The Six Nations is too much of a showpiece to let it be ruined and the title decided by red cards again

At this time of the year, with the Six Nations almost upon us, everyone likes to make predictions and wonder how well Wales will do.

For some sort of guidance, the obvious place to look is how our players are faring with the regions - and , unfortunately, not overly well is the answer to that.

Fortunately, from a Team Wales perspective, various national coaches from Mike Ruddock, through Warren Gatland and to Wayne Pivac last time out, have managed to take the same group of players and get a much better tune of them at Test level.

They may not set the world on fire with their regions, but with Wales we have had something of a golden period with Grand Slams and Six Nations titles.

Can we expect the same this time?

At some point the papering over the cracks has to run out and, if I'm honest, I see no higher than a fourth-placed finish for the defending champions.

Then again, a lot of us predicted a similar outcome a year ago when the regions were struggling once more - and look what happened then.

I was among the many doubters.

Yes Wales had a lot of good fortune, given we played against 14 men in the opening two games against Ireland and Scotland and indeed only just came through those victorious.

But, as the age old sporting saying goes, you can only beat what's in front of you. Wales kept their discipline, the Irish and Scots didn't, under the strict new directives brought in, and paid the price.

As it happens, the Wales victories aside I didn't particularly enjoy either of those matches. However, if I were an unbiased spectator, which is the case with the vast majority of the television audience worldwide, I would have been extremely disappointed to have been deprived of a genuine contest.

Fifteen against 14 so early