Category: Rugby

The Guinness Men’s Six Nations returned with a bang at the weekend, blowing the title race wide open ahead of the final round of fixtures. Following France’s triumphant win in Ireland, they’re now in the driving seat.

But we’re set for a weekend full of twists and turns, with four nations still in with a mathematical chance of lifting the trophy. England need Scotland to do them a favour against France – they take on Wales, who look set to pick up a second consecutive wooden spoon.

Who can still win the Guinness Men’s Six Nations?

France
The French last won the Guinness Men’s Six Nations back in 2022 and they’re now the firm favourites to lift the trophy. They’re currently top of the table and will be guaranteed to win if they beat Scotland with a bonus point in the final game of the weekend.

They can also win without a bonus point and even if they lose or draw, provided England and Ireland fail to get maximum points and don’t catch their hefty points difference.

England
England need rivals Scotland to help them out by beating France – they’ll claim the championship for the first time since 2020 if they win with a bonus point and France fail to win.

Drawing or losing with bonus points could also secure them the title if France and Ireland both lose. If England finish level on points with France, they’ll need to beat them on points difference, although France currently have an 86-point lead.

Ireland
Ireland slipped to third in the table following their defeat to France, but they still have a chance of securing their third consecutive title. They need to beat Italy with a bonus point and hope France and England both fail to win.

Scotland
It’s been 26 years since Scotland’s last title and they’ll likely have to wait even longer for their next one – although they still have a very slim chance this year.

They need to beat France with a bonus point while also surpassing them on points difference, with the gap currently at 103 points. Plus, they also need England and Ireland to lose.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	Points Difference	Bonus	Points
1	France	4	3	0	1	106	4	16
2	England	4	3	0	1	20	3	15
3	Ireland	4	3	0	1	13	2	14
4	Scotland	4	2	0	2	3	3	11
5	Italy	4	1	0	3	-77	0	4
6	Wales	4	0	0	4	-65	3	3

France beat Ireland to race into pole position

Ireland 27-42 France

Rewind a couple of weeks and Ireland were sitting pretty at the top of the table, dreaming of a second Grand Slam in three years. But they came unstuck against a resolute France at the weekend and now find themselves third in the table.

A low-scoring first half saw France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey score the only try before the break. Dan Sheehan got one back for Ireland two minutes after half-time, which set the tone for a frantic second half.

An end-to-end second period saw seven tries in total, with France edging the scoring thanks to a confident kicking display from Thomas Ramos. They now welcome Scotland to Paris and may have the title all but won before kick-off, with their clash coming last.

But they’ll sorely miss talisman Antoine Dupont, who left the field with a serious knee injury against Ireland. And convincing bonus point wins from England and Ireland will crank up the pressure, which could see France struggle.

Wooden spoon looms for Wales after defeat in Scotland

Scotland 35-29 Wales

Wales will have travelled to Scotland thinking it might finally be their week after they suffered their 15th consecutive defeat against Ireland last time out. But a 16th defeat was inevitable after Scotland blew them away before the break, racing into a 28-8 half-time lead.

Despite their poor start, Warren Gatland’s half-time team talk clearly had some impact as they were much improved after the break and scored three tries to make the score respectable.

But Scotland’s lead was unassailable by then and they ultimately ran out comfortable winners. For Wales, they’re set for another wooden spoon. Meanwhile, Scotland will be dreaming of the title – they still mathematically have a chance of winning, however unlikely it may be.

England dream of title as they see off Italy

England 47-24 Italy

England started as they meant to go on against Italy as Tom Willis opened the scoring with a try in the third minute. However, despite an impressive second-half display, Italy didn’t initially make it too easy.

The visitors pegged them back twice in the first half, before Ollie Sleightholme went over for a third to give England a four-point advantage at the break. And once they stepped out for the second half, there was only going to be one winner.

England were imperious at Twickenham, scoring three tries in the opening 12 minutes of the second half. The impressive performance was capped off by a seventh try from Ben Earl right at the death.

Steve Borthwick’s side showed that they mean business as they take the title fight to the final weekend. They’ll expect to get past Wales, and then face a nervous wait as France take on Scotland in the final game of a busy Saturday.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations week five fixtures

Italy v Ireland – Saturday 15th March, 14:15
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Wales v England – Saturday 15th March, 16:45
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

France v Scotland – Saturday 15th March, 20:00
Stade de France, Paris

After a week off, the Guinness Men’s Six Nations roared back into action over the weekend.

England claimed the Calcutta Cup as they finally ended their hoodoo by beating old rivals Scotland, while Wales’ woes continued in another defeat against Ireland. There are now just two gameweeks to play and Ireland look set to win the competition for the third time in a row. Can anyone stop them?

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	Points Difference	Bonus	Points
1	Ireland	3	3	0	0	28	2	14
2	France	3	2	0	1	91	3	11
3	England	3	2	0	1	-3	2	10
4	Scotland	3	1	0	2	-3	2	6
5	Italy	3	1	0	2	-54	0	4
6	Wales	3	0	0	3	-59	1	1

Ireland survive scare to claim Triple Crown

Wales 18-27 Ireland

Ireland avoided a potential banana skin as they produced a phenomenal second-half comeback to pile more misery on Wales. The Irish followed up wins against England and Scotland to secure the Triple Crown and continue their march towards another title.

Considering Wales’ recent form, Ireland would have felt that they were in for an easy afternoon in Cardiff. The hosts didn’t make it comfortable but class ultimately prevailed as Ireland powered through to condemn them to a 15th consecutive defeat.

Ireland centre Garry Ringrose was shown a 20-minute red card in the first half, which allowed Wales to dream of a famous upset as they led 13-10 at half time. The visitors may have felt their hopes of a record third consecutive Guinness Men’s Six Nations title were falling away, particularly as Wales edged further ahead after the break, leading 18-10.

But second-half tries from Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne masterminded a triumphant comeback to continue their course towards another Grand Slam. The Irish face their trickiest test this weekend with a home clash against France.

If they come through that game unscathed, another Guinness Men’s Six Nations title will be within touching distance. Meanwhile, Wales are looking to avoid another wooden spoon after finishing bottom of the pile last year – they face Scotland and Wales in their final two games.

England see off Scotland to win Calcutta Cup

England 16-15 Scotland

History will eternally show that England finally broke their curse against Scotland on Saturday – but it could have been oh so different had Finn Russell’s last minute conversion kick been a few inches to the right.

Scotland were in control from the off and found themselves three points ahead at the break thanks to tries from Ben White and Huw Jones. The visitors looked set to continue their chokehold on England, having beaten them in each of their last four Guinness Men’s Six Nations meetings.

But England edged into the lead thanks to some phenomenal kicking, with two confident penalties from Marcus Smith and an incredible Fin Smith effort from the halfway line. Despite their professional display, Scotland looked to have won it late on when record try scorer Duhan van der Merwe went over to put them just a point behind.

All Scotland needed was a conversion to break English hearts once again. As the bulk of the Allianz Stadium resigned themselves to yet another defeat to the Scots, Russell’s misjudged kick narrowly missed the posts and London erupted as the Scots were condemned to a second defeat in as many games.

The win secured England the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2020 and they now trail Ireland by four points in the table. The good news for Steve Borthwick’s side is that they’ve got their trickiest fixtures out of the way, with Italy and Wales to come.

But they’ll need France to do them a favour against the Irish this weekend. Meanwhile, Scotland face Wales next before travelling to France on the final weekend.

France put Italy to bed in ruthless performance

Italy 24-73 France

With France’s clash against Italy not taking place until Sunday afternoon, there may have been some nerves among the players and fans alike. They would have watched Ireland grind out yet another win the day before and they knew they had to match it to stand any hope of winning this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

But they needn’t have worried. The 2022 champions were imperious in Rome, putting the hosts to the sword in a ruthless performance. France scored a phenomenal 11 tries, including two from star man Antoine Dupont who has shown his side exactly what they were missing this time last year.

In any other game, Italy would have been proud of the points they managed to get on the board, with three tries and some confident kicking earning them a respectable tally. But those points are meaningless when they’re so emphatically dwarfed by the dominance of their opponents.

France will now be full of confidence going into next week’s vital clash against Ireland. The winner of that game will feel they have one hand on the trophy – although a France win could be good news for England.

Meanwhile, Italy will be licking their wounds as they look to bounce back at Twickenham. England may not be as free scoring as the French but they’ll be hard to break down and will make it tough for their Italian visitors.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations week four fixtures

Ireland v France – Saturday 8th March, 14:15
The Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Scotland v Wales – Saturday 8th March, 16:45
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh

England v Italy – Sunday 9th March, 15:00
Allianz Stadium, London

After the second week of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations, all signs are pointing to it being Ireland’s year once again as they strolled to their second win in a row.

Despite losing to the reigning champions in week one, England will harbour ambitions of topping the table after a dramatic win over France. Meanwhile, things continue to look bleak for Wales after yet another defeat.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	Points Difference	Bonus	Points
1	Ireland	2	2	0	0	19	2	10
2	France	2	1	0	1	42	2	6
3	England	2	1	0	1	-4	2	6
4	Scotland	2	1	0	1	-2	1	5
5	Italy	2	1	0	1	-5	0	4
6	Wales	2	0	0	2	-50	1	1

Are Wales destined for another wooden spoon?

Italy 22-15 Wales

After a disastrous 2024, things have gone from bad to worse for Wales. Warren Gatland’s side suffered their second successive defeat in this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, this time at the hands of Italy who they would have had in their sights as a target to put their poor form behind them.

It was Wales’ first defeat in Rome for 18 years and they’ve now lost 14 consecutive matches. They look set to finish bottom of the table once again and things don’t get much easier – they face reigning champions Ireland next time out.

For Italy, it was a much-needed win after they started their campaign with a defeat to Scotland. They were almost out of sight at half-time as they led 16-3 thanks to Ange Capuozzo, who scored their only try in style.

Tommaso Allan was also key with his boot, scoring five penalties and a conversion in the game to alleviate Wales’s signs of a second-half comeback. An Aaron Wainwright try and a penalty try for the visitors threatened a resurgence but the hosts held on to pile more misery on Gatland, whose position as boss is now hanging by a thread.

While Wales’ job only gets harder, Italy also face a tough test next time out. They meet France, who will be out for blood after suffering late heartbreak against England at the weekend.

England leave it late to stun France

England 26-25 France

England’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign came alive in dramatic style at the weekend as they enjoyed a late late show against France. Elliot Daly was the man of the moment, going over to score a try in the 79th minute, which Fin Smith duly converted to give England a one-point victory.

It was Smith’s first start at fly-half and he repaid Steve Borthwick’s faith in him by stepping up when it mattered. A cagey first half was littered with sloppy play, poor handling and plenty of errors as it took until the 29th minute for the first points to be recorded.

The game finally roared into life when Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored the opening try, which was quickly cancelled out by Ollie Lawrence to keep things level at the break. England found themselves 18-12 behind but would have felt they were in a good position to win when Fin Baxter scored to put them ahead.

A second Bielle-Biarrey put the visitors in the ascendancy and England may have felt that it wasn’t to be their day. But they never stopped fighting and finally got their reward when Daly stormed home to steal the win in a dramatic afternoon in south west London.

With a weekend off, both sides will be looking to regroup as they look ahead to week three. Next time out, England are aiming to win the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2020. They take on Scotland, who have had their number in each of their last four Guinness Men’s Six Nations meetings.

France suffered a blow in their quest to win the title for the second time in four years. They’ll regroup as they prepare to face Italy – they’ll need Ireland to trip up at some point if they want to finish top of the table.

Ireland cruise to another win

Scotland 18-32 Ireland

Ireland are targeting a third Guinness Men’s Six Nations title in a row and they’ve already got one hand on the trophy. They’ve won their first two games of 2025 and after France slipped up against England, it’s now very much in Ireland’s hands.

After beating England themselves in week one, Ireland continued to purr at the weekend with a confident win over Scotland. They claimed another bonus point thanks to tries from Calvin Nash, Caelan Doris, James Lowe and Jack Conan.

The visitors stormed into a 17-0 lead and only a Duhan van der Merwe try at the end of the first half gave the Scots credit at the break. Ireland continued to dominate in the second half and looked out of sight, with Ben White’s second-half try slightly reducing the arrears.

It was Ireland’s 11th consecutive win since losing to England in last year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations. That game prevented a second Grand Slam in a row and they’ll be looking to make up for that this time around. With Wales up next, they’ll expect to win comfortably and will then only be two games from yet another title.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations week three fixtures

Wales v Ireland– Saturday 22nd February, 14:15
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

England v Scotland– Saturday 22nd February, 16:45
Allianz Stadium, London

Italy v France– Sunday 23rd February, 15:00
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

After weeks of build-up, the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations finally got underway at the weekend. France kicked things off in style with a triumphant win over Wales, while Ireland came from behind to beat England and avenge last year’s Grand Slam-ending defeat.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	Points Difference	Bonus	Points
1	France	1	1	0	0	43	1	5
2	Scotland	1	1	0	0	12	1	5
3	Ireland	1	1	0	0	5	1	5
4	England	1	0	0	1	-5	1	1
5	Italy	1	0	0	1	-12	0	0
6	Wales	1	0	0	1	-43	0	0

France run riot as Wales woes continue

France 43-0 Wales

It was a familiar story for Wales as they were forced to merely take part in Friday night’s opening Guinness Men’s Six Nations match. France have established themselves as one of the most-feared nations in world rugby in recent years and they showed exactly why in Paris.

The hosts were on fire as they raced into a stunning 28-0 half-time lead, inspired by the returning Antoine Dupont. The France talisman missed the competition last year in order to focus on representing his nation in the rugby sevens at the Olympic Games.

And after claiming a gold medal, he put on a gold star performance, providing three assists in the 49 minutes he was on the pitch. While he wasn’t among France’s points scorers, he was central to almost all of their attacking play and he beautifully set up both of Theo Attissogbé’s first-half tries.

Attissogbé’s opposite wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey also scored a double and the pair will undoubtedly be feared by any defence they come up against in the coming weeks. While France partied, Wales will be wondering when things might turn around for them.

Not even a red card for France’s Romain Ntamack gave them any hope of scoring. 2024 saw Wales become the first international side since 1937 to lose every match in a calendar year.

Their dismal form saw them claim the wooden spoon after finishing rock-bottom of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations table and if Warren Gatland doesn’t find answers soon, they’re in danger of repeating the feat this time around.

Scotland start strongly against Italy

Scotland 31-19 Italy

Duhan van der Merwe was the star of the show for Scotland last year as he became their all-time leading try scorer. But the wing turned provider at the weekend as he played his part in helping Huw Jones grab the headlines with a stunning hat-trick.

The centre scored his first after just eight minutes and after it was converted, Scotland were in dreamland as they led 10-0. Italy recovered well but the hosts held firm to go into the break 19-9 up.

An even second half meant the Scots stayed in control, as Jones added two more tries to take his international tally to 22. It was the perfect start for Gregor Townsend but his side have bigger tests to come, starting against defending champions Ireland this week.

Meanwhile, Italy are set for a huge clash against Wales. Both sides will be desperate to avoid the wooden spoon and it’s highly likely that the loser of Sunday’s meeting will be destined to finish bottom of the pile in this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Ireland come from behind to sink England

Ireland 27-22 England

As England took to the field in Dublin on Saturday evening, they would have been forgiven for thinking they had more than a chance of getting a result. Just over 11 months ago, a dramatic last-gasp drop goal from Marcus Smith earned England a one-point win over their old rivals.

That win ultimately prevented Ireland from securing a second successive Grand Slam. And while England were confident at kick-off at the weekend, they’d have been pinching themselves at half-time after going into the break with a 10-5 advantage.

A debut try from Cadan Murley set them on their way in a battling opening period. Sadly for England, they’d hurt Ireland’s pride, which ultimately woke the beast. The hosts came out firing in the second half and took control. A trio of tries from Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne and Dan Sheehan all but secured a bonus point win for the Irish and a triumphant start as they seek their third consecutive Guinness Men’s Six Nations title.

The visitors clawed back some pride late on, with tries from Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman confirming a losing bonus point. While Steve Borthwick’s side will have had high hopes going into the competition, they’ve now lost six of their last seven games and a meeting with France this weekend could further compound their misery.

Ireland face a tricky trip to Scotland but they’ll be full of confidence. They then face minnows Italy and will expect to be flying high at the top of the table by the time they meet the French in week four.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations week two fixtures

Italy v Wales – Saturday 8th February, 14:15
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

England v France – Saturday 8th February, 16:45
Allianz Stadium, London

Scotland v Ireland – Sunday 9th February, 15:00
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

With the Guinness Men’s Six Nations kicking off tomorrow evening, we’ve saved the best until last. Ireland are ranked as the second best side in the world behind New Zealand and they’re targeting a third consecutive title.

They meet old rivals England in their opening fixture on Saturday and ahead of their title defence, we’ve taken a closer look at their chances.

How have they been playing?

After securing the Guinness Men’s Six Nations last year, Ireland showed exactly why they’re not quite ranked the best side in the world in the Autumn Nations Series.

They came up against New Zealand in their opening game and were ultimately schooled in their own backyard as they lost 23-13. The All Blacks have developed into something of a bogey team for the Irish, having knocked them out of the World Cup in their previous meeting.

However, Ireland recovered to prove themselves as one of the top sides on the planet. They secured narrow wins over Argentina and Australia, while they tossed Fiji aside in their clash, beating them 52-17 in Dublin.

In last year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Ireland won four of their five matches, with a one-point defeat at the hands of England preventing a second consecutive Grand Slam. Marcus Smith broke Irish hearts as he fired home a drop goal in the dying embers of the game to secure victory for England at Twickenham.

Ireland will be looking to avenge that defeat as they face England in their opening game this weekend. If they can beat England, all eyes will be on their clash with France in Dublin on Saturday 8th March.

If both sides perform to the best of their ability in their opening four games, that could well be the match that decides the winner of this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Who are Ireland’s key players?

With coach Andy Farrell taking some time out to focus on the British and Irish Lions, Simon Easterby has stepped up to take charge for this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign.

And the defence coach hasn’t been afraid to shake things up. Uncapped 22-year-old Jack Boyle is in the squad for the first time after impressing for Leinster. Meanwhile, a string of familiar faces are back in the fold, with James Lowe, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong back in the squad after injury. However, Furlong is set to miss out this weekend following the recurrence of a calf injury.

Jimmy O’Brien is also set for a return to the Ireland set-up. The fullback has not played for his nation since Ireland’s quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup. Caelan Doris will captain the side for the Guiness Men’s Six Nations campaign.

Tom O’Toole is not in the initial squad after being suspended for six matches, while Craig Casey missed out through injury. Perhaps surprisingly, there’s no space for Thomas Ahern – the Munster lock misses out despite his impressive form this season.

Ireland Guinness Men’s Six Nations fixtures

Ireland v England – Saturday 1st February, 16:45
The Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Scotland v Ireland – Sunday 9th February, 15:00
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Wales v Ireland – Saturday 22nd February, 14:15
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Ireland v France – Saturday 8th March, 14:15
The Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Italy v Ireland – Saturday 15th March, 14:15
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Hospitality for Ireland’s matches

If you want to watch Ireland defend their crown in style, you can make the most of our exclusive hospitality area in the Marian College Marquee.

It’s located a short walk from the Aviva Stadium and as well as premium seats, you’ll get all this:

●    Early admission to the corporate hospitality areas
●    Full complimentary bar
●    Delicious three-course gourmet meal paired with superior wines
●    Finger food during the post-match reception
●    Interview with current Ireland players
●    HD TVs with video replays, ref talk and an official match programme

To join us for either of Ireland’s Guiness Men’s Six Nations matches at the Aviva Stadium, enquire today to reserve your place.

Ireland squad

Forwards: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster) Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster)

With the Guinness Men’s Six Nations getting underway this weekend, our attention turns to Scotland. Having already previewed England and Wales’ chances, we’ve taken a closer look at Gregor Townsend’s side, who enjoyed a positive showing in the Autumn Nations Series.

How have they been playing?

Despite finishing fourth in last year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Scotland fans have every reason to be positive going into this year’s competition. They performed well in the Autumn Nations Series, winning three of their four matches.

The Scots stormed past Fiji in their opening game, scoring nine tries in a 57-17 rout, with Darcy Graham bagging four. They followed that up with a defeat to South Africa before beating Portugal in their third game.

Scotland came up against Australia in their final match of the series and against all odds, they ran out 27-13 winners in a triumphant performance. Duhan van der Merwe notched his 30th international try to edge back in front as Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer.

Their strong showing at the back end of last year will breed confidence ahead of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, as will their recent head-to-head record against England. Scotland have won their last four meetings with their neighbours. In fact, England have won just one of the last seven meetings between the two nations.

Scotland will be desperate to continue that run but they’ll need to improve their results against the other sides. They’ve not won the competition since its final outing as the Five Nations back in 1999, while they’ve only finished in the top half of the final table twice in the last decade.

They start their campaign against Italy, which could breed some much-needed confidence into both the players and the fans. On the other hand, a difficult game and a negative result could see them doomed before the tournament has barely started.

Who are Scotland’s key players?

Fergus Burke will be looking to make an impression after being drafted into the Scotland squad for the first time. The 25-year-old is from New Zealand but qualifies for the Scots through his grandfather.

The fly-half has plenty of pedigree, having joined Saracens last year to replace Owen Farrell. Burke is joined in the squad by fellow first-timer Jack Mann, who will be hoping to gain his maiden international cap this weekend.

Elsewhere, the experienced Jonny Gray is back in the squad after missing the Autumn Nations Series through injury. Dave Cherry has also earned a recall, while Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu will captain his nation.

Record try scorer Van der Merwe is in the squad and will be hoping to continue his rich scoring form – he scored nine tries in 2024, including a hat-trick in Scotland’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations win over England.

Max Williamson has missed out on the squad with an injury. Meanwhile, Kyle Steyn is also injured, but could make a return for Scotland’s later games.

Scotland Guinness Men’s Six Nations fixtures

Scotland v Italy – Saturday 1st February, 14:15
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Scotland v Ireland – Sunday 9th February, 15:00
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

England v Scotland – Saturday 22nd February, 16:45
Allianz Stadium, London

Scotland v Wales – Saturday 8th March, 16:45
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh

France v Scotland – Saturday 15th March, 20:00
Stade de France, Paris

Hospitality for Scotland’s matches

Three of Scotland’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations matches take place at the iconic Murrayfield Stadium and you can join us for the action in the best seats in the house.

You’ll be treated like royalty from minute one, with priority check-in, dedicated turnstiles and unrivalled views of the pitch. Plus, you’ll also get all of this:

●    Welcome drink of champagne, gin and tonic or beer
●    Three-course meal and post-match snack created by our Executive Head Chef
●    Fully inclusive bar with dedicated drinks hosts
●    Fine wines chosen by our sommelier alongside your meal
●    Entertainment from rugby legends past and present
●    The chance to win exclusive memorabilia

We’d love for you to join us in the Thistle Suite – enquire today to reserve your place.

Scotland squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Gregor Brown (Glasgow), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Scott Cummings (Glasgow), Rory Darge (Glasgow), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Bordeaux), Patrick Harrison (Edinburgh), Will Hurd (Leicester), Jack Mann (Glasgow), D’Arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Dylan Richardson (Sharks), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh)

Backs: Fergus Burke (Saracens), Matt Currie (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), George Horne (Glasgow), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton), Huw Jones (Glasgow), Tom Jordan (Glasgow), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Bath), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (Toulon)

After previewing England’s chances in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, our attention now turns to Wales. Warren Gatland’s side get this year’s competition underway a week tomorrow with a tough test away at France.

Ahead of their opening fixture, we’ve taken a look at their chances as they look to bounce back from a nightmare 2024.

How have they been playing?

Wales took the wooden spoon for the first time in 21 years in last year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations. They finished rock-bottom of the table as they lost all five of their matches, just three years after lifting the trophy back in 2021.

Wales’ disastrous Guinness Men’s Six Nations showing 12 months ago set the tone for the year. They lost all of their remaining matches in 2024, becoming the first international rugby team to lose every single match in a calendar year since 1937.

Five of those defeats came at the hands of Australia and South Africa, which would usually be forgiven. Yet their 24-19 defeat to Fiji in the Autumn Nations Series in November was a cause for concern and Gatland has a job on his hands to turn their fortunes around.

A trip to Paris in the curtain-raiser will be tricky but following that they’ll be heading to Italy, who they’ll fancy their chances of beating. A win over the Italians would likely be enough to avoid a successive wooden spoon, although they should realistically be setting their sights higher.

Wales end their Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign by welcoming neighbours England to Cardiff in mid-March. Depending on how the competition goes, there’s every chance that clash could be Gatland’s final time in charge.

Who are Wales’ key players?

Following a 2024 to forget, Wales clearly needed a huge shake-up so it’s no surprise that Gatland has shaken up his squad. With Dewi Lake injured, Ospreys forward Jac Morgan has taken over as captain for the spring fixtures. Sam Costelow is also out with an injury, which has led to a few raised eyebrows after fly-half Gareth Anscombe was left out.

Meanwhile, Wales have been strengthened by the return of some key players from injury. Josh Adams, Elliot Dee, Taulupe Faletau, Dafydd Jenkins, Joe Roberts and Liam Williams are all back in the fold having missed the Autumn Nations Series through injury.

Like England, Wales have named two uncapped players in their squad in the shape of Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards and Scarlets wing Ellis Mee. And they might not be their only Guiness Men’s Six Nations debutants – eight players that made their debut in 2024 are hopeful of their bows in the iconic competition.

Gatland’s squad is packed full of youth and inexperience. With an average age of 26, there are an astonishing 18 players in the camp with 10 caps or fewer. The Wales boss will be hoping that a new-look group with a fresh mindset will fire them into action as they look to put 2024 behind them.

Wales Guiness Men’s Six Nations fixtures

France v Wales – Friday 31st January, 20:15
Stade de France, Paris

Italy v Wales – Saturday 8th February, 14:15
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Wales v Ireland – Saturday 22nd February, 14:15
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Scotland v Wales – Saturday 8th March, 16:45
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh

Wales v England – Saturday 15th March, 16:45
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Hospitality for Wales’ matches

As ever, you can enjoy all of Wales’ home Guiness Men’s Six Nations games from the comfort of our premium hospitality facility.

The exclusive area at the Principality Stadium is located in the iconic Gaucho restaurant – as well as unrivalled views from your Category A seat, you’ll also get all this:

●    Sparkling wine reception
●    Three house beverages per person (Guinness, draught lager or wine)
●    Delicious three-course lunch with half a bottle of wine per person
●    Guest speakers
●    Complimentary match programme
●    Hostess service

If you’d like to watch the rugby action in Cardiff from the best seats in the house, enquire today to reserve your place.

Wales squad

Forwards: Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby), James Botham (Cardiff Rugby), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), WillGriff John (Sale Sharks), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Sam Parry (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Will Rowlands (Racing 92), Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby), Henry Thomas (Scarlets), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby)

Backs: Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby), Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Rugby), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Josh Hathaway (Gloucester Rugby), Eddie James (Scarlets), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Joe Roberts (Scarlets), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Saracens), Rhodri Williams (Dragons), Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby)

The wait is almost over – it’s almost time for the return of the greatest rugby competition in the world. The 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations is less than two weeks away, with a month and a half of top-class international action to look forward to.

As the anticipation builds, we’re going to be taking a closer look at each of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, analysing their chances of winning and highlighting the incredible hospitality options we have available.

First up is England, who are looking to win the Guinness Men’s Six Nations for the first time since 2020. Can they go all the way for a record 40th time since the competition began in 1883? Let’s find out!

How have they been playing?

On paper, England’s performance in the Autumn Nations Series leaves a lot to be desired. Yet there were plenty of positives to take from their campaign, despite three defeats in their four matches.

Those losses don’t necessarily tell the whole story, as they were all narrow and came against some of the world’s best sides. England led their opener against New Zealand 22-14 and ultimately only lost by two points.

Meanwhile, their defeat to Australia saw them score their most ever points in a home defeat, with the visitors securing a last-gasp win. England then lost to South Africa before finishing the series with a huge 59-14 win over Japan.

Steve Borthwick’s side were imperious at Twickenham, scoring eight tries in a dominant performance that will have given them huge confidence going into their spring fixtures. They face a tricky start to the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, with Ireland and France coming up in their opening two games.

But if they can get through those with positive results, it’ll put them in a strong position for their remaining games and they’ll feel that they already have one hand on the iconic trophy.

Who are England’s key players?

Borthwick has freshened things up ahead of the competition, handing the captaincy to Saracens lock Maro Itoje. The 30-year-old becomes the 136th skipper in England history as he replaces Jamie George, who will serve as vice-captain.

England will be looking at George Ford and Marcus Smith to be key figures in their quest for points. Smith has become an essential cog in the side since his debut back in 2021. The versatile star can play at both full-back and fly-half and he’s naturally filled the shoes of former captain Owen Farrell, who last played for England in 2023.

In a new-look squad, Borthwick has selected 13 players with fewer than 10 caps, including two uncapped hopefuls. Harlequins duo Oscar Beard and Cadan Murley have been rewarded for their performances this season and they’ll both be keen to make their debuts in the opener in Dublin.

Sam Underhill is set to miss out through injury, as is 2024 breakout star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. The wing made his debut against Italy almost 12 months ago and he scored five tries in a promising first year in the England fold. Sadly, he’ll miss out on a second Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign after dislocating his shoulder last month.

England Guinness Men’s Six Nations fixtures

Ireland v England – Saturday 1st February, 16:45
The Aviva Stadium, Dublin

England v France – Saturday 8th February, 16:45
Allianz Stadium, London

England v Scotland – Saturday 22nd February, 16:45
Allianz Stadium, London

England v Italy – Sunday 9th March, 15:00
Allianz Stadium, London

Wales v England – Saturday 15th March, 16:45
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Hospitality for England’s matches

If you want to watch the greatest yearly rugby competition in style, we’re offering exclusive hospitality packages for all of England’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations matches.

For the three games at the Allianz Stadium, you can enjoy a day of luxury in our ICON facility. It’s located just a few steps from your premium allocated seats and you can make the most of all this:

●    Welcome Champagne reception
●    Complimentary bar
●    Delicious four-course lunch with selected wines
●    Complimentary programme
●    VIP host service throughout the day
●    Meet and greets with rugby legends

Fancy watching the rugby in style? Enquire today to reserve your place.

England squad

Forwards: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester), Alex Coles (Northampton), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale), Tom Curry (Sale), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester), Ted Hill (Bath), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Martin (Leicester), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale), Bevan Rodd (Sale), Will Stuart (Bath), Tom Willis (Saracens).

Backs: Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton), George Ford (Sale), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Alex Mitchell (Northampton), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Harry Randall (Bristol), Tom Roebuck (Sale), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton), Fin Smith (Northampton), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester).

The Autumn Nations Series is all but over and rugby fans couldn’t have asked for a better weekend of action. There were surprise results, historic defeats and high-scoring games – plus, England finally managed to secure a victory.

France continue form against Argentina

France 37-23 Argentina

The hosts were pretty much out of sight at half-time thanks to tries from Thibaud Flament and Gabin Villiere, while Thomas Ramos was on form with his boot. France followed up their dramatic win over New Zealand with another victory to end their campaign with a perfect record.

Argentina attempted a fightback in the second half and converted tries from Thomas Gallo and Ignacio Ruiz made the scoreline respectable but they didn’t quite have enough in the end. They end their series with a win and two defeats.

Ireland on fire against Fiji

Ireland 52-17 Fiji

It was a triumphant win for Ireland in their penultimate game as they brushed Fiji aside. The hosts scored four tries either side of half-time, with one of those coming from Gus McCarthy on his debut.

Like Argentina, Fiji improved in the second half and looked to mount an unlikely comeback, scoring twice through Kitione Salawa and Setareki Turagacoke. But they couldn’t stop Ireland and they finished their European tour with two wins and two defeats.

Wales make history in miserable defeat

Wales 12-45 South Africa

South Africa piled more misery on Wales in a rampant victory in Cardiff that secured them the Prince William Cup. Wales lost all of their Autumn Nations Series games to become the first side to lose every single match in a calendar year since 1937.

They could do nothing to stop South Africa, who scored seven tries in a dominant performance. Rio Dyer and James Botham scored tries to save some face but it was a day to forget for the hosts, who need a serious overhaul ahead of the Six Nations next spring.

On the other hand, South Africa enjoyed a successful series in Europe, having also recorded victories over Scotland and England.

New Zealand bounce back in Italy

Italy 11-29 New Zealand

New Zealand finished their Autumn Nations Series with a routine win in Italy to put their narrow defeat to France firmly behind them. The All Blacks will be delighted with their tour, having won three of their four games.

Italy will be less pleased, with their only win coming against Georgia. Beauden Barrett was the star of the show for the visitors in Torino, scoring 14 points. Italy were lacklustre throughout, with their solitary try not coming until the 75th minute through Tommaso Menoncello.

Scotland stun Australia in Edinburgh

Scotland 27-13 Australia

An unlikely win for Scotland over Australia in their final game secured them the Hopetoun Cup and set a new record for the most Test wins in a calendar year. Duhan van der Merwe was also back in the record books – he reclaimed his spot as Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer, notching their second.

Aussie wing wizard Harry Potter worked his magic to score a try on his debut for the visitors but it wasn’t enough to rescue a result for the visitors. Scotland end their campaign with three wins out of four, while Australia will be looking to bounce back against Ireland this weekend.

England finally secure win against Japan

England 59-14 Japan

After losing their first three games to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, England bowed out of their Autumn Nations Series campaign in style against Japan. They were out of sight after half an hour thanks to tries from Ben Earl, Sam Underhill and a double from Jamie George.

Ollie Sleightholme added a fifth before the break – his fourth in his last three games. Further tries from George Furbank, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Roebuck piled the misery on Japan to wow a jubilant crowd at Twickenham.

With their young stars more than proving worth despite being on the wrong end of a few defeats, England will be full of confidence heading into their Six Nations preparation.

Autumn Nations Series fixtures

Saturday 30th November
Ireland v Australia: 3:10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

In the final game of the Autumn Nations Series, former Ireland boss Joe Schmid returns to Dublin. The Kiwi led Ireland to three Six Nations titles but he’ll be looking to get the better of them with his Australia side.

The Aussies are still reeling from their surprise defeat to Scotland and they’ll be hoping to bounce back in style. But Ireland will take some beating and could make it three wins on the trot having strolled past Fiji and Argentina in successive games.

Another thrilling weekend of Autumn Nations Series action saw Ireland, Scotland and Italy bounce back from their defeats the week before. But it was the same old story for England and Wales as they conceded defeat to their Southern Hemisphere opponents.

Ireland’s fast start sees off Argentina

Ireland 22-19 Argentina: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Six Nations champions Ireland survived a second-half comeback from Argentina to secure their first win of the Autumn Nations Series. They led 22-9 at half-time and held on for victory despite failing to score after the break.

The hosts came racing out of the blocks and scored two tries in the opening five minutes through Jack Crowley and Mack Hansen. Joe McCarthy added a third to put the hosts firmly in the driving seat.

Juan Cruz Mallia got one back to keep the visitors in the game but Ireland held firm to bounce back from the previous week’s defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

Scotland thrash Portugal

Scotland 59-21 Portugal: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

The Scots lost to South Africa last week but they were back on form with a nine-try thrashing of Portugal. They were 33-7 to the good at the break and continued in that vein in the second half, despite the visitors improving.

Scotland ran riot with seven different try scorers, including two in three second-half minutes from Arron Reed. Portugal notched two converted tries in the second half but after a rampant opening 40 minutes, there was only going to be one winner at Murrayfield.

England suffer third straight defeat

England 20-29 South Africa: Allianz Stadium, London

Despite their recent defeats, England looked to have turned a corner of late. But they slumped to their third consecutive Autumn Nations Series defeat in a disappointing display against South Africa.

Steve Borthwick’s side enjoyed a dream start as Ollie Sleightholme went over in the third minute to score his third try in two matches. But the visitors soon got into their stride and notched three tries in 11 minutes through Grant Williams, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Cheslin Kolbe.

Sam Underhill got one back before the break to leave England trailing by just two points at half-time. But England endured a difficult second period and their only points came through a Marcus Smith penalty.

England were nowhere near as sharp going forward as they had been against Australia the previous week when they scored five tries. They’ll be hoping to pick things up against Japan on Sunday as they look to end their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a win.

France come from behind to stun New Zealand

France 30-29 New Zealand: Stade de France, Paris

The French mounted a stunning second-half comeback to beat New Zealand having trailed 19-10 at half-time. The visitors raced ahead with two early tries from Peter Lakai and Cam Roigard.

But France turned the game on its head quickly after the break and tries from Paul Boudehent and Louis Bielle-Biarrey put them in the ascendancy. Damian McKenzie notched a 74th minute penalty to put New Zealand within a point of the hosts and set up a grandstand finish. But France held on and secured their second win in a row.

Italy bounce back against Georgia

Italy 20-17 Georgia: Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa

Like France, Italy trailed at half-time and were forced to turn things around in a thrilling second period. The Italians lost their first game to Argentina but survived a scare in Genoa.

Georgia led 17-6 at half-time thanks to tries from Aka Tabutsadze and Vasil Lobzhanidze – Italy’s only points were a pair of Paolo Garbisi penalties. But a penalty try after the break got Italy back in their groove and Alessandro Fusco sealed the win with a try of his own.

Wales’ dismal run goes on

Wales 20-52 Australia

It was a miserable day in Cardiff as Australia condemned Wales to their 11th consecutive international defeat, leaving Warren Gatland’s future as coach in jeopardy. The hosts only trailed by six points at the break in a fairly even first-half contest.

But Australia stepped things up a gear in the second half to leave Wales in their wake. Tom Wright and Matt Faessler both bagged a hat-trick apiece as the visitors ran riot. Ben Thomas scored a consultation try for Wales late on but by then it was very much too little, too late.

Autumn Nations Series fixtures this weekend

Friday 22nd November
 France v Argentina: 8:10pm – Stade de France, Paris

Saturday 23rd November
 Ireland v Fiji: 3:10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Wales v South Africa: 5:40pm – Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Italy v New Zealand: 8:10pm – Allianz Stadium, Turin

Sunday 24th November
Scotland v Australia: 1:40pm – Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
England v Japan: 4:10pm – Allianz Stadium, London

Most teams play their final Autumn Nations Series games this weekend and they’ll be looking to go out in style. France kick proceedings off against Argentina and they’ll be hoping to continue their momentum after their stunning win over the All Blacks.

Ireland should have far too much for Fiji, while defeat for Wales against South Africa will condemn them to their first calendar year without a win since 1937. New Zealand head to Italy looking to make amends for their defeat in Dublin.

Sunday sees Australia looking to secure a third consecutive win on British soil against Scotland. Meanwhile, England are targeting their first Autumn Nations Series win as they face Japan.

Autumn Nations Series fixtures

Saturday 30th November
Ireland v Australia: 3:10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin