hemisphere sides at last year's World Cup,

not one of the home nations reached the semi finals.

But with seven weeks of six nations action to come,

it offers the perfect chance to wipe the slate clean.

Surely one of darkest days in England rugby history. There are

many heartbrok Welsh fans. Ireland are out. Some of the Scotland fans

might be going home fuming. A brand-new Championship. Good feet by

Joseph. Excellent hands and feet and scores. What a try for Ireland,

scoring again. And Murrayfield erupts. That is more like it from

Wales. None more so than for Scotland

who came agonisingly close The first home nations match

of the tournament sees Scotland, the team that arguably performed

the best last autumn facing England Having been kicked out

of their own party early, England have rung the changes -

more on that in a moment. But after a great showing three

months ago, are Scotland on course to produce something

special this year. Phil Goodlad has the latest

from the Scotland camp. It may be four months ago but World

Cup wounds run deep. Scotland still carry the scars of that late

heartache against Australia. I will take that to my grave and I say that

truthfully. For it to end like that was difficult to take. But we can't

feel sorry for ourself. No one is going to give us anything easy or

feel sorry for us. There is a sense still of what might have been at the

World Cup. Two minutes to go and a semi-final against Argentina and who

knows what after that. For the players comes the challenge of

harnessing that disappointment and putting it to good use. Hastings has

burst away. Former Murrayfield greats agree. They have got to take

the positives and take them into this Six Nations. I think Vern has

got the players believing in themselves and we have got a

talented group of players now. But they have got to go out and do it.

Facing England tomorrow may be the best way to shake off a World Cup

hangover and do something Scotland done done in eight long years. We

are confident we can go out and do a job. There is no better game to play

in. We will hopefully be celebrating at end of the weekend. Turning World

Cup pain into snakes delight -- Six Nations delight is the task facing

Scotland. A settled Scotland

against a new look England. As Eddie Jones comes in as head

coach and Dylan Hartley takes over as Captain - what else can we expect

from this England side For English rugby the appetite for

success remains undiminished. 2015 was a bruising year, but now a

opportunity to start afresh with a new coach and all that is past is

past. It is not my job to delve back into history. I can't turn the side

around 360 degrees in two weeks, but we have spoken about the way we want

to play and the players have been enthusiastic about, it is more about

an attacking mind set. But there are lessons to be learned. The World Cup

was a disappointment. Their exit swift and the fall out equally so.

Now hopes of brighter times ahead. Dylan Hartley's appointment as

question raised questions, not least his disciplinary record, having

missed over a year of his career with suspensions. It has gone wrong

in the past. But the past will stay there. If I was going to back down

from a challenge I wouldn't be here. So I am here again and I want to do

good and I will work hard and try and lead. Hartley the leader on the

field, the message to him is loud and clear. On the field he has got

go out there and play with his hearts and if he does the players

will follow him. Players following the leadership is one thing, where

that leads them is about become a litter clearer. -- little clearer.

Earlier I spoke to Scotland's record point scorer,

Chris Paterson, and started by asking him could this be this

The Championships are always tight. These games are decided on such fine

margins and in that Championship we won our opening game against France

here and that gave us the momentum and we won three games and beat

Italy and England. Can they do that again? I think they can. Could it be

the wrong side of the results, yes, the games are so fine, it takes

clear decision making and calmness under pressure to come on the right

side. Eddie Jones has been playing mind games and suggested Scotland

are favourites, do you believe him? I don't think so. The English side

has 512 test caps. Scotland are 483. It is more experienced. That is

crucial for England. No matter how many caps you have had it is

important for the English players that have experienced the hostile

atmosphere at Murrayfield and all the starters have played before.

Eddie Jones knows that. I expect England to be dominant with the ball

in hand up front trying to keep from it the back row that Scotland have

chosen. But they have some star dust with Wilson and others. If they have

their hands on the ball they can cause damage. Scotland have to

concentrate on themselves. A lot has been made of Dylan Hartley's

appoint. Do you think Scotland will try and target him? I think they

will try and target everyone. He is an experienced campaigner and has

been a captain for a good number of seasons and knows what will be

coming his way. He will deal with that. But he will deal with

tomorrow, but between now and the end of Six Nations there will be a

flash point and we see how mature he will be. But he is a good leader.

But it will be met with a bit of fire here tomorrow.

Ireland are chasing an unprecedented third six nations title in a row

and open against Wales, who have a knack of playing well

in this tournament following a world cup year.

In a match which could well determine the destination of this

year's title Thomas Niblock and Euan Griffiths weigh up the mood

It will be tight and conditions will probably make it tighter, because it

is going to be more difficult to be able to get the open space and

possibly try to get the gaps between players and they don't leave too

many. I think their defence is so steadfast it is so difficult to

break down. You have to make sure that everyone's on the same page and

that your very accurate in what you do. We are going to a place which

obviously we experience twod years ago and it wasn't a pleasant

experience and you remember those moments, you remember the day and I

know we have gone back there since in terms of the World Cup friendly.

I think we are not looking past that first game and momentum can give us

will be huge and something we are looking forward to and we have got a

vastly experienced side and we are looking forward to playing Ireland

on Sunday. Let's get more from Chris. I got his thought and asked

him what the chances are of Ireland winning that third title in a row. I

think they have lost a lot of experience. They're a quality team

and have a top notch coach. But they have lost experience with O'Connell,

a big hole to fill. Tommy Bowe and guys like that. We have spoken about

how momentum is key. So Ireland will have gaps to fill with the players

who are unavailable. But the players coming in will be you know clear of

what are expected of them and I think they will get off to a tough

start against Wales chl I think Wales may sneak it. Wales have

history of performing well after a World Cup year and won the Scotland

Grand Slam in 2008. Do you think it could be their year? I do. Because

of the northern hemisphere faems, I felt the Welsh guys dealt with the

physicality. I was looky to be at Twickenham for game with South

Africa and I have never seen such a physical performance from Wales.

They kept getting up and dealt with the physicality better than any

northern hemisphere side. And they're settled and know the game

plan. The big players always play well and I think they will be

formidable. Here the fixtures in full.

You can keep across all those matches on the BBC.

Significantly that match at the Stade De France tomorrow

will be the first at the stadium since November's terror attacks

on the city of Paris when the stadium was targeted

as the French football team played a friendly there with Germany.

There will be increased security presence at the game,

in what's being described as the biggest security operation

seen at a sporting event in the country.

Of course all thoughts with those who were affected in those terrorist

attacks in Paris back in November. Well of course, it is not just the

men's tournament which is taking place, the women's Six Nations is

already under way and England's women are taking on Scotland at the

moment. Looking to improve on what was a disappointment performance

from them at last year's Six Nations, where they finished fourth.

But of course they have got off to a positive start and lead 15-0 at half

time. England on their way to what could be a good start. But Ireland

are dominating in the women's competition as well. They're looking

to achieve what the men are on course to do, win a third title in a

row. But of course they open against Wales as well and their captain

isn't, is expecting a tough match. For now that is all from inside Six

Nations and I have to say it is, you have to go back to 1990 when

Scotland last won the Grand Slam, but at the moment it is goodbye from

me at Murrayfield and time for the weather.