Twickenham will host England on a Sunday for the first time in the 2002-03 Six Nations Championship.

With all games now being staggered due to an all-encompassing television arrangement with the BBC, a match will be screened each Sunday with England taking their turn when Italy visit on March 8.

That game will be England's third as the tournament is held for the first time in a new condensed seven-week format, with champions France being their first opponents on February 15.

Italy's home encounter with Wales earlier on the same day will kick off the championship.

Under the new format, two consecutive weekends of play will be followed by a weekend of rest; then one further weekend of play followed by another weekend of rest. The tournament will then conclude with two consecutive weekends of play.

The schedule will see two games on Saturdays with one match being held back for Sunday.

John Feehan, Six Nations' commercial director, said: "2003 will be the first year for many in which we have had unified television arrangements, and I am delighted that our relationship with the BBC is already proving to be one based on partnership and co-operation.

"In finalising the detail of this schedule, we have sought to retain the essential qualities and spirit of the championship, and at the same time we have endeavoured to ensure that this great tournament will be watched by a wide, and expanding, television audience.

"We are now playing 50more matches than used to be the case, and this had led to Sunday matches, necessary in order to avoid congestion and conflict.

"Also, in timing kick-offs, we have tried to avoid clashes with other sporting fixtures, meaning that live, televised Six Nations rugby will be guaranteed throughout the championship. This is good news both for our supporters and for our commercial partners."

Six Nations Championship 2003 fixtures:

Saturday February 15: Italy v Wales 13.30, England v France 16.00; Sunday February 16: Scotland v Ireland 15.00;

Saturday February 22: Italy v Ireland 14.30, Wales v England 17.30; Sunday February 23: France v Scotland 14.00;

Saturday March 8: Ireland v France 14.00, Scotland v Wales 16.00; Sunday March 9: England v Italy 14.00;

Saturday March 22: Wales v Ireland 14.00, England v Scotland 16.00; Saturday March 23: Italy v France 14.00;

Saturday March 29: France v Wales 13.00, Scotland v Italy 15.00; Sunday March 30: Ireland v England 14.00.