We say it every year but this Six Nations is the most open for years; that’s the beauty of this competition because no one ever knows quite what to expect from any of the six countries - there’s never any way of predicting how a team’s going to fare.

I wouldn’t even try to pick a side to win it this year, primarily because I am the world’s world’s tipster! Also because all six countries have made significant changes to their playing and coaching personel.

I’m just delighted to be involved because there’s nothing quite like playing in the Six Nations. I still get the same buzz hearing my name read out from an England teamsheet, as I did when I first got the call what seems like many years ago!

The moment you lose that excitement, I think it’s time to call it a day. It’s a bit different as well at the moment because there’s so much competition for places, I’m never sure whether I’m in or out.

Every year there’s a new batch of youngsters coming through who are holding their hands up for selection but this time round there seems to be a lot more who are being given their chance and I think that’s right because if you are playing well it shouldn’t be about reputation, it should be on form.

There’s a feelgood factor surrounding England at the moment but there also needs to be a degree of realism because despite reaching the World Cup final, we are not the best team in the world by any stretch of the imagination

We came through a difficult time at the World Cup and we came through with real distinction, but we certainly weren’t playing great rugby; we were knuckling down and busting our balls for each other and making it as difficult for the opposition as we possibly could.

I think it’s now a case of taking that attitude and determination that that nucleus of players managed to instil in each other and turning it into some quality performances.

It’s great to play with a lot of the lads that played during the World Cup who put everything on the line for each other; we can now generate a style of play that will push things forward and I think the young guys who are coming in to the squad now have the capability of doing that.

It’s an exciting mix of youth and experience but we can’t get carried away with ourselves.

It’s going to be a tough Six Nations campaign because I remember after we won the World Cup every one was desperate to beat us and I thing the same thing will happen this time round – teams will raise their game because we reached the World Cup final. So it’s important the guys don’t get carried away and think they are world beaters because we made it to the final.