RUGBY/Six Nations: The sense of anticipation was acute at yesterday's Six Nations' launch, and so too the palpable feeling amongst everyone that, more than ever, Ireland are amongst the heavyweight contenders.

The intensive seven-week campaign kicks off the weekend after next, and this was only the phoney war, but for what it's worth Ireland seemed almost to be the talk of the town.

All the six coaches and captains attended the RBS-hosted launch at Church House Convention Centre, close to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

After recording four wins in three of the last four campaigns, and with a settled, experienced squad in comparatively rude health to anyone else, all of Eddie O'Sullivan's five counterparts were in agreement in placing Ireland alongside the traditional superpowers, France and England, as at least co-favourites.

John Kirwan, coach of Ireland's opening opponents Italy in Rome on February 6th, perhaps encapsulated it best when observing: "One of the nicest things about all the questions today is that we're talking about Ireland, so I think that the competition is in good shape. I think it's right you should be talking about Ireland as being competitive. It's nice that we are talking about three sides being competitive."

This acknowledgement of Ireland's standing in the European and global game comes with the rider there is also a sense of this might be a case of now or never, that some of this squad won't be around in, say, two years' time when Ireland have England and France at home again.

Typical of his high achieving, winning mentality, Brian O'Driscoll wasn't one for tugging the forelock. "I don't know if it's now or never but feeling as good as we do at the moment, why not now? Why bother waiting for another year, or why take the risk of waiting for another year and thinking 'maybe that's our better chance?' I think when you're feeling good and you're feeling confident within a side it's important to act on that.

"And I think that's exactly what we'll be doing. We're not going to sit back and think 'perhaps with another year's experience under our belt we might be a better side'. I think we've got to live in the now."

O'Sullivan echoed O'Driscoll's comments: "It's not now or never, but now is a bloody good time." All this was a little unnerving, for this is not normally the terrain Ireland are comfortable with. "It's not the usual place for us to be. It's just a notional thing but it's part of moving on to the next level as a team."

France and England remain the standardbearers, but if Ireland were entitled to mix in those circles, with Wales once more optimistically ushering in a new dawn, and Scotland and Italy proverbial dark horses, then last autumn's results hint at a pleasantly unpredictable competition.

"If we had a tournament every year that was predictable I think it's a weaker tournament," said O'Sullivan, which not too long ago was exactly the case. "I think you're right, and this tournament is probably the most open in a long time."

Many of the other coaches can surely only look across at Ireland's system of central contracts and better player management like green-eyed monsters, for Ireland's strong health contrasts sharply with the battle fatigue and casualty lists being experienced by them, noticeably England (for whom Jonny Wilkinson yesterday targeted the game against Ireland in Dublin on February 27th as his return to Test rugby) and Scotland, who could be down about six backrowers come kick-off away to France.

Andy Robinson continues to put his best face on England's crippling injury toll but asked whether he would like to have the control which O'Sullivan exerts, the English coach said: "That would certainly be a help."

"That clean bill of health isn't by accident," said O'Sullivan. "We have been in a fortunate position of managing our resources and we've managed our players in terms of their preparation and volume of games they play."

He cited the provinces' strong showings in the Celtic League and in Europe as evidence of this. "I know from talking to Mike Ruddock and particularly Andy Robinson that they would be quite envious of how we have been able to manage players. We're aware we've got that bit right and if we're going to compete at this level we're going to have to keep getting it right because we don't have the depth of talent you have in, say, England and France."

Kirwan added Rome has begun to embrace rugby more, and cited the advance sell-out for the opener against Ireland at the Stadio Flaminio as evidence of this. Two years ago, prior to the same opening encounter, the former All Black legend implored his team to approach the Six Nations with the same passion they bring to love-making, and last year he beseeched them to emulate the daring nature of the city's high-speed taxi drivers.

This year, he wants his players to believe in Santa Claus. "I'm 40 and I still believe in Santa Claus, and I want my players to do so as well . . . Hopefully Santa Claus will come to us in February and bring us lots of presents."