Rugby's Six Nations kicks off

Rugby union takes centre stage this weekend, with the first round of fixtures of this year's Six Nations tournament.

Rugby fans will be following the competition even more closely than usual this year, looking for pointers on the national teams' form ahead of the World Cup in France this autumn.

The tournament is all set for an exhilarating start as the Home Nations are drawn together for the first round.

Both Wales and England start their campaigns with home ties, taking on Ireland and Scotland respectively.

Saturday's hot match at Twickenham will be England's first under new head coach Brian Ashton. England also have a new captain in the hefty form of prop Phil Vickery. The experienced forward has done well for club side Wasps, but an ankle injury may limit his impact for England.

Ashton's first England squad is packed with youth and experience, with Johnny Wilkinson in particular working hard to get match-fit following injury. At this stage, he's yet to return for his club, but the prospect of Wilko back in the saddle is a thought to gladden the heart of every English rugby lover. Tune in to BBC1 from 3.20pm.

For Wales, the focus is also on development. The Grand Slam winners of 2005 had a tournament to forget in 2006, although the spirited 29-29 draw against the Australians in the autumn was pleasing.

On the face of it, Wales will have it all to do against the Irish, who impressed with a clean sweep of wins in their autumn matches. That said, it's the first run-out this year for both sides, so there's all to play for. Sunday's match is on BBC1 from 2.30pm.

l In the Premiership, the pick of the fixtures is the Merseyside derby on Saturday. See "Match of the Week" panel. There are also internationals on Tuesday and Wednesday when Northern Ireland play Wales and England play Spain. See the listings below for channels and kick-off times.