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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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).
For 20 years Engage have been delivering premium hospitality experiences around the world and we're thrilled to celebrate '20 Years of Engage' throughout the 2025 sporting and entertainment calendar. On a fantastic milestone for the company, our...