The 2025 Men’s Six Nations starts this Friday (January 31) with Ireland seeking to win three championship titles in succession.
Twenty-five years since the tournament expanded to include Italy, 15 matches will take place across five match rounds in the 2025 edition culminating in ‘Super Saturday’ on March 15.
The tournament again kicks off on a Friday evening, with France returning to Stade de France after a year’s absence, due to Olympics preparations, to host the 2025 opener against Wales – who will be determined to put last year’s Wooden Spoon woes behind them.
Defending champions Irelandmeanwhile, kick off at home against England in a blockbuster encounter on the opening weekend on Saturday February 1.
It is the first time since 1997, when known as the Five Nations, that the competition has started with a January fixture.
The 2025 Men’s Six Nations fixtures
Friday January 31
France vs Wales (8.15pm)
Saturday February 1
Scotland vs Italy (2.15pm)
Ireland vs England (4.45pm)
Saturday February 8
Italy vs Wales (2.15pm)
England vs France (4.45pm)
Sunday February 9
Scotland vs Ireland (3pm)
Saturday February 22
Wales vs Ireland (2.15pm)
England vs Scotland (4.45pm)
Sunday February 23
Italy vs France (3pm)
Saturday March 8
Ireland vs France (2.15pm)
Scotland vs Wales (4.45pm)
Ireland beat Scotland in Dublin to secure the trophy last year
Sunday March 9
England vs Italy (3pm)
Saturday March 15
Italy vs Ireland (2.15pm)
Wales vs England (4.45pm)
France vs Scotland (8pm)
Who are the defending champions?
Having claimed the Grand Slam in 2023 and then retained their title, albeit after losing one match, in 2024, Ireland are aiming for an historic hat-trick this year. No nation has previously won the championship outright in three consecutive seasons since the original Home Nations launched in 1883.
But they will have to do so without head coach Andy Farrell, who is absent from this year’s Six Nations due to his secondment to the British and Irish Lions as their head coach for the tour of Australia, which is exclusively live on Sky Sports from June 28.
We take a look back at an unforgettable moment for Alex Cuthbert as he sliced for the Australian defence to claim his fourth try of the 2013 Tour for the British and Irish Lions.
Defence coach Simon Easterby has been placed interim charge in Farrell’s absence.
What else happened in 2024?
Wales finished with the Wooden Spoon for the first time since 2003 amid a dismal campaign for Warren Gatland’s side which saw them lose all five of their matches, including a 21-24 home defeat to Italy on the final day.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland speaks to Sky Sports News explaining that the goal is to build towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Indeed, Italy finished off the foot of the table for the first time since 2015 after they finished the campaign with a flourish having beaten Scotland at home in the penultimate round and drawn with France in week three.
Scotland finished fourth, with England third behind runners-up France.
When did England last win the tournament?
England were last champions in 2020, while their last Grand Slam success came under Eddie Jones in 2016.
New captain Maro Itoje will look to lead Steve Borthwick’s side to glory this time.
Maro Itoje has replaced Jamie George as England captain ahead of their upcoming Six Nations campaign.
What’s the Grand Slam?
A team achieves a Grand Slam if they beat all the others in the competition during a single campaign, a feat which has been achieved 42 times in the history of the Five/Six Nations with Ireland the last side to do so in 2023.
What’s the Triple Crown?
Contested between the Home Nations of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the Triple Crown is secured by a team if they beat the three other teams in the same tournament. Ireland were the most recent side to do so, in 2022 and 2023.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland speaks to Sky Sports News explaining that the goal is to build towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
What’s the Calcutta Cup?
The bespoke trophy awarded to the winners of the annual England vs Scotland match in the Six Nations. The Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy contested between two international rugby sides, with England winning it on 82 occasions and Scotland 48 – including the last four in a row.
England will bid to end Scotland’s winning run in the fixture at Allianz Stadium on February 22.
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