New coach, new captain, but will it be same old Wales this Six Nations campaign?

A lot has changed in 12 months. This time last year Wales were coming out of an impressive World Cup showing as heavy favourites to win the Six Nations and even have a shot at the Grand Slam with Warren Gatland as head coach and Sam Warburton as his chief lieutenant.

However, Gatland is off with the British and Irish Lions and Warburton has relinquished the armband and Wales could quite conceivably finish as low as fifth in the championships.

Alun Wyn Jones will now lead out the team in his stead, but you wouldn’t say that Wales’ position has weakened in that respect. Jones is a frontrunner for the Lions captaincy and gets through more work that most other second rows can fathom.

Rob Howley, as he did in 2013, is in charge in Gatland’s absence, although there are a lot more question marks surrounded the players he inherits this time. Wales are a team in desperate need of rejuvenating.

Not convinced? A visibly empty Principality Stadium for all four of the autumn internationals in a country that eats, sleeps and breathes rugby, shows that something is not right.

Officials have reported that both home games – against England and Ireland – are sell-outs and there will need to be one hell of an atmosphere to drag the Dragons over the line against a team that hasn’t lost for 14 months and a team that just beat the All Blacks.

The fixture list is kind to the Welsh – it’s the same combination of home and away games as when they won the Grand Slam in 2005 and the Championship in 2013.

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Last year Wales opened their tournament with a draw in Dublin, whereas this year they travel to Rome, having put 128 points on the Italians in their last two games in this competition. The Welsh are notoriously slow starters – even without injuries to the likes of Taulupe Faletau and Luke Charteris – but a game against the traditional whipping boys will put them in good stead for England the following week.

Warburton will move to six, to accommodate the in-form openside in the Pro12 at the moment, Justin Tipuric, while Scott Williams is set to partner Jonathan Davies in midfield, replacing Jamie Roberts. Saracens-bound Liam Williams, is another man in form, while Leigh Halfpenny’s right-boot is a welcome return to the side, whether he plays at 15 or the wing – depending on where Howley wants Williams.

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George North scored four tries last year after questions were asked of him and, with similar questions raised again, don’t be surprised to see him answer them. Especially in a Lions year.

Rhys Webb is one of the most dangerous scrum-halves on show with an eye for the tryline and if he and Dan Biggar click then Wales could be the team to beat.

With the fixtures the way they are, Wales will be optimistic of regaining the Six Nations. A win against Italy should straightforward, and France shouldn’t pose too many challenges. Scotland could surprise, but if they lose their first two games then they should be there for the taking. That leaves England and Ireland – both at home. Crazier things have happened under the roof in Cardiff.