Champions Wales enter Six Nations outsiders behind England, Ireland and France

This season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship – its 23rd instalment – has every ingredient to provide a mouth-watering feast of rugby.

And it says everything about what could lie ahead that defending champions Wales are only fourth favourites to repeat their 2021 heroics.

The form guide suggests a fierce three-way fight for silverware between England, Ireland and France as capacity crowds return following last year’s behind-closed-doors affair due to coronavirus restrictions.

And while Wales and Scotland are comfortably capable of featuring at the tournament’s business-end in March, it is hard to look beyond Eddie Jones, Andy Farrell or Faben Galthie masterminding a Six Nations title triumph.

England finished a wayward fifth last term, winning just two of their games as Scotland claimed a first victory at Twickenham since 1983 and Jones’ team shipped 40 points against Wales in Cardiff.

Injuries have sidelined key performers like captain Owen Farrell and potent try-scorer Jonny May, but considerable excitement surrounds an England side that claimed world champions South Africa’s scalp during the Autumn Nations Series earlier this season.

In 22-year-old Harlequins sensation Marcus Smith, England possess arguably their most gifted newcomer since World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson burst on to the international scene as a teenager more than 20 years ago.

Smith already has a Gallagher Premiership title and British and Irish Lions tour in his career portfolio, while he kicked the match-winning penalty that floored South Africa in just a fifth Test match appearance.

There is huge expectation on his shoulders for a relative rookie at the highest level, but the way in which he has accomplished every career challenge so far