Although lovers of pure attacking play may still pledge allegiance to the Southern Hemisphere, the Six Nations has become arguably the most engrossing rugby tournament in the world and this year's edition looks set to be the strongest yet.
Ireland are seeking to successfully defend a third crown in five years after sealing a coveted Grand Slam at Twickenham in 2018, while England will hope to return to top billing after a dismal fifth-place finish last time out and Wales appear to be relishing their status as underdogs riding a formidable winning streak.
The perenially unpredictable French, meanwhile, could pose a real threat if they can find the right squad blend and much-improved Scotland's confidence has been further boosted by the impressive form of their domestic teams in both the Pro14 and Europe.
Conor O'Shea's Italy will simply be desperate to avoid the wooden spoon and finally end a dismal sequence of 17 consecutive Six Nations defeats.
The looming presence of a World Cup - which begins in Japan in September - makes things all the more intriguing, regardless of how often each coach insists they are focusing solely on the task at hand.
Keep up to date with all the Six Nations fixtures, latest results and standings with Standard Sport...
Six Nations table
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | PF | PA | PD | Bonus | PTS |
| 1 | Wales | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 34 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 20 | 12 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Scotland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 42 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 45 | -3 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | France | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Italy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 59 | -24 | 0 | 0 |
Fixtures and results
Matchday one
| France 19-24 Wales | Stade de France | Friday 1 February | 8:00pm GMT |
| Scotland 33-20 Italy | Murrayfield | Saturday 2 February | 2:15pm GMT |
| Ireland 20-32 England | Aviva Stadium | Saturday 2 February | 4:45pm GMT |
Matchday two
| Scotland 13-22 Ireland | Murrayfield | Saturday 9 February | 2:15pm GMT |
| Italy 15-26 Wales | Stadio Olimpico | Saturday 9 February | 4:45pm GMT |
| England v France | Twickenham | Sunday 10 February | 3:00pm GMT |
Matchday three
| France v Scotland | Stade de France | Saturday 23 February | 2:15pm GMT |
| Wales v England | Millennium Stadium | Saturday 23 February | 4:45pm GMT |
| Italy v Ireland | Stadio Olimpico | Sunday 24 February | 3:00pm GMT |
Matchday four
| Scotland v Wales | Murrayfield | Saturday 9 March | 2:15pm GMT |
| England v Italy | Twickenham | Saturday 9 March | 4:45pm GMT |
| Ireland v France | Aviva Stadium | Sunday 10 March | 3:00pm GMT |
Matchday five
| Italy vs France | Stadio Olimpico | Saturday 16 March | 12:30pm GMT |
| Wales v Ireland | Millennium Stadium | Saturday 16 March | 2:45pm GMT |
| England v Scotland | Twickenham | Saturday 16 March | 17:00pm GMT |
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