Romain Poite toots the whistle, Finn Russell puts boot to ball and we are underway in Six Nations 2017.

Andy Stevenson: I can't think of another sporting event where the TV pundits wear such a luxuriant range of scarves...

James Harrison: Good to see the Six Nations back at last!

Even if the action falls short, the soundtrack is all killer. A kind of sporting Lock Stock.

Ireland's Call is belted out by the visitors before Murrayfield, led by a lone piper, joined by rattling drums, sing Flower of Scotland.

Princess Anne - Scottish rugby's patron - is pressing the flesh as she meets the two teams.

I'm not sure the usual Royal protocol small talk - "What do you do? Have you come far?" - really cut the mustard in this situation.

In the background, the bagpipes are in full howl.

Keith Wood
Former Ireland captain on BBC One

Paddy Jackson is a guy who is a more natural 10 than Johnny Sexton. He's not as good as Sexton, but the team play a little more freely when he is playing. 

Image source, Getty

Josh Strauss, Glasgow team-mate Fraser Brown and Stormers centre Huw Jones start for Scotland on Saturday.

Strauss plays at number eight, while Jones replaces Mark Bennett, who drops to the bench along with John Barclay.

Sean O'Brien starts for Ireland and Iain Henderson is preferred to Donnacha Ryan, who is still struggling with a knee injury.

Paddy Jackson is at 10, with Ian Keatley, Tommy Bowe and Josh van der Flier among the replacements.

Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Sean Maitland, Huw Jones, Alex Dunbar, Tommy Seymour; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson, Jonny Gray, Richie Gray, Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown, Allan Dell. Replacements: Ross Ford, Gordon Reid, Simon Berghan, Tim Swinson, John Barclay, Ali Price, Duncan Weir, Mark Bennett. 

Ireland Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Simon Zebo; Paddy Jackson, Connor Murray; Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, CJ Stander, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Jack McGrath. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, John Ryan, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, Kieran Marmion, Ian Keatley, Tommy Bowe. 

It seems likely that CJ Stander and Jonny Gray will collide a few times today. Stander is the top carrier in this year's Champions Cup with 100, while Gray was the pool stage's leading tackler with 76.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland coach Vern Cotter speaking on BBC One: "I haven not given my depature a lot of thought to be honest, we are firmly focused on this game. We intend to go out there and win the game and a lot of people would love to see us do that, but we are playing a good team and it will be tricky.

"It has been rainy this morning and the tactics have been tweaked. Stuart Hogg will bring what he always brings, coming out of defence at pace and with a long kicking game that could be important."

BBC Radio 5 live

Want to listen in to the action? 5 live has you covered this weekend.

Coverage of Scotland v Ireland begins at 14:15 GMT on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, with England v France following on 5 live.

Jump back over to sports extra to catch England Women v France Women from 19:30, while the build-up to Italy v Wales on Sunday begins on 5 live at 13:00.

Former New Zealand captain Richie McCaw has some advice for the Six Nations' leaders...

Keith Wood
Former Ireland captain on BBC One

On the new high-tackle guidance that was issued to referees in December: When there are two or three concussive incidents happening in any given game, it can't go on like that. So that's hopefully what these new sanctions they have brought in will change. 

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt: "I think that we maybe caught New Zealand on an off day and if we catch Scotland on a good day there is not much between the teams. We are anticipating a really tough game and we have to be on our mettle to win it.

"We have got a lot of confidence in Paddy Jackson and we have other guys who can kick the ball as well in needs be with Rob Kearney's long left boot."

Image source, Getty Images

Thirty-three of the 37 members of Scotland's Six Nations squad play for clubs who will compete in European quarter-finals, thanks in large part to the form of Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh rugby.

If the England pack think they are in for a tough afternoon against their heavier French counterparts, then spare a though for the under 20s.

Included in the France squad for today's fixture was 17-year-old Walid Maamry, who at 6ft 7in and 25st 2lb would be the heaviest player in world rugby if he was a professional.

That's nearly a stone heavier than the heaviest man in the senior France squad, Uini Atonio.

Image source, Getty

Lions coach Warren Gatland is at Murrayfield speaking to John Inverdale - he is sharing his thoughts on this year's tour to New Zealand. 

"I think at the moment there are quite a few in these Six Nations squads who I could take on the tour but today's results could cause a headache for me. If Scotland beat Ireland or France beat England it could all change. 

"If I'm picking a squad of 37 or 38 you could pencil in 15 of them already. 

"In terms of picking the captain, we will pick the squad and then pick the captain from there. There are many brilliant players who could take on that role". 

Chris Jones
BBC Radio 5 live rugby reporter

"It may be three hours until kick off, but Twickenham is already a hive of activity, with punters arriving in their hundreds to the hospitality tents, while the band practising La Marseillaise threatened to drown out our latest preview hit on Radio 5 live."

Image source, BBC Sport