The Six Nations starts this weekend just three months after England's disastrous World Cup.

But fear not England fans - a disastrous World Cup does not mean that a disastrous Six Nations will follow.

Take Wales for instance. They failed to get out of the group stages of the 2007 World Cup in France. Then Warren Gatland took charge and they won the Grand Slam in 2008.

Warren Gatland: Transformed Welsh fortunes

However, that's the only time that a Five/Six Nations side who failed to get out of the World Cup group stages went on to win the following Five/Six Nations.

Ireland have the next best record, having failed to get out of the group stages of the 1999 World Cup and finishing third in the Six Nations of 2000.

Teams who do well in the Rugby World Cup though don't always do well in the Six Nations that follows.

There have only been two occasions out of seven where the Five/Six Nations side who progressed the furthest in a World Cup went on to win the following Five/Six Nations.

England were beaten finalists to Australia in the 1991 World Cup. They went on to win the Grand Slam in the 1992 Five Nations.

France reached the final of the inaugural World Cup in 1987 but lost to New Zealand. They finished as joint champions with Wales in the following Five Nations, the last time that two teams shared the title.

Both England and France reached the semi-finals of the 1995 World Cup, with New Zealand and hosts South Africa making it to the final. France defeated England in the third place play-off but only managed to finish third in the 1996 Five Nations while England finished top.

The 1999 World Cup again saw France as the defeated finalists, this time to Australia. The following Six Nations tournament saw them finish as runners-up to England who had only reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

England's Jonny Wilkinson kicking the winning drop goal to clinch the Rugby World Cup for England in 2003
Drop goal: From World Champs to third in Six Nations

Sir Clive Woodward's England side were victorious in the 2003 World Cup but could only finish third in the Six Nations of 2004. France, who had lost to England in the World Cup semi-finals, won the Grand Slam that year.

It was a second World Cup final in a row for England in 2007 but they could only manage a second place finish in the 2008 Six Nations championship. Wales were the Grand Slam winners that year despite having failed to get out of the World Cup group stages just a few months earlier.

France once again finished as World Cup runners-up in 2011 to New Zealand. France had beaten Wales in the semi-finals that year, and it was the defeated semi-finalists who would go on to win the Grand Slam at the 2012 Six Nations while France finished fourth.