The BBC unveiled their six-strong shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year on Monday. The public will vote on December 15 with the winner crowned in Aberdeen that night.

The 56-year-old finished after the Rugby World Cup and was succeeded by his fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac, who will take charge of Wales for the first time against Gatland's Barbarians.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: The new New Zealander in charge of Wales won his first match, as his predecessor did, but this was a far less significant victory.

MARCUS TOWNEND AT CHEPSTOW: Davies is currently sidelined having undergone knee surgery after being injured while playing Fiji in the World Cup.

CHRIS FOY'S WORLD OF RUGBY: At the end of a World Cup season, players will try to muster some energy for matches in the Southern Hemisphere at a time when they should be lying on a beach.

CHRIS FOY AT THE RICHOH ARENA: Northampton's lucky 13 stunned Wasps on Sunday as Dan Biggar and the man they call 'Big T' propelled the title-chasing Saints to victory.

If last week was hellish, Northampton were far more saintly in Lyon on Saturday - winning with a bonus-point to do all they could to make the Champions Cup quarter-finals.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The Six Nations powerbrokers are largely content with the existing deal, which is worth £90m a year between the BBC and ITV and is delivering record viewing figures.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign will begin on Saturday, February 1 with a number of teams eyeing glory in this year's competition.

SPECIAL REPORT: On the Welsh beat Wayne Pivac, the ex-Auckland copper on the streets in the 1980s, is unlikely to feel the pressure his old day-job brought against Italy.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CHRIS FOY: It turns out that balancing on a rock perched above the waves of the Mediterranean, is not Shaun Edwards' natural habitat.

George North looks likely to line up at outside centre in Wayne Pivac's new-look Wales team to face Italy as Rhys Webb is set for a recall.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign, which gets underway this weekend, promises to be a closely-fought affair with several teams eyeing the title.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: PC Pivac's first job on the Welsh beat went without a hitch as the former copper's new side thrashed Italy easily in Cardiff.

BY WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wales will be ready for a rude awakening in Dublin on Saturday - aware that Ireland will not walk on to their punches as Italy did.

With England firing bombs at their Championship rivals each week, and Scotland responding with talk of 'hate', Wales coach Wayne Pivac is finding the pre-match mudslinging all a bit unnecessary.

Ireland host Wales in week two of Six Nations action at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Sportsmail's Ieuan Ivett will provide live coverage including score, tryscorers, substitutions, sin bins, injuries and more.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: Wayne Pivac rued 'unacceptable' errors made by Wales in their first Six Nations defeat since 2018 as they lost 24-17 in Dublin to Ireland.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: The storm stayed away but Ireland built a big green wall to barricade themselves against Welsh tides in Dublin, beating the Grand Slam champions.

Wayne Pivac called for patience after he lost his first Wales match, saying it would not take major surgery to reinvigorate their Six Nations challenge.

EXCLUSIVE: The Six Nations are facing a battle to win support from clubs and players for an expanded tournament featuring South Africa.

SPECIAL REPORT BY WILL KELLEHER: No player has run out in a Test match at Wales' Principality Stadium having been born after the ground was built. Rees-Zammit could change that fact.

Wayne Pivac believes his wise Wales will overcome French flair on Saturday in the Six Nations having picked the most experienced line-up to grace the championship.

Wales have brought in Ross Moriarty and Gareth Davies for their next Six Nations match against France as Wayne Pivac made two changes for the Cardiff Test.

If on Saturday the tide has turned against Wales, the French are flooding through in attack and causing chaos it will be the old men of the sea who guide those in red to calmer waters.

WILL KELLEHER AT PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: And so the fortress has fallen. After 10 years of being out-gunned in Cardiff, the French revolution is well and truly alive.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wayne Pivac was left livid with two decisions costing Wales a win over France as they lost at home in the Six Nations for the first time in three years.

Shaun Edwards stood in the bowels of the Principality Stadium wearing the quiet contented look of a man who had just transformed a team that for years had an attitude problem.

As Sportsmail reported last month, full back Liam Williams has made a swift departure from under-fire European and English champions Saracens after their salary cap disaster.

Liam Williams, Josh Navidi and George North all set to be fit for selection for boss Wayne Pivac as Wales were handed a triple boost before taking on England at Twickenham on March 7.

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Welsh victories at Twickenham are rare but much-celebrated occasions. Sportsmail spoke to those involved in the most recent triumphs.

Wales' oracle has spoken and delivered doses of reality to his nation. Alun Wyn Jones does not talk much, but when he does it is worth listening to the totemic and decorated captain.

Wales will be hopeful Dan Biggar does not spark a backline injury crisis ahead of their Six Nations match against England after going off early for Northampton on Saturday against Saracens.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: There are some things much more important than sport, and when something like the coronavirus comes along rugby has to step into line.

Anthony Watson and Mark Wilson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations match against Wales at Twickenham, the RFU has announced.

Liam Williams will play his first Test for four months in the Six Nations against England, coming straight into the starting team as Wayne Pivac rings the changes for Wales.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Mark Wilson and Anthony Watson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final against Wales on Saturday.

The 21-13 defeat killed off English hopes of a Grand Slam, before Warren Gatland rubbed salt in the wounds by questioning their big-game ability.

Alun Wyn Jones moved to ease fears that Dan Biggar is not fit for Wales' trip to Twickenham by saying he will play against England on Saturday despite suffering a knee injury for Northampton.

DYLAN HARTLEY: You might remember Alun Wyn Jones getting under Kyle Sinckler's skin last year after Warren Gatland accused the England man of being a timebomb.

NIK SIMON: England face Wales in a mouth-watering Six Nations clash seeking revenge after suffering defeat in Cardiff a year ago.

Josh Navidi once turned All Blacks heads and has now been backed to leave England blue too at Twickenham. He had hamstring trouble but is now fit to start on Saturday.

England became Triple Crown winners with a rollercoaster victory against Wales at Twickenham.

WILL KELLEHER AT TWICKENHAM: Are Wales now dashing instead of dogged? Under Warren Gatland they were rarely, if ever, easily beaten in a game that mattered. Not in the Six Nations anyway.

CHRIS FOY AT TWICKENHAM: Wales didn't even bother to try to antagonise Kyle Sinckler again this time. He has matured a lot in the space of a year, as he proved on Saturday

MIKE BROWN: Players love seeing what grenades Eddie Jones throws during his press conferences. Sometimes they will be watching on social media to see what he comes out with.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It might have been a little subdued before the match but we should have known England and Wales would provide some action to perk us up. The 33-30 win for England was all action.

Sportsmail's Chris Foy gives his thoughts on the Six Nations with England now sitting top of the table following their win over Wales and France's defeat to Scotland on Sunday.

Joe Marler has given his response to the storm over his manhandling of Alun Wyn Jones's genitals with Piers Morgan among those weighing into the debate on Twitter.