Startul in editia 2015 a Six Nations se apropie cu pasi grabiti, ceva mai mult de doua saptamani ramanand pana la prima partida dintre Tara Galilor si Anglia, programata pe 6 februarie la Cardiff.
Astfel, dupa Franta si Italia, alte trei natiuni participante, Anglia, Scotia, respectiv Tara Galilor, au anuntat lista jucatorilor care vor incepe pregatirea pentru cea mai importanta competitie din emisfera de nord, ajunsa la cea de-a 121-a editie.
Anglia se confrunta cu o multime de accidentari, astfel ca tehnicianul Stuart Lancaster nu va putea conta pe aportul jucatorilor Ben Morgan, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, Ben Foden si Manu Tuilagi. Asa s-a ajuns ca dupa o absenta de patru ani, Nick Easter sa revina in lotul trandafirilor gratie evolutiilor bune in tricoul lui Harlequins.
Dupa ce anul trecut a participat la turneul efectuat de Anglia in Noua Zeelanda, unde a si evoluat in doua partide, Danny Cipriani va fi una dintre optiunile pentru postul de uvertura, desi concurenta pentru tricoul cu numarul zece va fi acerba, rivali fiind George Ford, Owen Farrell si Stephen Myler.
Prima adversara a englezilor va fi Tara Galilor, care anul trecut a ocupat pozitia a treia chiar in spatele trandafirilor. Pentru acest an Warren Gatland propune in linii mari aceeasi garnitura cu jucatori experimentati, alaturi de patru nume noi.
Rob Evans, Kristian Dacey, Tyler Morgan si recent transferatul la Cardiff Blues, Gareth Anscombe, nascut in Noua Zeelanda dar avand origini galeze, ceea ce-l face pe fostul jucator din Super Rugby eligibil pentru nationala penelor de strut, vor fi cei in fata carora se va deschide oportunitatea primei selectii chiar intr-o partida de Six Nations.
Tot patru noutati propune si Vern Cotter, antrenorul Scotiei, astfel ca Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Ben Toolis, Hugh Blake si Hamish Watson vor face parte din lotul ciulinilor, toti fiind componenti ai francizei Edinburgh din Pro 12.
Anul trecut Scotia a reusit sa evite lingura de lemn prin victoria de la Roma in fata Italiei, in editia care incepe dupa un debut infernal la Paris cu Franta urmand doua dispute pe Murrayfiled in compania Tarii Galilor si a Italiei.
Lotul Angliei:
Pilieri: Joe Marler (Harlequins), David Wilson (Bath), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Dan Cole (Leicester), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton)
Taloneri: Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Tom Youngs (Leicester)
Linia a doua: Dave Attwood (Bath), Graham Kitchener (Leicester), George Kruis (Saracens)
Flankeri: Geoff Parling (Leicester), Calum Clark (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Tom Wood (Northampton)
Numarul 8: Nick Easter, Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mijlocasi la gramada: Danny Care (Harlequins), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester)
Mijlocasi la deschidere: George Ford (Bath), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Stephen Myler (Northampton), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
Centri: Luther Burrell (Northampton), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Kyle Eastmond (Bath)
Aripi: Jonny May (Gloucester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Jack Nowell (Exeter),
Fundasi: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens)
Lotul Tarii Galilor:
Pilieri: Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Bath), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues),
Taloneri: Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester)
Linia a doua: Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro)
Flankeri: Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, Capt), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
Numarul 8: Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Mijlocasi la gramada: Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
Mijlocasi la deschidere: Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)
Centri: Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Aripi: Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints)
Fundasi: Liam Williams (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon)
Lotul Scotiei:
Pilieri: Geoff Cross (London Irish), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh ), Euan Murray (Glasgow), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Glasgow)
Taloneri: Fraser Brown (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
Linia a doua: Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh)
Flankeri: Hugh Blake (Edinburgh ), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Rob Harley (Glasgow), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh),
Numarul 8: David Denton (Edinburgh)
Mijlocasi la gramada: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow)
Mijlocasi la deschidere: Finn Russell (Glasgow), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh)
Centri: Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar, (Glasgow), Peter Horne (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh)
Aripi: Dougie Fife (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Glasgow), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Tim Visser (Edinburgh)
Fundas: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow)
