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Inter captain Javier Zanetti says this season's battle for the Scudetto will be between three teams: the Nerazzurri, Milan and Napoli.

Despite last night's 3-0 loss by the Azzurri to the Rossoneri, the Argentine believes all three sides will be wanting to win the league at season's end.

"Independent of the result between Milan and Napoli, I am very happy with how we are playing," the defender explained to TuttoSport. "The league is great and equal this season, with three teams that will battle it out until the end."

Zanetti is pleased the Beneamata have gotten past their hectic playing schedule, which saw the side play 15 games in two months.

"Playing 15 matches is two months has cost us somewhat," he continued. "Now we have time to work hard and gain whoever has been injured."

The 37-year-old has the belief the side can overcome their one-goal deficit against Bayern Munich and claim a spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

"We believe in our abilities 100 per cent. We will be going to Germany to qualify," he added. "We know it will not be easy, but we need to try."

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Labels: Between, Fought, Goalcom, Javier, Scudetto, Teams, Three, Zanetti

The race was postponed because of civil unrest in the country and the season will now begin a fortnight later in Australia on 27 March.

"I don't think the extra two weeks will make a huge difference," Red Bull driver Webber told BBC Sport.

"It's the same for everybody. We are always prepared to race in two weeks."

The Formula 1 teams were due to complete their winter testing at Bahrain's Sakhir Circuit between 3-6 March before taking part in the race meeting over the following weekend.

However, the race was called off on Monday by Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa so the country could focus on its "national interest".

The sport's governing body the FIA supported the decision to postpone the Bahrain Grand Prix, adding that it could still be rescheduled later in the year.

The teams have agreed to return for a second test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on 8-10 March before opening their campaigns at in Australia, which hosted the season-opener between 1996-2005 and again from 2007-2009.

"The freight will still have to leave for Melbourne pretty early," added Webber. "I suppose you've got another 10 days' headroom, but it is swings and roundabouts."

BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle agreed that most teams' programmes would not be disrupted by the delayed start to the season.

"Drivers have a mindset that if there's a race on you go racing, if there's not, you don't," said Brundle.

"There were 19 events last year and there will be 19 this year by the looks of it. It's not like we're short of grands prix this year."

Holding the final test session and the first race of 2011 on the same circuit at Bahrain might have helped teams to set up their car and gain an increased insight into tyre performance.

However, there are some Formula 1 insiders who believe that the delay could actually help some teams who now have extra time before the season starts.

There is an unexpected opportunity to develop the cars at the teams' factories and to make sure any significant upgrades are now ready for the first race.

Brundle commented: "It will help some teams that were struggling to make fast and reliable cars. It will play into their hands."

The extra time could be important to teams such as McLaren, Renault, Mercedes and Team Lotus whose testing has been hindered by reliability problems.

At the second test in Jerez, where McLaren debuted their 2011 car, the team were let down by a lack of spare parts while hydraulic problems halted Jenson Button's progress in Barcelona.

Lewis Hamilton was also hindered by technical issues and the team are yet to complete a full race simulation.

The 26-year-old did manage to clock 107 laps in sporadic runs on Monday but Hamilton finished 1.378 seconds off Felipe Massa's pacesetting time for Ferrari.

After two days at the wheel in Barcelona, Button had said: "I still don't know where we stand."

McLaren are understood to be working hard on upgrading their exhaust package at their technology centre and extra time to do just that might help them close the perceived gap on pacesetters Red Bull and Ferrari.

Renault lost valuable time in Barcelona because of problems with the kinetic energy recovery device (Kers), which makes its return in 2011.

Waiting to start the season in Melbourne could arguably also benefit Mercedes after an inconsistent showing from the German team in testing while Team Lotus, who are hoping to chase down the midfield runners in their second season, had to cut short their test when a recurring radiator leak resulted in Jarno Trulli crunching into the tyre wall.

After three pre-season tests, Red Bull and Ferrari have emerged as the teams to watch from a field of 12. Both have hit the ground running in terms of reliability and have been around the top of the timings as well as successfully completing race and qualifying simulations.

F1 team insiders also believe the Red Bull and Ferrari cars have worked efficiently regardless of how much fuel they had onboard.

However the delayed start of the season could see rival teams feverishly try to make up lost ground.

Webber was cautious about saying how far Red Bull, who won both titles in 2010, are ahead of their competitors.

"Not very," he added with a grimace. "We are burying ourselves in there. We've still got work to do.

"It would be nice to go racing as soon as possible to see where we are."

Labels: Bahrain, cancellation, Teams, Webber

The Azzurri have been paired with Ireland in the group stages of the tournament in New Zealand.

And McLean believes a good start to the RBS Six Nations campaign would throw down a marker for the Italians.

"Everyone is just looking at it as one game and trying to get off to a good start in the Six Nations," he said.

"Obviously last year it didn't happen that way, we got off to a bad start, we didn't play well against Ireland and came out 20 points on the bad side (a 29-11 defeat).

"So obviously we will be trying to get on the good side and then we have the added aspect of them being in our World Cup pool and obviously it would be a bit of a confidence builder if we get the win here and go into the World Cup thinking: if we've beaten them once, we can beat them again."

Italy have named Kristopher Burton at fly-half for the clash, with Edoardo Gori getting the nod at scrum-half.

Sergio Parisse will skipper the side, with Italy naming a strong pack.

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has backed Luke Fitzgerald to shine at full-back.

With Rob Kearney and Geordan Murphy both injured Fitzgerald has been forced into action at No.15.

And O'Driscoll believes his Leinster team-mate will have no problems adapting to the change of position.

"When Luke's really booming with confidence he's a very, very dangerous player," said O'Driscoll.

"Both as an attacking and strategic player, he can mix his game well at full-back.

"Like anyone who hasn't played a huge amount of rugby over the last couple of months, you just encourage him to do the simple things well and not try to do the amazing things.

"That will eventually come as the game unfolds, but early on it's about starting well and doing what he's done, both provincially and internationally.

"He knows himself what's expected of him and I don't envisage any issues.

"But he's certainly a pleasure to play with from an attacking point of view, because he has that innate ability to break tackles and offload.

"Whenever you can get a second touch, having given him a pass, it gives yourself an opportunity or it gives the rest of the team an opportunity to continue an attacking play."

Fergus McFadden will make his Ireland in Rome, with the Leinster centre set to start on the wing.

With Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris injured, Sean O'Brien and Denis Leamy come into the back row.

Paul O'Connell also returns to the international arena, with Rory Best and Mike Ross starting in the front row.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Andrea Masi, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Kris Burton, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (capt), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Josh Sole, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Santiago Dellape, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Andrea Lo Cicero, 18 Carlo Del Fava, 19 Valerio Bernabo, 20 Paulo Canavosio, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Gonzalo Garcia.

Ireland: 15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (capt), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Tomas O'Leary, 8 Sean O'Brien, 7 David Wallace, 6 Denis Leamy, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Leo Cullen, 19 Shane Jennings, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Ronan O'Gara, 22 Paddy Wallace.

Labels: Ireland, Italy, SkySports, Teams

Scotland arrive in Paris for the RBS Six Nations clash with few tipping them to feature in the title race - despite six wins in their past seven Tests.

And with France among the favourites to lift the Six Nations title - having won the Grand Slam in 2010 - Parra believes his side cannot afford to take anything for granted.

"Scotland are both an ideal adversary and also one that could lure us into a trap," said the Clermont scrum-half.

"It is a team which likes to play which is something that one rarely gets in the Six Nations, a team which has nothing to lose against France.

"The worry is that in wanting to quickly get the crowd on our side by playing free-flowing rugby and trying all sorts of things we will be hit on the counter-attack."

Parra will partner the recalled Francois Trinh-Duc at half-back for the clash at the Stade de France.

That means Damien Traille moves to full-back, with Maxime Mermoz partnering Aurelien Rougerie in the centres and Maxime Medard named on the wing.

In the pack, Imanol Harinordoquy and Julien Bonnaire will join captain Thierry Dusautoir in the back row, while Lionel Nallet returns from injury to start in the second row.

Scotland fly-half Dan Parks is determined to spoil the French party on Saturday.

Although France won the Grand Slam last year, they have lost three of their five Tests since then.

And Parks believes Scotland can continue their fine form with a first win in Paris since 1999.

"It's an exciting time," said Parks.

"It's the start of a fresh championship and we're on the back of some good performances in the last couple of outings.

"It's a very tough place to go, but it's a great place to go.

"It's a really great stadium to play in. The French people are going to get right behind their team.

"We're going to hopefully spoil that party - that's our plan, to go there and impose ourselves on the match.

"If you can get on top of a team early in a game that gives you great confidence and diminishes their's."

Coach Andy Robinson has made five changes, three of which are personnel, for the trip to Paris.

Nick De Luca, Max Evans and new captain Alastair Kellock come into the starting XV, while Nathan Hines moves to blindside and Kelly Brown starts at No.8.

France: 15 Damien Traille, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Maxime Medard, 10 Francois Thrinh-Duc, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Julien Pierre, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Luc Ducalcon, 18 Jerome Thion, 19 Sebastien Chabal, 20 Dimitri Yachvili, 21 Clement Poitrenaud, 22 Vincent Clerc.

Scotland: 15 Hugo Southwell , 14 Nikki Walker, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 Nick De Luca, 11 Max Evans, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Kelly Brown, 7 John Barclay, 6 Nathan Hines, 5 Alastair Kellock (c), 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray,2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Moray Low, 18 Richie Vernon, 19 Ross Rennie, 20 Mike Blair, 21 Ruaridh Jackson, 22 Sean Lamont.

Labels: France, Scotland, SkySports, Teams