The Women's Six Nations is always a fiercely contested competition, but with Women's Rugby World Cup 2010 now less than 200 days away this year's tournament takes on extra significance for five of the teams.
Italy are the exception, having not qualified for the showpiece tournament in the Women's Game after losing to both Sweden and Spain in the European Women's Trophy last May, from which Scotland and the Swedes qualified for the World Cup.
For the other five countries, the preparation has been more extensive than going into a previous Six Nations with Wales, for example, having had a squad of 36 players training regularly since July as they look to build on a successful campaign in 2009.
The highlight of that campaign was undoubtedly a first ever victory over England thanks to Non Evans' injury-time penalty at Taffs Well, enabling them to secure a first ever Triple Crown en route to finishing second for the third time in four years.
READ NON EVANS' COLUMN AS SHE RECALLS THAT MOMENT AND LOOKS AHEAD TO THIS YEAR'S SIX NATIONS >>
England did bounce back from that Valentine's Day disappointment to pip Wales to the title with a superior point differential, securing a fourth successive Six Nations crown in the process and reaffirming their position as the leading European women's side.
The two rivals come face to face on Saturday in the opening round of matches in the 2010 competition, with England out to avenge that loss and Wales hoping to back up that historic win with another, the first one English soil to kick-start their campaign in style.
Wales coach Jason Lewis is quick to point out, though, that neither the players nor his coaching staff are getting carried away in the build up to Saturday evening's encounter at Esher RFC.
"Whilst we are conscious that we won the Triple Crown last year, as far as we are concerned the slate is clean," insisted Lewis. "We are starting again and it is about building performances as we have always done throughout the Six Nations and trying to perform to the best of our ability.
"We are certainly not resting on any successes from last season.
"A clean slate"
"I think as a side we have grown in confidence as a result of that game, I think that we are clearer in our beliefs of what we can achieve, but that said I don't think there is any complacency in the side with regards to the challenge ahead against England.
"All the players and ourselves acknowledge that they are a very, very good side and whatever happened last year happened last year and it is a clean slate."
England will go into the match as favourites, given their greater resources and renewed confidence after beating three-time world champions New Zealand for the first time since 2001 when the sides met at Twickenham in November.
The starting line-up to face Wales shows only two changes from that 10-3 victory to level the two-test series, Fiona Pocock replacing the injured Charlotte Barras with La Toya Mason coming in at scrum half after Amy Turner's withdrawal.
However, both coach Gary Street and captain Catherine Spencer are quick to point out the Six Nations is "a huge competition to us in its own right" and remains their primary focus, despite the World Cup looming fast on the horizon.
"2010 is a very special year for us with the World Cup only six months away, said captain Catherine Spencer. "I have no doubt that this Six Nations will be tougher and more competitive than ever. Following our defeat to Wales last year this first game will certainly have an extra edge to it.
LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW WITH CATHERINE SPENCER ON THIS WEEK'S TOTAL RUGBY RADIO SHOW >>
"Certainly our first aim is to perform as well as we possibly can in the Six Nations, but I know all the teams involved will be using this tournament to prove themselves as we get closer to the World Cup.
Street added: "We won't get distracted by the World Cup. Our priority at the moment is the Six Nations. We have got to get the job done against Wales first off and then we will take on the rest. Yes, this is important preparation for the World Cup, but our current aim is to play as well as we can in the Six Nations."
The Women's Six Nations kicks off on Friday night when Ireland face Italy at Ashbourne RFC with a squad featuring four new caps in hooker Chris Fanning, second row Mary Louise Reilly and wings Nora Stapleton and Alison Miller.
Ireland ran out comfortable 35-17 winners when the sides met in Colleferro during last year's Championship, but for new captain Fiona Coghlan the return match will be something of a step into the unknown.
"With Italy you don't know from one year to the other what their game plan will be because they're further away, without much press and without a lot of news about their club games. They are the unknown," explained the prop.
Emotional rollercoaster
"If you're going on past games, it's a nice one but last year they were beating us in the second half so we can't afford to write them off. We gave ourselves a scare in that game and they put it up to us so we can't afford to write them or any team off in this competition."
Ireland played a training match against Scotland before Christmas as part of their preparations and this weekend's match against France will provide another learning experience for new coach Gary Parker as he sees his new charges in the match environment.
"I will experience many emotions come Saturday's match, anticipation, apprehension and excitement, and it will be the same for the players," admitted Parker, who has been holding club sessions at Murrayfield on Tuesday evenings as he prepares for the Six Nations and Women's Rugby World Cup.
"However in a short space of time we have put a huge amount of effort into training and everyone has bought into the changes I have introduced to our style of play.
"There will be a lot of questions asked on Saturday and I am looking forward to seeing how the girls responds at the highest level."
France seek improvement
With the A sides of Scotland and France playing at Lasswade in a curtain raiser to the Six Nations tussle, Parker will have the opportunity to not only see his leading players in action, but also those hoping to force their way into his World Cup squad.
"It's important to let those privileged enough to be in the full international side know that there is competition from below … we are constantly striving to grow the game."
France, like England, have enjoyed the benefits of playing five matches at the Nations Cup in Canada last August and a two-test series with the Canadians in November, winning the last match 22-0 at the Stade de France to level the series.
They will be eager to improve on a disappointing 2009 Six Nations when they finished fourth, having suffered a first ever loss to Ireland on the opening weekend and then a crushing 52-7 defeat away to England in round four.
Women's Six Nations Week One squads
ENGLAND: 1. Claire Purdy 2. Amy Garnett 3. Sophie Hemming 4. Rebecca Essex 5. Joanna McGilchrist 6. Heather Fisher 7. Maggie Alphonsi 8. Catherine Spencer (Captain) 9. La Toya Mason 10. Katy McLean 11. Fiona Pocock 12. Rachael Burford 13. Emily Scarratt 14. Kat Merchant 15. Claire Allan.
Replacements: 16. Samantha Reeve 17. Rochelle Clark 18. Rowena Burnfield 19. Tamara Taylor 20. Georgina Rozario 21. Alice Richardson 22. Michaela Staniford.
WALES: 1. Catrin Edwards 2. Jenny Davies 3. Hannah Roberts 4. Gemma Hallett 5. Rachel Taylor 6. Catrina Nicholas 7. Jamie Kift 8. Mellissa Berry (Captain) 9. Amy Day 10. Awen Thomas 11. Caryl James 12. Clare Flowers 13. Ceri Redman 14. Aimee Young 15. Non Evans.
Replacements: 16. Clare Horgan 17. Becky Newton 18. Claire Donovan 19. Louise Horgan 20. Laura Prosser 21. Elinor Snowsill 22. Louise Rickard.
SCOTLAND: 1. Heather Lockhart 2. Sarah-Louise Walker 3. Beth Dickens 4. Lindsey Wheeler 5. Louise Moffat 6. Lynne Reid (Captain) 7. Donna Kennedy 8. Susie Brown 9. Louise Dalgliesh 10. Tanya Griffith 11. Veronica Fitzpatrick 12. Erin Kerr 13. Lucy Millard 14. Victoria Blakebrough 15. Celia Hawthorn.
Replacements: 16. Sarah Quick 17. Rosalind Murphy 18. Gillian McCord 19. Ruth Slaven 20. Sarah Gill 21. Lynsey Douglas 22. Cara D'Silva.
FRANCE: 1. Stéphanie Loyer 2. Laetitia Salles 3. Nadège Labbey 4. Clémence Audebert 5. Cyrielle Bouisset 6. Manon Andre 7. Marie Charlotte Hebel 8. Sandra Rabier (Captain) 9. Marie Alice Yahe 10. Bailon Aurélie 11. Anais Lagougine 12. Lucille Godiveau 13. Sandrine Agricole 14. Caroline Ladagnous 15. Elodie Poublan.
Replacements : 16. Cyndia Mansard 17. Céline Barthelemy 18. Hasna Rhamouni 19. Amandine Vaupre 20. Stéphanie Provost 21. Fanny Horta 22. Christelle Le Duff.
IRELAND: 1. Fiona Coghlan (captain) 2. Chris Fanning 3. Emer McManamly 4. Kate O'Loughlin 5. Marie Louise Reilly 6. Carol Staunton 7. Claire Molloy 8. Joy Neville 9. Tania Rosser 10. Joanne O'Sullivan 11. Alison Miller 12. Shannon Houston 13. Grace Davitt 14. Nora Stapleton 15. Niamh Briggs.
Replacements: 16. Gillian Bourke
17. Lauren Day 18. Caroline Mahon 19. Louise Austin 20. Louise Beamish 21. Helen Brosnan 22. Eliza Downey.
ITALY: 1. Lucia Gai 2. Michela Este 3. Elisa Cucchiella 4. Sara Pettinelli 5. Flavia Severin 6. Giuliana Campanella 7. Silvia Gaudino 8. Daniela Gini 9. Valentina Schiavon 10. Michela Tondinelli 11. Maria Diletta Veronese 12. Paola Zangirolami (Captain) 13. Maria Grazia Cioffi 14. Sara Barattin 15. Manuela Furlan.
Replacements:
16. Silvia Peron 17. Germana Raponi 18. Alice Trevisan 19. Cecilia Zublena 20. Elisa Rochas 21. Chiara Buongiorno 22. Valentina Virgili.
