Rugby: SPREADWISE - Les Bleus' defeat sees England surge to summit of the indices.

SCOTLAND caused the biggest shock on the opening weekend of the 2006 Six Nations with their stubborn 20- 16 success over France yesterday afternoon, but it is clear that England have made the biggest impression with the spread firms, writes Max Oram.

England and France have swapped places with both Cantor and Sporting at the head of their indices following that Murrayfield shock and Saturday's six-try Twickenham salvo by England against current champions Wales.

So anyone who followed the advice of RPSPORT's Austin Healey by buying England at 40 can now lock in a seven-point profit should they chose ahead of road games in Rome and Edinburgh. Red Rose total tries and total points have also risen significantly.

However, the market-makers are taking differing views as to the merits of the performances of two of the other three home nations.

Frank Hadden's Scots are now fourth favourites with Cantor above the injury-hit Welsh but Sporting are more wary ahead of next week's trip to Cardiff and have only moved them up to within a point.

And Italy's Lansdowne Road exploits will be one reason for the Kennington-based company clipping their quotes on tournament 50-ups to 63-67 from 67-72.

There were two yellow cards this weekend - for Azzuri fly-half Ramiro Pez and Wales flanker Martyn Williams - so Sporting kept their quote at 14.5-16. IG had gone 17-18.5.

CAPTION(S):

France's centre Florian Fritz runs with the ball at Murrayfield yesterday