So, Rob Howley has named his Wales squad for the Six Nations. There is a new captain, a new attack coach, and seven uncapped players. Freshness and optimism are like scented rose petals in the Welsh air. Oh, hang on . . . here’s Robin Davey . . .  

 

The Wales squad for the Six Nations has been announced, that’s the easy bit done. Now comes the hard part – the actual tournament, and it has to be said the outcome looks bleak.

From Wales’ tricky looking opening instalment in Italy to the finale against France in Paris the omens don’t appear particularly good.

In fact, based on form during the autumn series in particular Wales could well struggle to end up any higher than fifth, a result which would be totally unacceptable of course.

That would be a bitter pill to swallow after years of success, real and comparative, and certainly nothing as low as fifth in the table.

Italian clubs Treviso and Zebre may perpetually occupy the bottom two places in the Pro 12 table, but the national team under new chief Conor O’Shea will surely serve up something better on their home soil in Rome.

Given that Wales stuttered in the autumn series, playing with little confidence and seemingly unable to move up the gears in terms of producing an expansive game, Italy could well prove a right banana skin.

Whether Wales come unstuck or not, next up is England, who go in as Six Nations favourites following a fantastic year under new head man Eddie Jones, winning all 13 of their matches.

Jones’ declared intention is to win the 2019 World Cup, and he could hardly have made a better start towards achieving that goal.

Their Six Nations opener is against France at Twickenham and even though they are beset by injury problems such is their depth you’d have to back them to win that one, especially on their home turf.

That will send them into the Wales game full of confidence and in the knowledge that they won at the Principality Stadium on their last visit nearly two years ago.

A defeat for Wales in Rome or even a narrow win will make them pretty wary against England, even though we all hope they will somehow find the right balance between pragmatism and a new way after their failure to do so in the autumn.

Next up for Wales is a trip to Murrayfield against a rejuvenated Scotland team who showed real signs of progressing in the autumn series with some sparkling performances.

They boast talisman Stuart Hogg who has been in great form for Glasgow in Europe while up front Johnny Gray is in peak form and, like Hogg, in pole position for a place on the Lions tour to New Zealand.

The Scots have a difficult opener against Ireland followed by a Sunday visit to France, also mighty difficult, so Wales’ best hope is Scotland suffer a couple of defeats and go in low on confidence. But if results go the other way, Wales will encounter a Scottish team in full flow.

Wales then face another huge test against Ireland in Cardiff. It has to be said the Irish seem to enjoy their visits here, the team on the field and the fans off it, and we can expect another feisty encounter-there have been a few of those lately.

The Irish have recovered from the departure of household names Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell from the scene after their years of domination while Munster and Leinster have been firing on all cylinders in Europe and the Pro 12.

Boosted by their remarkable victory over the All Blacks in the unlikely setting of Chicago, Ireland will start the Six Nations alongside England as favourites.

A lot will depend on how the rivals have faced in their previous three games by the time they clash in Cardiff, but at this distance Ireland look the more likely winners.

Wales will bring the curtain down with a visit to Stade de France, a venue which has proved to their liking and where they have enjoyed considerable success in recent years.

You never know with France, of course, but following some lean years they are surely due to produce something better.

Nothing would please fans everywhere more than one of those super Saturdays as a finale, with Scotland taking on Italy, followed by the France-Wales clash and finally a potential championship decider between Ireland and England in Dublin.

Wales will in all probability be out of the title hunt by then. Hopefully that’s a wrong prediction and they will be right in the mix, but the evidence suggests otherwise.