London, Jan 30 (AFP/APP): The first Six Nations following a World Cup is often a time of renewal but the 2020 Championship has a particularly fresh feel ahead of this weekend’s opening round. Only England coach Eddie Jones and Scotland counterpart Gregor Townsend remain from last season’s edition, with Grand Slam champions Wales, Ireland, France and Italy all under new management. England appear the team to beat after reaching last year’s World Cup final in Japan. But the already tough task of reviving morale following a crushing 32-12 defeat by South Africa has been compounded by the salary-cap scandal engulfing English and European champions Saracens. There are seven Saracens in Jones’s squad, including captain and playmaker Owen Farrell. Jones, doing his best to deflect attention from the situation at Saracens, recently proclaimed in typically bullish fashion that “my aim is to make England the greatest rugby team the world has ever seen,” even though his current deal ends next year. Since the inaugural 1987 edition, the World Cup has become the yardstick by which Test teams are judged no matter how much success they enjoy in the intervening four years. – ‘Rugby to remember’ – But Jones has loftier ambitions: … Continue reading New era adds to Six Nations intrigue