Europe's rugby elite are set to begin their battle anew in pursuit of the Six Nations, the sport's pinnacle for players in the northern hemisphere.
This 2022 tournament has a particularly poignant feel about it as fans are welcomed back to major venues en masse following last year's no-crowds edition.
Not all household names will be present and accounted for, however, following a fiendish frenzy of injuries and a spike in fitness fears leading up to this year's competition.
England and Wales will be forced to compete without respective captains Owen Farrell and Alun Wyn Jones, while France will have to cope without their own leader in Charles Ollivon.
The high-profile absentees hardly stop there, however, and Mirror Sport has broken down those most significant stars who—barring any miraculous recovery—will sit out the entirety of the 2022 Six Nations.
1. Alun Wyn Jones
Crocked as a result of the shoulder injury he suffered against New Zealand at the end of October, Wales skipper Jones is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Wayne Pivac's absentees.
Jones, 36, hurt the same shoulder that initially ruled him out of the British and Irish Lions tour last summer, though there was no sudden revival to save the day on this occasion.
Hooker Ken Owens, flanker Dan Lydiate and full-back Leigh Halfpenny will also miss this year's tournament as the titleholders are forced to contend with easily the most devastating list of injuries.
2. Charles Ollivon
Still yet to play a minute this season as a result of the torn ACL he suffered last June, Charles Ollivon fell just short in his efforts to return for the Six Nations despite being included in France's preliminary 75-man squad.
Fabien Galthie has engineered a turnaround in fortunes for Les Bleus after instigating an influx of new talent and coaching, but his decision to appoint Ollivon captain in 2020 has also been a success.
Toulouse gem and reigning World Rugby Player of the Year Antoine Dupont will take over the armband in his stead.
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3. Owen Farrell
The last squad injury that many England fans would have wanted to hear just prior to the Six Nations, and yet one that could inadvertently give England the room to reach new heights in their development.
Captain Farrell, 30, was on the verge of a return to fitness before suffering a new ankle injury while training with Saracens, separate to the problem that had sidelined him since November.
Eddie Jones has kept his cards close to his chest in terms of who will take over the England captaincy in Farrell's absence, while his injury paved the way for George Ford to be recalled as Marcus Smith 's back-up.
4. James Lowe
Player of the Match in November's enthralling victory over New Zealand, Kiwi native James Lowe now looks set to miss out on at least the bulk of Ireland 's Six Nations having suffered a muscular injury in Leinster training.
The negatives are clear considering Lowe's try-scoring ability and kicking out of hand, though his absence could give Connacht winger Mack Hansen the chance to debut, while Ulster's Michael Lowry is also included.
5. Taulupe Faletau
Wales have become accustomed to missing Taulupe Faletau due to fitness in recent years, though hope was high that he'd turned a corner after starting every game en route to last year's title win.
It wasn't to be this year, however, with the 31-year-old still yet to play this season and battling for fitness since he made a 20-minute cameo in the Lions second-Test defeat to South Africa last summer.
Bath have been hard at work trying to help the No. 8 past the calf injury that's been troubling him since that tour, robbing Wales of one of their most talented individuals and a star of their 2021 triumph.
6. Jonny May
It's just as well England boast such a promising crop of up-and-coming back talent considering Jonny May —the highest-scoring current player among their ranks—now looks all but certain to sit out the duration.
The Gloucester whiz would have to perform a slight miracle in order to feature after undergoing knee surgery, with Jones leaning on the likes of Ollie Hassell-Collins, Jack Nowell and Max Malins to step up.
7. Billy and Mako Vunipola
Arguably the presiding story around England's selection for the second half of 2021, fans were largely stunned to see both Billy and Mako Vunipola consigned to a place outside the squad in recent camps.
The casting aside of loosehead prop Mako was particularly surprising given he played his third Lions tour over the summer, but the Saracens pair nonetheless still find themselves on the outskirts.
Jones has repeatedly insisted the door to international selection is not closed for either player, though his preference for versatile back-rowers makes Billy's route back look particularly precarious.
8. Josh Navidi
Another of last year's Lions who won't be on show at the Six Nations, Wales star Josh Navidi lasted all of eight minutes on his return for Cardiff this season before he was sidelined once more with a dislocated shoulder.
The Bridgend-born star has made staggering strides in recent seasons and would have been a handy alternative to Faletau, but 28-cap Navidi will again be forced to settle for a spot as spectator.
9. Justin Tipuric
There's an argument to be made that even considering the quality of those other Wales stars set to sit out, flanker Justin Tipuric will be the most missed of Pivac's unpicked personnel at this tournament.
Tipuric, 32, suffered a scapula injury on the eve of last year's Lions tour and has undergone multiple surgeries to correct the issue, but it hasn't healed in time for him to impact Wales' Six Nations hopes.
Ospreys team-mate George North would have made the cut for this countdown, except club coach Toby Booth recently offered hope the try-scoring phenomenon may yet return to fitness in the coming weeks.
10. Jake Polledri
A player akin to the second coming of Sergio Parisse when fully fit, 26-year-old Jake Polledri has been dealt an unfair hand in regards to injuries of late, with a knee and nerve injury having sidelined him since November 2020.
The Gloucester back-rower suffered the blow while playing for Italy against Scotland in the autumn series, and though the player appears to be nearing a return, the Azzurri won't be blessed by his talents this Six Nations.
