The RBS Six Nations 2014 championship starts next weekend and the six team captains met up in Putney this morning to officially launch the tournament.

England skipper Chris Robshaw was joined by fellow captains Sam Warburton, from Wales, Paul O'Connell, from Ireland, Scotland's Kelly Brown, Italy's Sergio Parisse and Pascal Pape from France.

England begin the tournament with tough trips to Paris and Edinburgh, but face Ireland and then Wales at Twickenham before finishing the tournament by heading to Rome where Italy will lie in wait.

Robshaw said: "We've got two away games to start, so it's going to be challenging but we've got to make sure we're up to speed and hit the ground running."

British Lions captain Warburton confirmed he will be available to lead his side, after overcoming injury, while Les Bleus skipper Pape had the press conference in hysterics when he apologised for his poor English, but instead used a much stronger word than "poor".

But Scotland captain, and stammer sufferer, Brown stole the show when he mocked the "smooth delivery" of his fellow captains before soldiering on through a tricky Q&A.

The respective coaches from the six camps were also at the event, at the Hurlingham Club next to Putney Bridge station, ahead of the start of the competition on February 1.

Wales are the reigning champions having won the Six Nations on the final day of the season, they also won the Grand Slam in 2012.