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Tindall: Six Nations wide open
23/01/2008 12:53 - (SA)
London - England centre Mike Tindall believes this year's Six Nations could be one of the most open in recent years because several countries will have points to prove.
Three of the six countries have new coaches with Warren Gatland, Nick Mallett and Marc Lievremont taking over in Wales, Italy and France respectively.
Neither the Welsh nor the Irish made the knockout stages of the World Cup and the Ireland camp was surrounded by rumours of discontent amongst the players.
And Tindall, out of international rugby for nearly a year after breaking his leg in April, says the competition is hard to predict.
Tindall, 29, said: "It is going to be one of the most open Six Nations ever. There are three new coaches and there are people who have not performed at the World Cup and there will be a lot of little battles going on.
"When we play France we will going back to Paris where we beat them in the semi-finals and any team that hits the ground running can go through and take it."
Tindall missed the entire World Cup campaign after breaking his leg in a Gloucester match against Newcastle and although he returned to action in late September was never in the running for a spot in the squad.
I was lucky
He added: "Brian Ashton gave me every opportunity and I really wanted to go but the time scale was such that it was always going to be difficult.
"It was not that difficult a call for Brian to make, he couldn't afford that risk especially with how England were playing at the time. It would have been the Samoan game or the South African game before I was ready and you can't go into a South African game like that.
"I was lucky my season started at the same time as the World Cup - it was not like I was sitting there doing nothing. I was still training but it was in the back of my mind a bit and when they got to the semi-finals and the final I wished I could have been out there.
"But with my leg I could not have done anything to have changed it so there was no point in getting too down - it was a fact of life and I was never going to be fit. I just got behind the team."
Tindall is tipped to be named at outside centre when coach Ashton names his team for the Six Nations opener against Wales on 2 February.
'I am motivated'
And he admits the thought of playing with youngsters such as Danny Cipriani excites him.
"If you look at what he brings to Wasps," Tindall said of the young flyhalf, "if he brings that to the international stage it will be outstanding for England. I am motivated by how much the youngsters want to play."
Meanwhile scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth admitted he was disappointed when his club Sale signed current Welsh number nine Dwayne Peel on a contract that starts next season.
Wigglesworth, who could claim a place on the bench if Peter Richards does not recover from a biceps tendon injury, said: "I am not going to say I was delighted but I am going to make him work for every minute he has in the Sale side. It is sure to be a big battle and hopefully it will make me a better player.
"I have never had it easy. I have always had to work to play and have played with some great players. Dwayne is a British Lion and has 59 caps but I will still back myself."
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