[kompressaur]

If im correct the other thread is just about who's gonna win overal. If im incorrect then feel free to mention and...well theres plenty of room in this forum i reckon.

Although France were fully expected to be fighting it out at the top of the table during this season's Six Nations, Wales were not but it is Warren Gatland's men - along with Les Bleus - that top the table with two wins from two so far.

Gatland has already brought some pride back to the Welsh jersey in his short tenure as coach and he will now be looking to build on this as they go into another winnable game against Italy at the Millennium Stadium this Saturday.

Conversely, France face their biggest test so far when they entertain England at the Stade de France and although Brian Ashton's men have not exactly set the world alight in their previous two games in this competition, Les Bleus will remember the heartache of their World Cup semi-final loss and this could weigh on their minds.

The layers don't concern themselves with such sentimentality though and France will be the strong favourites for this clash on Saturday evening. Marc Lievremont's men are now around the 4/7 mark to win the Six Nations this year, just ahead of Wales, who are a best-priced 10/3 with William Hill.

England are next at 8/1 with Skybet, whilst Ireland are looking slightly overpriced at a general 14/1. How Scotland can be as short as 80/1 with William Hill is anyone's guess whilst Italy are the rags at 750/1. It very much looks as if it's France's tournament for the taking but they have thrown it away on a higher stage than this and the other teams will be ready to capitalise on this if the French capitulate.

WALES v ITALY (Saturday, 15.00)

The first game on 'Super Saturday' sees a resurgent Wales side take on Italy, who were valiant in defeat against England a fortnight ago. As with the game against Ireland, the media decided to focus on England's foibles rather than another impressive display from the Azzurri. Italy are not going to win many friends at the moment with the style of rugby they are playing, but it is effective and it will help the game grow in the country and help the national side get closer to the standard needed to win the Six Nations. Wales have rediscovered their discipline under Warren Gatland and he's made it clear that there will be no return to the player power that blighted Wales after their Grand Slam triumph a couple of years ago. This has been reflected in their performances so far and although they have played well so far, there is little room for complacency. If you were to be really harsh on Wales, you could shrug aside their two victories so far as they've only beaten an England side that threw it away at Twickenham and a Scotland side that will do well to not pick up the wooden spoon this time around. Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will start in the half-backs after Gatland made six changes to the side that beat Scotland. The Welsh coach has also named a whole new front row, with Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas and hooker Matthew Rees given their first starts of the tournament. The other change is on the wing where Mark Jones, who was dropped following the win over England at Twickenham, returns in place of weekend debutant Jamie Roberts. Italy coach Nick Mallett has been forced to make several changes to his team and has brought in Andrea Marcato in place of David Bortolussi, who is struggling with a shoulder injury. The Italians will also have to overcome the loss of injured duo Pablo Canavosio and Kayne Robertson while Andrea Lo Cicero has dropped to the bench. Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami, who missed the opening two games with an eye injury, returns as a replacement. Simon Picone, who scored Italy's only try in the 23-19 loss to England in Rome last time out, has earned a place in the starting line-up ahead of Pietro Travagli. This is a game that Wales should win - if they consider themselves serious challengers to France in this tournament - but yet again Italy should make things difficult for them. We should see a different Welsh performance to that of last year, where they lost in Rome but they may not have it all their own way at the Millennium Stadium. Still, like England a fortnight ago, they should do enough to win and keep the pressure on France at the top of the table.

Verdict: Wales by twelve.

IRELAND v SCOTLAND (Saturday, 17.00)

This is a big game for both sides this weekend and will shape how the rest of the tournament develops for both. Ireland finally found their feet against France last weekend in the second half and although it was ultimately too late to win the game, they did give the tournament favourites a shock and will surely take heart from this. Scotland didn't play as badly as the scoreline may have suggested against Wales a fortnight ago as a fortuitous (for Wales at least!) Shane Williams try put them ahead after the scoreline had been tight for the majority of the game. However, both sides lost and both need a win here to keep their Six Nations campaign alive. Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan has recalled Tommy Bowe and included Paul O'Connell on the bench for Saturday's match. Bowe has been rewarded for his sparkling form for Ulster by replacing Geordan Murphy on the right wing. Mick O'Driscoll is also promoted to the starting line-up where he will start alongside Donncha O'Callaghan. Munster lock O'Driscoll replaces the axed Malcolm O'Kelly in the only other change to the starting line-up from the narrow defeat in Paris. Scotland coach Frank Hadden has named Mike Blair as skipper for this weekend's match after captain Jason White was ruled out of the game with a head injury. Scott MacLeod and Alasdair Strokosch are therefore introduced to the pack, with Rory Lamont and Simon Webster returning from injury in the backs. Jim Hamilton, Dan Parks and Nick De Luca all revert to the bench. One other positional switch sees Chris Paterson move from wing to stand-off but Scotland's back row is still to be finalised. This is a big game and one which the layers may have afforded too much respect to Ireland. The bookies make them the twelve point favourites and whilst I'm not sure Scotland are much cop this year, Ireland have not really done anything to prove they are so far ahead of the Scots and a shrewd move could be to get with Hadden's men, who would have easily covered the handicap against Wales had the whole refereeing set-up got their act together in regards to Shane Williams' try. Ireland should eventually come out on top of this one, but the boot of Paterson especially should make things tough for them.

Verdict: Ireland by eight.

FRANCE v ENGLAND (Saturday, 20.00)

'Le crunch' - as it's invariably called - takes place at the Stade de France on Saturday evening and France have some unfinished business to attend to having been beaten by England in the semi-finals of the World Cup. England seem to have gone backwards since that match whilst France's new regime - under General Lievremont - has seen them go from strength to strength and their new coach's faith in his young guns has paid off so far. Romain Millo-Chluski has been ruled out after sustaining an Achilles tendon injury. The Toulouse lock will be replaced in the starting line-up by Pascal Pape, who is promoted from the bench. Biarritz second-row forward Jerome Thion has been called up by Les Bleus as a replacement for Millo-Chluski and will be among the substitutes this weekend. Meanwhile, scrum-half Morgan Parra will make his first start for France in Saturday's match The Bourgoin number nine has been a substitute in Les Bleus' opening two tournament wins over Scotland and Ireland, but is promoted off the bench following the injury to Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. Parra will partner Montpellier fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who comes in for David Skrela in the only other change in the backs. England coach Brian Ashton has not resulted to radical changes to his side following the abject display against Italy in Rome. Sale Sharks scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth will make a first England start, after being handed a debut off the bench in Rome. Wigglesworth replaces 2003 World Cup-winner Andy Gomarsall with uncapped London Irish prospect Paul Hodgson providing bench cover. It means no place in the 22 for Gomarsall, who missed Harlequins' Guinness Premiership clash against Worcester last weekend after suffering a back spasm. The two other changes are up front, where Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery return to bolster the pack. This is the sort of game that France should win and I wouldn't be overly worried about their loss to England in the World Cup. That game had much more at stake and although the French temperament is never bombproof, it would be disappointing if France couldn't get anything out of this game. England are totally rudderless at the moment and Vickery with the captain's armband doesn't seem to be working. I wouldn't put it past them to fall to bits again in the second half and the likes of Vincent Clerc will tear them to pieces if they replicate the disaster of Twickenham and Rome. England do possess the talent though, so they shouldn't be totally dismissed, but until they show a greater sign of unity, they can't be backed.

Verdict: France by seven

http://www.bettingzone.co.uk/rugby/