Six Nations 2010: Frances Grand Slam charge can only be halted by massive upset

By Mick Cleary Published: 8:00AM GMT 02 March 2010

Back in the thick of it: Jonny Wilkinson (left) binds off Ireland forwards Paul O"Connell and Jamie Heaslip (right) at Twickenham Photo: REUTERS

1 Un Grand Chelem à la Française?

Well, it will take an dissapoint of substantial proportions for them not to be the grand champions. Two home games to come, opposite Italy, who have never knocked about them, and England, who used to do so continually eight times in period from 1989-95.

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It was usually twelve months ago that France came to Twickenham and were humiliated, trailing 34-0 after 42 mins and in the future losing 34-10.

What has Marc Lièvremont finished to spin around an bum vessel? There has been larger coherence in preference and a shift of captain from Lionel Nallet to the stylish, all-engaging flanker Thierry Dusautoir, whilst they right afar have a tip-top scrum and a change in between brain and brawn. A ninth Grand Slam, their fifth in thirteen years, awaits.

2 Jonny Wilkinson"s bleeding honour is far preferable to an harmed body.

No make a difference the vicious hang that Wilkinson is taking, he is in a far improved place than he has been for multiform years. This is one of his longest undeviating stretches of rugby given the 2003 World Cup.

Some of those who subject his form right afar have a rose-tinted perspective of Wilkinson from that era. He was a source of worthy coherence in the England side but usually irregularly completed mass in the demeanour that a Dan Carter has finished for New Zealand.

Wilkinson has flaws, as he will be the initial to discuss it you. Even his pile-driving counterclaim is not what it was. Yet he tops the list of championship scorers with 38 points. England have not corroborated Toby Flood to come off the dais in their past dual games. Wilkinson stays an critical object for England.

3 Centres have to be big Bastareauds.

France"s dreadlocked, one-time bad child creation great is the antecedent complicated centre: absolute as well as speedy.

With Mike Tindall usually not long ago behind in bar action, England miss such a participation in midfield. Wales have Jamie Roberts and Ireland have Brian O"Driscoll. England"s Mathew Tait knows that he has to levy himself more.

Mathieu Bastareaud still needs to show that he can be some-more than a battering ram. Mind you, his apt out-the-back pass to tee-up a try for Clment Poitrenaud opposite Ireland was grand stuff. If Bastareaud continues to rise he will be a fearsome specimen.

4 Ping-pong the finish is in sight.

Despite the impotence of England"s compare in Rome, it appears that the foolish end-to-end kicking diversion might be on the wane. The Super fourteen has slanted the tiller in the right direction, whilst the Six Nations is display the initial glimpses of a some-more refreshing approach.

High-risk Wales are in the vanguard, with their flog comparative measure the lowest of the 6 teams at 40 per cent. Italy are the arch culprits on 56 per cent, followed by Ireland (52), afterwards England (46). Ireland have done majority line-breaks (12), followed by England and France on 11.

5 The southern hemisphere will be hostile but not concerned.

Once again, the Six Nations has proven a drawcard. Measure the fast captivate not by the sold-out stadiums alone, but by the majority thousand of afar fans. Murrayfield was packaged with Frenchmen, the Millennium Stadium too. The backdrops have been vivid, the ambience rough and the on-field movement constrained in the majority opposite forms.

The Tri-Nations cannot contest on the blurb front. Small consternation they have to think aside to beget revenue. However, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa will not have trembled at the peculiarity of play. Only France, and maybe Ireland, see expected to contest for honours at the 2011 World Cup.

6 France browbeat group of the tournament.

The French lead the proceed with multiform of their players, such as Poitrenaud, at fullback, and centre Yannick Jauzion in their majority appropriate form for a great couple of years. Ireland wing Tommy Bowe is the majority clinical finisher in Europe, whilst Shane Williams"s heading jinking run to the try line opposite France was a thing of beauty.

MICK CLEARY"S SIX NATIONS XV:C Poitrenaud (France); T Bowe (Ireland), M Bastareaud (France), Y Jauzion (France), S Williams (Wales); J Sexton (Ireland), C Cusiter (Scotland); T Domingo (France), L Ghiraldini (Italy), D Cole (England), B Davies (Wales), P O"Connell (Ireland), T Dusautoir (France, Capt), J Barclay (Scotland), I Harinordoquy (France).