The Six Nations always brings new things in each edition. This time, one of them is that it starts on a Thursday. He does it in Paris with the … exciting France-Ireland, teams that have won the last four editions. The last record of a match in the tournament of tournaments on a Thursday was almost 80 years ago, in 1948. Curiously, also with a confrontation between those of the rooster and those of the clubs. Ireland won the then Five Nations by 6-13.
The favorite
France is the current champion and in recent editions has always been the favorite after a journey through the desert from 2010 to 2022. It receives Ireland at the Stade de France in a magnificent opening of the tournament and then the teams from Italy and England will pass through its field. French rugby is still stunned by the recent heart attack of its pillar Uini Atonio, forced to retire. Nor will there be, surprisingly, senior players like Penaud, Fickou or Alldritt, but Fabien Galthié will have Flament, Ollivon, Mauvaka, the recovered Antoine Dupont, Jalibert, Moefana, Thomas Ramos and Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
England
They came second in 2025 with the same victories as France, although with one less bonus point. It starts this Saturday at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Cathedral, hosting a more than weak Wales. They will also play in their legendary stadium against Ireland and hope to reach what could be the definitive match in Paris without stain. Steve Borthwick maintains a squad in which Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Fisilau, Daly, Ford, Feyi-Waboso, Furbank and Marcus Smith stand out. He arrives eager to regain the throne he gave up in 2020 and is the main threat to France.
Ireland
They finished a year ago in third position, with two bonus points less than the champions. In the previous ones they have lost to New Zealand and South Africa and have beaten Australia. They have the handicap of visiting France in the first match and England in the third. One of their best players, center Bundee Aki, misses three matches in the tournament after being suspended for verbal abuse and disrespect towards referees in a match for Connacht, his team.
Scotland
Scotland is capable of anything and can be the judge. They recently stood up to New Zealand (17-25) and have still not won the trophy since the Six Nations emerged with the new millennium. And the Caledonians bring joy to their fans, such as beating England four years in a row to win the mythical Calcutta Cup until last year when the oldest trophy in the history of rugby went to those in pink. Scotland debuts against Italy this Saturday in Rome. It is a selection that can give surprises due to the good moment of the Glasgow Warriors, a club that contributes many players to Gregor Townsend’s team.
Gales and Italy
Wales, which lost 28-52 with Argentina and 0-73 with South Africa, is not going through its best moment and has fallen into the background to the point of even being a candidate for the wooden spoon. It has to be rebuilt because Steve Tandy’s team is in the doldrums. For its part, Italy, with a complicated calendar, is capable of standing up to anyone in recent editions, although it has losses as important as those of Tommaso Allan or Ange Capuozzo.
