Day 1, Part 3 Winter Olympics

Hello, welcome back to our Winter Olympic coverage on the BBC, we are

-- we are live in Sochi, a stones throw from the of the Black Sea. It

is chilly, crisp, and the air is burning bright with anticipation and

excitement. The flame is looking magnificent. In the distance, the

stage, where there is a concert on, and every night, medals will be

presented. We have had a feud today, hung around the necks of the chosen

fruit -- the chosen few. Here is what is coming up this evening. We

are sliding fast, with the legend of luge. Staying on ice, figure

skating's team event reaches a crucial stage. And, we are live

under the floodlights for the women's moguls final. So, plenty

still to come, but first, the men's slopestyle, a new event, the

snowboarders got their chance this morning, it was full of big tricks

and funky falls. We had two British competitors, Jamie Nicholls and

Billy Morgan, and here is a round-up of what happened.

It will be the best school from the two runs that counts. The American,

one of the most creative, stylish riders. He has laid down the run he

was looking for. Billy Morgan, the boy from Southampton. Oh, no! The

next rider, Jamie Nicholls. One two, three, four, yes! He puts it down!

And absolutely stonking run! Clean, clinical through the rails. Really

deep, really clean. Now, Billy Morgan's second run. Oh, no! It is

not over for Great Britain. He has slipped off the side of the rail.

Can he complete the whole run this time? He is in danger of melting if

he gets any smoother. Second place! It is the first gold medal of Sochi

2014, it goes to America. Jamie Nicholls in sixth, Billy Morgan

intent. Can we breathe now? Slopestyle a huge hit with the

viewers, the commentary going down very well. Two historic points to

make, for the USA, because this is the first time they have competed on

Russian soil, that is the first gold medal but have one on Russian soil,

and then medal ceremony took place a short while ago. For Jamie Nicholls,

Britain's best result on snow since 1968, but you will know that Alan

Baxter had a short lived bronze medal in 2002. Let's have a look at

the other headline makers on the first day. It has been a great day

for Norway, at 40 years of age, a to become the joint most decorated

Winter Olympian ever. He won the ten K biathlon sprint, and earlier, the

fellow Norwegian won her fourth Olympic gold, with the women's 50

K. She is known as the iron Lady. She got the better of her Swedish

opponent in the closing stages. A gold medal in a new Olympic record.

The flying Dutchman led the way for a Netherlands clean sweep of the

medals. The head of the men's downhill tomorrow, the five-time

Olympic medallist has said that the Sochi twig's pieced is treacherous

and could kill you if you do not pay attention. He was shaken after

seeing his team-mate narrowly escaped a serious crash. We will get

more on that course with Graham Bell, who has gone down it, with a

camera on his helmet. We will ask him about the reaction of the other

big-name skiers. We will concentrate now on luge. We will mind you what

happens. First staged in 1964, it is one of

the fastest and most exciting of the Olympic sports. Similar to skeleton,

the sleds are lightning quick and can reach speeds of 90 mph. With the

sport timed to 1000th of a second, a power. Is crucial. Lucius begin

their burn sat upright, paddling the ice with spiked gloves to build up

speed. Woods in an ever dynamic position, they controlled direction

by manoeuvring their shoulders and legs. The men's and women's singles

competitions are held over two days, with four runs in total. The

lowest overall time wins. Georg hackle dominated in the 90s, with

three consecutive gold medals. This is where the sliding centre

is, in the Mountain Cluster, 40 minutes away. The favourite is the

German, Felix Loch, the former double gold medallist. Armin

Zoeggeler aiming for a place in history, because he would be the

first athlete to win a medal in six different Winter Olympics. No

British competitors involved, but we have our commentary team.

Biochem to the Sanki Sliding Centre. -- welcome. Way above the rest of

the Olympic Village. The first of two runs of the men's luge. The

fifth corner is one of the trickiest. It is an S-bend. The 10th

corner, uphill, and a third uphill sexton -- section. The speeds here,

136.8 kilometres per hour, 85 mph. Having a look at the first

competitor, Dominik Fischnaller, the former World Junior Championship. 20

years old, this is a big moment in his life. His mental is Armin

Zoeggeler, who will be going later on. It is not a flat spot or a steep

start, somewhere in between. He is going faster than he did in

training, the ice is primed and ready. Dominik Fischnaller flying

down this hill. He looks pretty good so far. That is the first of the

uphill sections. The little widening is the eighth corner, then a big

left-hander. We have seen crash there in the bobsleigh. Corner ten

is the trickiest bit of the track. Through the final two right-handers,

it is not great speed. He has got it up to 135. That is a decent time.

Looking good. A very good run from Dominik Fischnaller. Wolfgang Kindl

is up next. Let's see how many paddles he does. Five. Very close to

the left-hand upright. He gets away well. He is not a big man, one metre

66, 70 kilograms, one of the lightest men in the competition, but

he seems to get good top end speed, which is surprising. He was always

going to be behind Dominik Fischnaller at the start. He has

gone into the lead, he has gone ahead of Dominik Fischnaller.

Wolfgang Kindl is going well. He is flying. Not one touch either side.

Very good. He has pulled it out in the big one,

0.4 faster than training. A bit sloppy at the start, but he is in

the league, a great start. Reinhard Egger next ago. It is interesting

that he has got a face mask with the line on it. That is for his view. If

he can look under the line, he knows his head is right back, it is to

keep aerodynamic form. A good start, he is one of the big surprises from

training, he is a big man, 98 kilos. In luge, the bigger you are, the

faster you fall, you have momentum. He is in the lead. Trying to stay in

the middle, that is the important thing. He is doing it well. He is

losing time over Wolfgang Kindl. Can he stay in front? Still in the lead,

just. Goodness me, even faster than Felix Loch managed in training.

Reinhard Egger has nailed that. That is the fastest run we have seen down

this track ever. That is quite something. The eyes of the Siberian

tiger! The local hero, the Russian hero. Albert Demchenko. This Russian

giant. For so long, he has been top of the leaderboard. He gets away

well. He will take that. He is 42 years old. He will be behind here.

But there is lots of track here. It was almost built for him, this

track, maybe it was! He is an Olympic silver medallist from 2006,

a big hero, and he has gone into the lead. The fastest we have seen so

far. He is flying here. He has increased his lead. He is going

well. 139.1 kilometres per hour, that is phenomenal. 87 mph. A track

record. Look at the margin, almost 0.4 seconds. He has laid down the

law, but his phenomenal. The Russians are enjoying this. There is

only one man in the world who can do better than that, the Olympic

champion himself. Unless Armin Zoeggeler can spin his magic. The

Olympic champion in 2002 and 2006, what can Armin Zoeggeler produce

here? The way goes one of the old man. It could be good. It is good. A

tremendous start from Zoeggeler but has has gone green because it has

been compared to Demchenko who is not a great starter but has put down

a great run so compared to the best so far. Remember, Zoeggeler has won

five medals over the past five Olympics. If he were to do it again

here, he would become the most decorated Olympian of all time

across six games. He is losing time here.

A decent speed and it leaves him in second place, he might be a country

mile behind Demchenko but he is ahead of the rest of the world. That

is true. He must be very disappointed though, and Felix Loch

is the elliptic champion from four years ago. -- the Olympic champion.

What can this rate man do? -- this great man.

He is so tall, long arms and big paddles. And he has gone into the

lead by over six hundredths of a second. He is about six foot four

and a big, bulky man like Demchenko. Demchenko add such good speed.

Demchenko will be sweating just waiting at the bottom but Felix Loch

is flying at the moment, and even quicker than Demchenko. If you can

hold this league, the next bit will be crucial.

Felix Loch is coming through the line now. Look at that, goodness

me, there is his dad, head of the German federation, I have not seen a

face like that for years from him. He was a favourite for the Germans

but not at the moment after the first run, he is behind Demchenko.

22 years old, Peretyagin, hopefully the occasion would overwhelm him. 20

years younger than Demchenko, the third Russian to get the nod for

this Olympics. Let's not forget the Russians have had a lot of extra

sliding time on this track that others have not had. If the others

have had 30 or 40 runs down the track, they have had about 400

runs. Put them in good stead. Lots of people have been saying that

Demchenko had this track built for him. In order to win the gold medal.

That is some way away yet but there are lots of people who believe that

Demchenko is destined to win. Age and this speed here. Peretyagin only

half a second behind Demchenko, a massive margin but for the rest of

the world, to third place in the podium behind Zoeggeler, he is

exactly 11 hundredths of a second behind so he is in with a shout here

and in the mix. There are the standings at the moment. Demchenko

ahead of Felix Loch and Zoeggeler, and that is fantastic.

Many thanks to Paul and Colin Bryce, the second run is under way and you

can watch it live on the red button and we will update you later on in

the highlights programme but I want to take you over here because that

beautiful view Dylan McGeouch blue building is the Iceberg Skating

Palace and is home to the figure skating and Sue Barker and Robin

Cousins will stop we have a new competition at the Winter Olympics

this year, called the team competition and not surprisingly,

Russia are among the favourites to win the gold. Let's look at how it

works. The team event is a new addition to

the Olympic Games. Teams are made up of one man, one woman, one pair and

one ice dance couple. As in the other figure skating events, the

competition is split into two segments, a short programme and a

free programme. Ten teams take part in the short programme where each

routine must contain a set list of moves. A panel of nine judges score

on choreography and technique. Their marks are converted into points and

the four scores for each team are added together. The top five teams

from the first segment then qualify for the free programme. That is

where skaters are allowed to show more creative licence. The team with

the most points after the two segments wins gold.

And this is how the standings is looked after the pairs in the men's

short programme, Russia lead with Canada and China completing the

medal places. The USA, surprisingly down in seventh place. We'll now see

highlights from this afternoon's competition, the ice dance and the

women's short programmes and first up are Britain's Penny Coomes and

Nick Buckland. Sue Barker and Robin Cousins describe the action.

Here they are, Penny Coomes, Nicolas Buckland. Doesn't she look

exquisite? Nice through the testing section. --

twisting. This is a copy what I was just

saying, nice and light and lots of little lifts between the elements

and be jumping, it is nice and tight.

Lovely lightness through the circular steps sequence. This is

pretty special. Very nice, they were so good in

practice, they brought that through to competition with a fantastic

performance, rate reception from the crowd here, well done to Penny and

Nick. Beautiful, nice and smooth, not rushed, everything just slightly

laid-back but exactly on the beat where it needed to be. Good through

the twists, nice timing. Heals up, lovely, lifting so you can see

there's air between the blades on the movement in the footwork.

What will be judges reward them with? One deduction there but

52.93. What do you think the deduction was four, the extended

lead? Possibly in the extended left. It is not obvious that they

try to figure it out but it must be the lift.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White, they have been a powerhouse in ice

dancing, favourites to become the first Americans to win ice dancing

gold, that will be later on in the week.

MUSIC: "I Could Have Danced All Night".

Very nice, the extended twizzle exit.

Oh, yes, indeed! They could have danced all night and we would have

loved watching them carry on. It just was not long enough, beautiful

to watch. Nice light and airy through the step sequence.

Doesn't get deep into the eyes, they don't get down and drive, it's just

schemes, Twizell, one, two is two. It is lovely.

75.98, great technical presentation, wonderful performance

from them. America are back in this team competition. They win this ice

dance, short dance and they win ten points, so that puts the United

States into third place overall behind Canada and Russia. So here

are the scores from the short dance, the Americans first, the Canadian

second and the Russians third. Disappointing for the British

couple, Penny Coomes and Nicolas Buckland, not so much the placement

but more the score. So that win for the USA sees them

jump to third place overall after three events, Russia are still on

top, one point ahead of Canada going into the women's short programme

which will now join starting with Britain's Jenna McCorkell.

So, Jenna McCorkell, she will retire at the end of this season and really

wants to take some happy memories away from here.

She wants the triple flip. Lovely, very nice.

A really nice double axel, very strong.

Well done, Jenna McCorkell! She celebrates, she has done Northern

Ireland proud with that, fantastic. Everything delivered, you can take a

bow, fantastic performance. She is coming from the old school. You can

see that it did not get to a full position. The spin is a level two,

but we have to look at this as an overall picture. She could not have

done it any better. So, the marks. Surely, a season's best. By some

way, we hope. By a long way! A season's best for her, wonderful

scores in the technical and the components cool. Great smiles from

the British camp. They may not play any further part in the team event,

which it can look forward to the ladies event, a super programme,

well done. So many people have been waiting to see this young lady, the

Russian. The European champion, the youngest winner of the European

Championships ever. At the European Championships, things have not gone

well in practice, but for the competition, she delivered, and that

is what makes her a champion. She has youth, fearlessness, and she is

on home ice. Russian champion. A forward inside edge on the

inverted Biellmann. Third jump from steps is a triple

flip. Everybody standing around this

auditorium, 15 years of age, we said she may be a superstar in the

making, but she is a superstar now. Applause from the commentary box,

you do not often see that. From all around us. Super jumps, exquisite

spins, she is a ballerina on the ice. Her first Olympic Games, no

sign of nerves. Her debut year, at her home, at the Olympics, much

pressure? A triple toe loop. The double axel has a terrible take-off,

the leg does not even pass the left leg on the take-off, so that will

not triple axel very easily. There is not much to say about the spins,

because you can see it. The foot is not touching. The right

foot is lifted off the ice to make sure she does not get any

deduction, it is clean. A new season's best, look at those

scores! She can still improve on the

technical. They are the favourites for the gold medal. Now, onto the

ice, the birthday girl, from Italy. She has had two miserable Olympic

experiences, ninth in curing, and this gives her a chance to get used

to the ice. She has changed her routine, who are they the rear, --

to Ave Maria. She is a beautiful skater to watch, enjoy.

She has got the triple toe loop. Very nice, light and easy.

Absolutely exquisite. She is a skater that oozes class. She may not

be the most consistent on the ice, but when she gets it right, it is

breathtaking, and that piece of music is perfect for her. That is

the best I have seen her skate in a very long time. This loop was

exquisite. Lovely. Really nicely rotated, the double axel does not

normally fly that much, bigger than I have normally seen, a very nice

extension out. They of the Swatch from the Italian team. Yes! A new

season's best, well-deserved. That puts Italy ahead of France, they

will qualify in the top five. Their pairs team will be preparing, they

will be on the ice later today. A beautiful way to end this

competition. The second round gets under way just

after 6:05pm. Yulia Lipnitskaya taking the victory

in the short programme, and Carolina Kostner moved Italy into the final

qualifying spot. Jenna McCorkell finished in 10th place, Redbridge

and did not qualify for the final rounds. We will update this in our

highlights programme, which starts at 7pm.

I have made some friends here. They are over here as medical volunteers.

We are loving Sochi, we went to London, we volunteered there, we had

such a good experience, we thought we would try Russia. Is it better

than you thought's --? Yes, there is no problem with security, the food

is lovely, we are having a great time. The outfits suit you! Thank

you so much, good luck with the rest of the Winter Olympics. Time to head

away from this loud music, for more loud music, and this.

her home, at the Olympics, much pressure? A triple toe loop. It is

fast and furious, combination of speed and style and it happens here

at the freestyle centre, part of the extreme part. A family from Canada

will be hoping to pack the podium, the Russians have always celebrated

the play the three cities Berlin macro sisters by Anton Chekhov but

we have three sisters who are more successful, let's meet them.

COMMENTATOR: Maxine, first of three sisters bidding for a place in the

Olympic final, this is just Dean. This is the meddling sister, Chloe.

It will be busy and loud and could yet be a family affair, we will see,

here's a guide the moguls. A mogul course is made up of a

series of snow bumps on a steep slope. The key to a smooth ride is

to pick your line through the whole course, not focus solely on the next

bump. It is also important to control your speed and get into a

good rhythm. There are two significant jumps on the course and

skiers must perform to different manoeuvres. The jumps account for

25% of the score. Half of the marks are for turning technique, and the

rest of the markets for speed. The top 20 from qualifying make it

through to the final. You need good knees, you really do,

for this sport. It is the women's mogul final and let's head straight

to our commentators will stop, , there is a macro three phases of

this final on this ten metre wide course.

It is a black run, peppered with these moguls or bumps, you would

avoid them if you were skiing recreationally. Over three phases,

20 to start with. They will be whittled down to 12, the 12 best

going through to go again and then six will go through for the medals.

Any score they picked up in the first two rounds are discarded, it

is a fresh canvas for the next two rounds. And here is the line-up,

plenty of Russians, three Australians, two Japanese and three

Americans including Hannah Carney, the defending champion who will be

last to go. And the three sisters, Dufour-Lapointe, just Dean who is

19, and Chloe who is 22. The last time there were three sisters in an

Olympic event was back in 1960 when they competed for France in the

women's slalom. We hope for better luck for the ten two sisters tonight

and judging by recent form, there is every chance that we will see one,

possibly two of them, maybe even three of them on the Olympic podium

tonight. The judges are lined up tonight and it will be one of the

Russians to get things going so a combination of terms, jumps and

speed, the pace time, 30.12 seconds. And the first compulsory click here

you can see, at the top of the course and then the main bulk of the

course between the two jumps, accounting for 50% of the score. 20

metres wide, 240 metres in length. 20 athletes about to go bidding for

12 places in the second round of the final. Gloves going on for the

Russian, Pertakhiya. She can't help but smile with all the noise below,

the only Italian in the final pacing up and down. They have had a long

wait since the second qualifying round earlier this afternoon but now

in pitch black with the floodlights illuminating this course.

The Olympic final will be opened by Pertakhiya from Russia. She gets the

count under way she goes. Straight into the rhythm of because, nine

turns and before the first kicker, a 300 cc, good landing and back into

the rhythm. She is maintaining control, a

backflip and solid landing, just about recovered, I thought she would

exit through the front door. That could prove costly, the only thing

in her favour is that the jumps only account for 25% of the mark. The

terms which account for 50% were pretty solid. She takes a seat and

is joined by the Russian coach will be busy tonight with three Russians

in this final, this was the first jump, . It will not take along to

re-establish her rhythm. Look at the knees working. The skis needed to be

locked together and they were separated by about a foot at times.

That will not work in her favour. The second job, the backflip. Nice

and straight but then she got pitched forward and she was lucky to

stand and ski away. She might be lucky to make the top 12 who

advanced to the next round of this final of the moguls. Maria

Pertakhiya unlikely to score more than 20 points with that. 17.58.

That will be a long and nervous wait now.

A good crowd here this evening, they are crammed in. We had to the top

for the only Chinese representative in this competition it is the second

is to go, Ning Qin who gets the three, two, one call and she comes

off by curvy little ledge at the top, and she has to recover and a

couple of seconds when she was a passenger there. Rather than being

in full control. Now she is settled but it wasn't at the top, not a

solid enough middle section to put pressure on the best in the world.

It is a full twisting backflip, lands it and skis home and a mixed

bag therefore the Chinese bump skier. Decent aerials, the degree of

difficulty was quite high on second job as well. A full twisting back

somersault. This is the first, 360. It is to be called a helicopter but

a 360 is a fickle it these days. And then it was good and slide -- a 360

is what they call it these days. The second job, taking her time --

jump. Full twisting back somersault. And the landing was OK. She lent

slightly over the tales of her skis on touchdown but pretty solid.

She is likely to be under 20 points again for Ning Qin of China. And she

has got 17.26. Only good enough for second at the moment, she will have

to see if that is good enough to see her through to the top 12, I doubt

it. First of the Australians, this is Nicole Parks from New South

Wales. A look of concentration on her face. She has skied cautiously

so far I know is the time to let them go.

She is starting to really accelerate through the money turns, she has got

a good line and she looks good, good work so far from Nicole Parks.

Spectacular skiing from the first of the trio of Australians to go. She

set up for the second jump, full back somersault and home and dry,

that will be good enough for first position provisionally for Nicole

Parks from Australia. Skiing in her first Olympic Winter Games. Things

started pretty well, this was the first jump, 360. There is a little

gap before the moguls reappear, a soft landing which has been softened

even further by the coursework is this evening, these were good

turns. The knees and skis locked together, took back somersault. That

will be good enough for first position for Nicole Parks, surely.

Her coach is looking on in passively.

High marks and low marks from the terms judges discarded, Nicole Parks

takes it away from the Russian, Pertakhiya. We have another

Australian coming, straightaway it is O'Neill from Sydney. Her first

the big aims, -- a place in the top 12 of four stakes -- up for grabs.

Couple of scrappy moments here from Taylah O'Neill, these are good

turns. The skis are locked together like they are glued together and the

knees absorbing thrusting up to the chest as she pummels through the

turns. A back somersault, lands it, the skis and completes. Beyond the

pace time of 30 point 12. Looks like we will have an Australian one, two.

Dufour-Lapointe, the second of the three Australians to go. And the

third of them coming shortly will be Brittany Cox. Slightly unsteady on

landing but managed to regain her balance by the time the moguls

reappeared after this flat section on landing. Slightly off-putting for

the skiers really although it is there because the men will get so

much greater distance and they will fly the entirely of that landing

area and beyond. The men's competition on Monday. That should

be good enough for second place for Taylah O'Neill. And yes, it is,

18.18. So the Aussies are holding first and second. Next to go, the

first of the Americans, Heather McPhie from Park City in Utah. She

just breathes deeply and looks down the hill.

18th last time out in Vancouver. She did well with her first landing,

managed to get back in control and this is solid from Heather McPhie.

Now we are seeing the top skiers go to work here. Beautiful work from

Heather McPhie. A full twisting back, pretty good. 30.24. Quickest

of the lot of the clock and that, I think, will probably be good enough

for the provisional lead. She is happy with that, the American,

Heather McPhie. They have got the defending champion last to go in

this first phase of the women's bumps final. It did not take long,

just absorb the first mogul after landing, the central turns were

great to watch, wonderful control and flair from Heather McPhie and

that will surely be good enough for first position provisionally. Full

twisting back somersault and a little cross of the skis mid-flight

as well, could be the first to break the 20 point mark tonight. And yes

she has, just, 20.05. First position, new leader, Heather McPhie

for the USA. Things warming up nicely here on the Rosa mogul field.

A busy day at the extreme Park with the inaugural men's slopestyle and

now the bumps. A hot ticket to have here. The last of the Australian

trio, Brittany Cox. Clear lenses in her goggles, nine turns before she

hits the first kicker and it is a straight 364 Cox. Right back into

the rhythm. Really enjoying this run, looked

good in the first qualification round earlier. This is even better.

A straight back somersault, full control all the way down, the speed

is good as well. She will be close to Heather McPhie's lead. It will be

first or second, provisionally, at the moment, for the last of the

Australians. He do not want the scheme is coming

off! Lots to enjoy, high, floated 360, pretty straightforward. The

landing was OK. The terms in the central part of the course, they

were generally solid enough, one or two little mistakes. Enough to take

the lead? Possibly. One for the line, as it first or

second? It is first. The top 12 go through to the next phase, and then

the numbers are half a game, six to battle for the medals in the final

stage. Now, from the Czech Republic. She

skied really well earlier today to qualify, I was really impressed by

the way she attacked the course. She has started in a similar vein here.

360 with a spread halfway round. Wonderful confidence, this is

excellent. If she nails the last few terms and the second kicker, this is

surely good enough for the lead in the Olympic final first stage.

Nothing wrong with this Tom at the speed is good as well. As far as I

am concerned, that is surely good enough for first place. The standard

rising all the time. Putting one down here tonight. Spread Eagle

halfway. Back into the rhythm of the course. It is worth seeing again.

Look at how quickly she got back into absorption on landing. Got to

be worthy of a school in the early 20s. Yes, that was really good. No

wonder the courage is pleased. A lot of work to do, because this score

will be discarded for the second stage. She takes it away. A new

leader. Next, the Italian. In her third Olympic Games. She finished

ninth in 2006. She finished 10th in Vancouver 2010. Here we go. She

needs to move it up a notch or two, following her performance in

qualifying earlier. She is a passenger there. She gathers it back

under her control. It looks spectacular for the crowd, but it

will not impress the judges. She is looking pretty confident now. A

backflip of the first, and she skis with the fastest time of the night

so far. Inside the pace time, 30.12 seconds. The first one to go under

30 seconds. A top three place, I would think, certain. One or two

moments with the skis in the middle part of the course, that the judges

would have frowned upon, we will see it here, the flared out right ski.

Packet came. The damage done, how much damage? Top three, surely,

still merited. A chance of progressing through to the group of

12 who will move around to the second stage of the final. Is it

first, second or third? It is third. She will have to sweat it out for a

while yet. Number 19. The next of the Russians. From Moscow

originally. Trying to block out the noise and colours at the bottom of

the course and go to work. She can celebrate later. Now is the time to

focus. 360. A good landing. The best landing we have seen from her so far

today. She is going nicely. Listen to the noise now. She attacks the

bottom part of the course. A backflip. She has hit the deck hard.

That will be that. It is pretty cut-throat, this process, only 12

will go through, and she will not be one of them. Hopefully, she is OK,

but it will be a lonely time in the kiss and cry area. A 360 of the

first jump, back into the rhythm straightaway. The central terms were

terrific. But then, trouble arrived at the second compulsory kicker. She

went high and round, but too far around, she landed on the tales.

Whiplash. So, the school coming through.

The damage is done. She will be lucky to feature in amongst the top

eight. She is trying to smile through the pain. Heavily penalised

by the finish and Canadian judges, but the Russians get another grow --

another go straightaway. She gripped the poles. Here we go. She is ready

to go. The best of the Russians currently in seventh place. The

landing is OK. Back into the rhythm. She took a couple of seconds to move

through the bumps, but now she is motoring. This is good. A nice line.

Not too much width with the arms. The second kicker coming. Up she

goes, backflip, down she goes, lands safely. The Russians celebrate

another good run. They can forget about the disappointment suffered by

the previous skier. She has given them something to get excited about.

The leading school belongs to the Czech Republic skier. 21.82. The

Russian will be lucky to beat that, but she might just get in amongst

the top four, maybe the top three places. A score above 20 is

guaranteed. The second jump, straight, moved the knees towards

the body for the second part. It has got to be in the top four. It is

second. With nine to go, she is guaranteed a

place in the next phase of the final. Now, the Canadian attack

begins. We have four Canadians in this final, including the three

sisters. The first of those will come next. First, their compatriot,

from Quebec, Audrey Robichaud. Eighth in 2006, she is back for

another Olympics. Here she goes. She skied beautifully in qualification

on Thursday. A 360, pretty solid, just a little mistake post landing.

But now she seems to have settled. Coming down the centre line. She is

going nicely. Not as fast as we have seen from some will stop the turns

are textbook. She is carving beautifully. It is a backflip, it is

a good landing, it is a good run, it is slow. It is one of the slowest of

the evenings so far. She shakes her head, I am not sure she is happy,

but there were elements to enjoy for Audrey Robichaud. The first of four

Canadians. Here is the first kicker. Leaning

with her right arm, rotating her head to help turn the body through

the 360. Nice turns, nice and relaxed. Audrey Robichaud suddenly

on course for a top five. That will not be enough to guarantee a place

in the next phase of the final. Because we still have eight skiers

to come, including the 360 's. Chloe, Justine and Maxime

Dufour-Lapointe. Audrey Robichaud scoring 20 plus. Top five merited

after that performance. Here we go. Fourth place. She will have to sweat

it out for a while, and hope that some of the others fall over. Now,

the oldest of the three Canadian sisters, this is Maxime

Dufour-Lapointe, 24 years old. She is ready to go. Maxime

Dufour-Lapointe on her way. She qualify directly for her final, like

her sisters, a 360 of the first kicker. This is fast. This is good

work from Maxime Dufour-Lapointe. Not as pretty as Audrey Robichaud in

terms of style, but it is effective. She is fighting her way through the

middle part of the course. Heading towards the second of the kickers.

It is high and far. The landing was OK, the speed is all right. I am not

sure it will be good enough to take the lead, but at the moment, the

target for Maxime Dufour-Lapointe and her sisters is a place in the

top 12 and a position in the second phase of this final. Leading with

her left arm. She went clockwise. Most of them, right-handed, lead

with their right side and go anticlockwise on the 360. Here is

the second one, went quite a long way up and a long way forward, but

she spotted and controlled the landing pretty softly. It is going

to be a score of 20 plus, I am not sure it is going to trouble the top

three at this stage. The oldest of the sisters, she is in fifth place.

A nervous wait for her now. I echo boom aura is next to go for Japan,

and exciting skier to watch. The Japanese skier one in their canola

in 1998. Aiko Uemura, in her fifth Winter Olympics. Yet to win a medal.

This is great skiing. She is taking them on and showing who is boss.

This is fabulous from Aiko Uemura. Absolutely flying through the money

terms. Setting up for the second kicker. The landing is good, the

finish is fast, it is all very good indeed for Aiko Uemura. Fabulous.

She has been seventh, sixth, fifth and fourth in her previous Olympics.

That was the best we have seen tonight. Just missed the start with

her left poll, but she does not stop the time until a couple of feet at

about. She should not be penalised for that. It should not count. It

was not a turn or a jump. To reflect, especially after the first

kicker. Surely it will be a top five. It depends if they decided to

penalised her for the start. It is in fourth place. That is harsh. The

top three hold onto their places. Aiko Uemura in fourth. We move on,

back to the top, for Julia Galer Shiva for Kazakhstan. She qualify

directly for the final. Here we go. 11th four years ago in Vancouver.

She has landed solidly, the skis are tied together. This is good work. --

tight together. Not as fast as we have seen, skiing a little

cautiously here, I was surprised by the fact she qualified directly for

the final after Thursday's performance. Going for the front

flip and transit, the only skier in the competition tonight to go for

the front flip. The speed is not bad, actually. Just over 30 seconds

so she is not far away from the pace time of 30.12. Let's see what the

judges make of this, both of the aerials were good. That is the first

backflip with an iron Cross. The turns were pretty solid. This got to

be is 21.82. -- the score to beat is. A tough manoeuvre to pull off at

full speed down a moguls course, the front flip, and any sort of course

actually. Kazakhstan coaches and the connections enjoyed that.

How close will then three macro go, close enough for second at the

moment, 21.26 which means she will definitely appear in the next stage

of the final when the top 12 go again.

This is Perrine Laffont, just 15 years of age. The French teenager,

on her way. She slightly over rotated there but

it did not seem to matter because she was able to point their skis

straight towards the first mogul in the middle section of the course.

Nice work here. Nice and loose with the lower body. The upper body is

nice and straight, shoulders and head pointing right down the

mountain, backflip in the second jump a bit scruffy, she is home and

dry. The 15-year-old Perrine Laffont from France is skiing well, I don't

think it will tackle the top 12 scores which are led at the moment I

Sudova and then next is Yulia Galysheva and third is Regina

Rakhimova. Another performance worthy of a score of plus 20, which

way will it go? Slightly over rotated on the first landing and

this was a scruffy-looking second jump for Perrine Laffont. 15 years

old, my word, what a skier she is and what a prospect for the once

mighty French freestyle team. She is there any representative here this

evening. And it is time for Perrine Laffont. With just four to go, four

good ones as well, she is unlikely to be in the next phase of the final

with only the top 12 progressing. And now it is the turn of Eliza

Outtrim. She is ready to progress. She is

from Colorado. Fast and furious at the top, the

first nine turns dealt with in a matter of seconds. Solid white on

the first jump, landed it beautifully. Wonderful skiing here.

She is going about her work in a really relaxed frame of mind here.

Eliza Outtrim from the United States of America, they have got the

defending Olympic champion, Hannah Kearney, to come. She has to land

the second jump, backflip, iron cross, beautiful execution,

wonderful run from Eliza Outtrim. That will push for a top three

position. She barely had a breath and made it

look very straightforward. Floated the 360 around. Beta for landing,

set up the pole plant -- beautiful landing. Going through the rot

between them, in the moguls, absorbing all the impacts

beautifully all the way down. Head and shoulders down the line, that

must be a top three for Eliza Outtrim. A nervous wait for her...

She has got second at the moment and goes through to the second phase of

the final, her medal hopes are still alive. Three to go, the remaining

Dufour-Lapointes and then Hannah Kearney. Justine Dufour-Lapointe

getting ready to go at the top. The youngest of the three at 19 years

old. She is ready to go. Her sister

Maxine is guaranteed a place in the next phase. Justin hit the first

kicker, lands the 360 and then skips through the turns and now she is

skiing correctly, down the centre line, nice and relaxed, explosive

technique from Justine Dufour-Lapointe. Her sister Chloe

will be next and then the defending champion, Hannah Kearney. Justin is

a bit scruffy coming towards the final kicker but straight in her

body beautifully during the second jump and the backflip landed, skis

away in good shape and I would suggest that is enough to take the

second of the three sisters through to the second round of the final.

Nervous moments for all the Canadian team. Sudova leads but Eliza Outtrim

is second, and the Kazakhstan skier is third, Yulia Galysheva. Not the

best run we have ever seen their but it will surely be enough to see her

through to the next phase. Beautiful second jump and straight and true

all the way through, perfect rotation round. Just one of the

sisters to come as Justine goes third for the moment, Sudova leads,

with Eliza Outtrim second, and two to go in round one of the final and

the last of the sisters, can they make it three out of 12 in the next

round? Chloe, the middle sister, is ready to go.

22 years of age, and aggressive start.

She goes through the rhythm of the middle section without any mistake

so far, knees and skis locked together, it is beautiful skiing

from Chloe Dufour-Lapointe. Round she goes with the final jump, home

and dry and that is fast, we will see all three of the Canadian

sisters in the next stage and they will be joined by their team-mate,

as well. The skier in 12 at the moment is the 15-year-old, Perrine

Laffont, if Hannah Kearney does what she can do, she will push them two

at two of the final. -- she will push Perrine Laffont out of the

final. Wet for the score for Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, it has to be good

enough for a top five again. Her sister Justine has scored 21.54. Can

Chloe improve? The second jump backflip with an iron cross and a

sweet landing as well. Third for Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, the sisters

holding third, fourth and 10th, they will all be in round two. One more

to come, the Olympic champion from 2010, no skier has ever successfully

defended their Olympic moguls title, male or female. Hannah Kearney

aiding to become the first to achieve back-to-back Olympic

titles, she won in Vancouver in 2010.

Let's see if it goes according to plan, so far so good for Hannah

Kearney. Not too clever on the landing on the first jump and she

was a passenger for a couple of seconds there but now she is back in

control, not the best we have ever seen from Kearney, she will be

marked down for an errant landing but the little turns are solid.

A threesome and 60 with iron cross on the second jump -- a 360. I don't

think that will be enough to overtake Sudova unless they go on

the protection. The coach looks a bit nonplussed. She will surely make

the best 12 and progress through to the next round but the landing here

was a little shaky. Just got left behind for three terms, four or five

or six even before she was back over her skis and doing the right thing.

The second jump, she went for the grab, the hands going down to the

ski. A touch rather than a grab of the right ski for Hannah Kearney.

360 iron cross grab, , and incomplete grab. She has probably

done enough. The middle section is the part where she needs to work,

that was the discussion with the coach but she is in the next phase,

she skis into seventh position with a score of 20.95. So we know who the

top 12 R. And they include all three of the Dufour-Lapointe sisters based

in Montreal in Canada. A good start to the final, Sudova leads the way,

qualifying along with Liz Outram. -- Eliza Outtrim. These scores are

scrubbed and they start afresh in the second phase. These ten plus two

more, Maxine Dufour-Lapointe and Deborah Scanzio are through, several

will play no further part. It is all set up for an exciting second phase.

Many thanks to Matt Chilton and would be back shortly for the second

part of the moguls final but if you want to watch live figure skating,

press the red button, it is the pairs free routine with Sue Barker

and Robin Cousins giving new commentary on that and that they

get, highlights from the first day in Today at the Games here at seven

o'clock and in that programme we will see the women's moguls gold

medal decided but let's head out there and talk to two men who know

exactly what it is like to perform and in Graham Bell's case, to ski

fast and under pressure and in deadly's case to perform tricks and

all sorts on his snowboard -- in Edgeley's case. This combines both

of those, in the moguls, doesn't it? Yes, the transition ground where you

have much more in the freestyle and Alpine racing because you have got

elements of speed and carving. My brother is a coach and he uses mogul

skiing to test Alpine skiers, he sets them all off and the quickest

ones down the mogul field, kids aged between 8-12 but they go into the

top group. You get a real sense from the side camera in particular how

fast they are going down and I watch it, to be able to ski like that

would be an amazing thing. Talk to me about the my macro sisters. You

competed for a long time on the competition -- about the

Dufour-Lapointe sisters. How helpful as it to be a family together on the

tour? It is definitely useful to have a sibling with you but it is

not like the Alpine triathlon in the Lee McCulloch the Brownlee brothers.

With mogul skiing, the same with Alpine skiing, it is a confidence

thing. If you're sibling does well and you are still stood at the top,

you are thinking, "if they can do it, I can as well" and it is a

confidence thing. And if you get that spiral of confidence, it lifts

you up. Ed, we are seeing good mogul skiing from Kazakhstan, USA, Canada.

What hope is there fraud were to skiers -- what hope is there for

reddish skiers? -- British skiers. You have to go where the snow is,

you cannot learn in doors. Exactly. Jamie was already a visible talent

by the age of 11. We don't have domestic facilities where people can

forge early mogul skills and then move away so they have to move away

early. Ironically, there is one skier, Ben Cavett, Sussex born who

is now 20 and in 2011, he was second in the junior world champions and he

is here in Sochi but he will ski for France, because he took on French

nationality in 2012 and UK sport refused to fund him so we have got a

mogul talent but he is not going to ski for the UK will stop --. Having

watched them all go through and you know that the scores are wiped out

in the second round they start again, what do you see that

impressed you? What's did not impress me was Hannah Kearney's run,

she looked really nervous, she has been much better than that but this

is like a clean slate in the second round, the 12 that come through and

go on to the next round, Kearney made a lot of mistakes. Just after

the landing of the first kicker, she was out of control for about four

bumps and then in the back-seat so sitting on the turns. They account

for 50% of this and they say in mogul skiing, you jump for show but

you turn for though, I borrowed it from golf and it is about carving it

down the runs and having good ski comptroller and having good carving

skills. What is the snow like? Is it a

mixture of real and artificial? It is all artificial, but they break

up the landing after the kickers, so you need something to absorb the

landing. We called them to death cookies, it is actually solid ice.

That puts even more pressure on the knees are. Here we go with his

second run. It has not gone completely according

to plan. She made a mess of the landing on the first kicker. She

seems to have got control. She is across the line with a fast

time. It was probably that fast because, shortly after the first

kicker, she spent a good deal of time out of control, trying to catch

up her skis on the bottom part of the course. She said, I do not think

it is as good as the first run. The first kicker, straight back

somersault. Got tipped over the tales of her ski slightly, she was

fighting for control for a few seconds.

Second kicker pretty solid. Off axis backflip, and back into the groove.

The top 12 going now. Only the six will go further. The six best will

battle for medals. I am not sure if the Italian will be one of them. She

might just hold on, but it is the first of the sisters now, the

oldest, Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, the first to tackle round two of the

final. On her way, Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, the oldest and

tallest of the three. This is a good start. Straight back into the

rhythm, nice work. The best skiing we have seen so far from her, she is

getting better and better with every run. She is ripping it up through

the middle part of the course. She has not put a foot wrong so far, she

has to nail the final kicker. She is a passenger, she has got it back

under control. It is a good time. Just one mistake. One obvious

mistake. The judges will have spotted it. Immediately prior to the

second kicker. Top six required, she is going to be in the top half will

stop --. Leading with her left hand, and spinning clockwise. These were

good turns from Maxime Dufour-Lapointe. Lost control just

to before the second kicker, but bravely took it on. When for the

backflip. Good presence of mind to be able to pull the trick. Not

entering the jump in full control. But it was an obvious mistake, and

it will be scored down by the judges. They have been quite brutal.

That could be the end of the road for the oldest of the three sisters.

She is in trouble of that second kicker. Another Canadian, Audrey

Robichaud. She gets the call, she is on her

way, she skied beautifully on her first run. Second round of the

final. First kicker, 360, lands smartly. If you flex of powder into

her face. The knees go up to her chest, locked together, beautiful

skiing. A wonderful rhythm. This is great to watch. If she holds this

second job, this will surely be enough for the lead. The landing is

good, it is not the quickest, it was not in the first round either. She

apologises to the cameramen for a shower of snow, that is what will

happen if they position themselves their! The school to beat is the

Italian, 20.07. I think Audrey Robichaud has done enough to go

close, she will be second at least. She will be ahead her compatriot

Maxime Dufour-Lapointe. Good turns in the middle. Nice and relaxed,

flowing from turn to turn. Great skills. Look at the height on the

second jump with the iron Cross back scratcher silhouetted against the

night sky. Lots to enjoy from Audrey Robichaud from Canada. That should

be enough for the lead. It is. She raises the bar. 12 involved in the

second round, only six will go for medals. Three of them will be

disappointed. Aiko Uemura now, she has been seventh, sixth, fifth and

fourth in her previous Winter Olympics. 34 years of age. Well done

so far. Some of these turns a bit wide, now she is starting to attack

and let them run. She is in full control all the way down. Her knees

absorbing, her arms moving quickly. Slightly toppled over details of her

skis on landing, but that was fast. Just nine hundredths of a second

outside of pace time. With one Olympic title to celebrate, Japan,

in 1998, Aiko Uemura keeps herself in the hunt for the medals here. It

was not without mistakes. A bit of giant slalom here. Not quite giant

slalom, but wide turns. The school to beat, 20.35, Audrey Robichaud.

The second job was high and controlled. A perfect landing. That

should be good enough for first or second. It is first, new leader.

Aiko Uemura hoping to finish in the top six.

The Australian bid next ago. Three Australians started the final, Cox

the only one to survive to round two. Here she goes. Looking for a

place in the top six and the chance to ski for an Olympic hurdle. Nice

work. Real flair and creativity. Back and head and shoulders solid

and stable, hand moving from Baumber to bump. Good skiing, growing in

confidence, and that was a beautiful backflip. The speed is good as well.

The Australian supporters are happy with what they have seen so far. She

lives in Victoria. Up in the mountains. She did not have a great

season in terms of snow in 2013. But enough for the moguls skier is to

get plenty of training. Now, she is chasing the current leading school,

which belongs to the Japanese, 21.15. She might have done enough to

come close to taking the lead. 21.15, the school to beat. It might

give her a chance of a medal. She is leading. Well done. So, five have

been, there are seven to go. Only six will booth into the final phase

of the contest, and the chance to go for medals. Hannah Kearney is the

next ago, the defending champion. Very poor first final run from

Hannah Kearney. Room for improvement. We expect to see some

here. A nice start, beautiful backflip. A little trouble post

landing of the first kicker. She is fighting for control, she is back

over them now, she has two make the second kicker count. The turns to

beat, 21.59. 360, with a grab. Better, but not her best.

Absolutely, better than her run of ten minutes ago. She has not had

long to recover between the two descents of the course, but it is a

step in the right direction for Hannah Kearney. This was the first

jump. Straightening her arms above her head, then out to the side, then

by her side, the skis were crossed for a couple of seconds post first

kicker. Hannah Kearney needs a place in the top six. Did she get the

grab? Just about. 360 cross grab. The best we have seen on the second

kicker for Hannah Kearney. It was not perfect. It is good enough for

first. She is back in it. Hannah Kearney in first position. Six to

go. Nobody get guaranteed a place in the final phase. The Russian on her

way. Quite a stiff looking start, did not look particularly relaxed.

She has to start to make them work here. It is improving all the time.

The noise level is rising at the foot of the hill. Backflip produced.

A slight wobble on landing, but it is OK. Top three, I would suggest.

A shaky start. She did not relax immediately. She landed OK. These

turns were tight at times. The second jump was well executed.

Straight body. Certainly a score in the 20s. Top three, possibly. She is

forth at the moment. She just loses her smile, there is a nervous wait

to see if she returns as part of the final six.

Next, Yulia Galysheva from Kazakhstan. The world number six on

her way. Nine turns and then the first kicker. She threw that around

fast. This is where her best work is generally done, the middle part of

the course. Her knees are pumping like pistons. She is really letting

it all hang out tonight. Will this be her last run or will she have one

more clack at a medal? She lands sweetly, beautifully done on the

second kicker. The front flip her trademark, the only one of the

finalists to try that move. The Kazakhstan supporters enjoying what

they are seeing. A backflip, a Cross of iron on the first, and a couple

of seconds of incomplete control. But she was back to business by the

time she hit the second kicker. She floated the front flip around. She

deserves a score of 21 plus. Will it be enough to go ahead of Hannah

Kearney? No. It is getting tight up there. There are still some talented

skiers to come, we have got four more to come. She could be bumped

out of the top six by the time the second round of the final is

complete. The second of the sisters, it is just deemed to fall point's

turn. Her sister already out of the third phase of the final. Justine is

on her way. A 360, white back into the rhythm, wasted no time in

settling down. A little flick of the wrist to make the pole plant. Good

control. Just Dufour-Lapointe, her sister Chloe is still to come. The

beautiful second jump, not too many terms at the second kicker, but she

enjoyed it. The cut-off score is 20.35. Audrey Robichaud is in sixth

place, with 20.35. That is the cut-off point at this stage. The

first kicker, a nice 360 from Justine Dufour-Lapointe. Maximum ski

is no contact, carving her way down. Steady and still, with her upper

body, shoulders and head. Mogul skiers have a light hold on their

ski poles. They do not equip them to firmly. That was a great second

jump, practised in the gymnasium, on the Champa Lanes -- on the

trampolines. Second place, she goes through to the next phase. Her

sister Chloe is the next ago. Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, one of the last

three to go in the second phase of the final, when 12 will become sex.

-- six. 360, just like her sisters. Explosive skiing again. Nothing left

behind here. She is laying it all down. Beautiful skiing, good speed

as well, it has got to be a backflip. She lands solidly, one of

the best of the night so far. Chloe Dufour-Lapointe. The middle sister,

22 years of age. We are definitely not having all three of them in the

third round of the final, the oldest sister has missed out, but just been

is already there. She looks set to be joined by Chloe Dufour-Lapointe,

she has had a really good second round run. Wonderful in the middle

part of the course. Just a little twitch with the right ski. The

ecologic is well have spotted it. But it is good enough for a top

three position. A big smile. She is second at the moment, she will

continue on to the medal round. Hannah Kearney lead.

Eliza Outtrim is the next ago. The cut-off point now, a score of 21.12.

Yulia Galysheva is currently in sixth place.

She is tearing through, leaving nothing behind. From Colorado, a

hotbed of freestyle skiing, freestyle snowboarding. Very similar

to the one we just saw from Chloe Dufour-Lapointe. Deserving of a

similar score. Will that put her in the final?

I think it will. Pretty good from top to bottom. The top six at the

moment are Hannah Kearney, the two Dufour-Lapointes, Cox, Yulia

Galysheva and Aiko Uemura, I think we might lose Yulia Galysheva.

Good jumps, wonderful turns. And they are really tightly bunched at

the top now, 21.93, the top score, down to Yulia Galysheva's 21.12.

21.50 fifth for Eliza Outtrim. She has got fifth. And with just one to

come, she is in the final phase. So the last skier to go is Nikola

Sudova, incredibly impressive in the first round of the final. So

relaxed. A joy to see her cruise through the bumps, Sudova is ready

to go again. 31 years old from the Czech Republic, she is away and

skiing beautifully. Her trademark jump on the first

jump, the crowd and the judges like it and these terms are beautifully

executed so far. One little mistake, barely noticeable.

Sudova on a mission here, great skiing, the second kicker, going in

burden, backflip, not totally smooth but a great run. Sudova from the

Czech Republic in sixth at the moment, the Japanese skier Aiko

Uemura will be worried. Her score of 21.15 is the target now for Nikola

Sudova. That is that beautiful 360 when she seemingly stops halfway.

She pulls the spread Eagle, there was a mistake, just one, hardly

noticeable. The skis and knees were locked together, apart from that.

The second jump was a little scruffy and the standard of the second

kicker has been solid here. A bit ropey, this. The backflip and no

real terms afterwards but she skied well. Oh, my goodness, she is out,

Sudova goes no further. She has been treated very harshly there. Sudova

is eliminated, in the second phase. It is pretty cut-throat. She has

skied beautifully but when it matters most, she does not get a

chance to ski for the medals. So we know that the six going through will

be Hannah Kearney, the defending champion, Chloe Dufour-Lapointe,

Justin Dufour-Lapointe, Britteny Cox, Eliza Gudrun and Aiko Uemura

who will be breathing a massive sigh of relief, -- Eliza Outtrim. The

scores are now scrubbed, they go again starting from scratch. The six

going for three available medals. One round to come in the Olympic

women's mogul is final and these are the six who will play no further

part. between four coaches, we will show

you that live and I have moved around the park now, this is called

the Bolshoy and will be the venue for the eye socket as the Games

continue, one of the biggest sport in Russia and they are hoping that

they will win the gold medal although Canada will be trying to

prevent them and USA will have a chance. The highlights programme

every night on BBC Two will give you a chance to see the best of the live

action where that is continuing and catch up on everything that has

happened so far, that is what is coming your way in just about one

minute here on BBC Two, I will also be talking live to the two new stars

of the Winter Olympics as far as Great Britain are concerned, Jamie

Nicholls and Billy Morgan because they have set the social media world

alight with their performances this morning. Jamie Nicholls has been

getting marriage proposals, they are coming to the park to join me and we

will find a nice comfortable and slightly warmer place to store to 's

talk to them. For now, goodbye. The Six Nations

continues on Saturday with Ireland's massive

clash with holders Wales, followed by Scotland against

England in the Calcutta Cup. On Sunday, France

play host to Italy. The Six Nations - our fiercest

rivals are those who are closest.