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BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Thursday night blockbuster to start 2026 Six Nations
Ireland will travel to defending champions France in the first-ever Thursday night fixture in Six Nations' history when the 2026 tournament begins on 5 and France have won the last four titles between them and their blockbuster 20:10 GMT encounter has been brought forward to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan the following shift is designed to maximise audiences in France. The finale of last year's tournament, when France beat Scotland to secure the title, returned record Six Nations audiences in France with 9.5m people (a 46% share of viewers) watching live on France2., externalThe 2026 tournament recorded a 6.3% increase in audience in domestic markets has also been confirmed there will be only one rest weekend, rather than the previous two, in the 2026 tournament. 2026 Six Nations fixtures in full (all times GMT) Round 1France v Ireland - Thursday 5 February (20:10)Italy v Scotland - Saturday 7 February (14:10)England v Wales - Saturday 7 February (16:40)Round 2Ireland v Italy - Saturday 14 February (14:10)Scotland v England - Saturday 14 February (16:40)Wales v France - Sunday 15 Feburary (15:10)Round 3 England v Ireland - Saturday 21 February (14:10)Wales v Scotland - Saturday 21 February (16:40)France v Italy - Sunday 22 February (15:10)Round 4Ireland v Wales - Friday 6 March (20:10)Scotland v France - Saturday 7 March (14:10)Italy v England - Saturday 7 March (16:40)Round 5 Ireland v Scotland - Saturday 14 March (14:10)Wales v Italy - Saturday 14 March (16:40)France v England - Saturday 14 March (20:10) The opening three rounds of matches will be played in successive weeks, with the weekend of 28 February and 1 March left final two rounds will follow on successive weekends, ending in a 'Super Saturday' of back-to-back fixtures with France hosting England in the final match. It is hoped the shorter length of the tournament will allow it to gather more momentum, with narratives holding the public attention more the third round of fixtures would have been sandwiched between two rest France take on Ireland, the rest of the opening round of fixtures sees Scotland travel to Italy on Saturday, 7 February (14:10 GMT) and England host Wales on the same day (16:40 GMT).France are still to confirm the venues for their French Rugby Federation said in December it had not yet received a satisfactory proposal to stay at the Stade de France, their usual Paris added it was considering "the various opportunities available" played in Marseille, Lille and Lyon in the 2024 Six Nations while preparations for the Olympics in Paris meant the Stade de France was off three venues can hold more than 50,000, but none can match the 80,000 capacity and revenue generated by the Stade de France. Six Nations organisers have also confirmed that the 2026 women's tournament will kick off three weeks later than the 2025 edition, pushing it to an April start and May finish. The change is part of new and separate global calendar for the women's game. It means England's PWR season will conclude after mid-summer with the top flight having a rest weekend followed by two regular-season rounds, semi-finals and a 27 June final after the conclusion of the Women's Six Nations.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Six Nations 2026 to start on Thursday night as full schedule revealed
France and Ireland will open the 2026 Six Nations on a Thursday night with a blockbuster clash between the regular title rivals. The defending champions will host Andy Farrell's side on 6 February under the lights, with the opening weekend of the tournament beginning early in part to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics a day later. The first round also features England and Wales renewing their rivalry at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, while Scotland travel to Rome to face Italy . 'Super Saturday', meanwhile, will see Ireland host Scotland and Wales take on Italy before France and England conclude the championship on 14 March. The 2026 edition of the men's tournament is a week shorter than previous years due to changes to the international calendar, with one of the two fallow weeks removed. Three rounds will take place before a weekend off at the end of February, with the action resuming on Friday 6 March as Ireland welcome Wales to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The location for France's games is still to be confirmed with no deal yet agreed with the Stade de France, though it is understood that organisers are planning for Fabien Galthie's side to be playing in Paris. Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to continue to watch the annual tournament live on the BBC and ITV after the broadcasters renewed their joint agreement to show the men's Six Nations. ITV will have coverage of every England game, with the BBC showing the five Wales and Scotland home fixtures not involving Steve Borthwick's team 2026 Men's Six Nations fixtures (all times GMT) Round One Thursday 5 February: France vs Ireland (8.10pm, TBC) Saturday 7 February: Italy vs Scotland (2.10pm, Rome) Saturday 7 February: England vs Wales (4.40pm, Twickenham) Round Two Saturday 14 February: Ireland vs Italy (2.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 14 February: Scotland vs England (4.40pm, Edinburgh) Sunday 15 February: Wales vs France (3.10pm, Cardiff) Round Three Saturday 21 February: England vs Ireland (2.10pm, Twickenham) Saturday 21 February: Wales vs Scotland (4.40pm, Cardiff) Sunday 22 February: France vs Italy (3.10pm, TBC) Round Four Friday 6 March: Ireland vs Wales (8.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 7 March: Scotland vs France (2.10pm, Edinburgh) Saturday 7 March: Italy vs England (4.40pm, Rome) Round Five Saturday 14 March: Ireland vs Scotland (2.10pm, Dublin) Saturday 14 March: Wales vs Italy (4.40pm, Cardiff)
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
France survive red to beat Ireland in Six Nations opener
Women's Six Nations: Ireland v FranceIreland: (5) 15Tries: Wafer 2, JonesFrance: (17) 27Tries: Vernier, Menager, Boulard Cons: Bourgeois 3 Pens: Bourgeois 2 France began the Women's Six Nations with a 27-15 win over Ireland in Belfast despite a 20-minute red for Gabrielle centre had opened the scoring with the game's first try but had her 45th minute yellow for a high tackle upgraded by the TMO Bemand's side drew within two points in the closing stages but, in a game where both teams scored three tries, France grabbed the contest's final 10 points thanks to Emilie Boulard's late score and five points off the tee from Morgane Bour French full-back kicked 12 points in total with those efforts proving to be the difference in a game where number eight Aoife Wafer crossed twice for Ireland. Across an otherwise even opening half, the French power proved decisive as the visitors made more of their trips to opposition work in contact was especially strong and it was a typically big carry from Madoussou Fall that opened up the gap for Vernier to charge through and mark her 50th cap with a responded well, with one break from Aoife Dalton bringing the home crowd to their feet, but there was a second French score seven minutes time it was an offload from flanker Charlotte Escudero that engineered the space for Marine Menager to take Bourgeois' pass in stride and go over in the corner.A clever line-out to Erin King at the front quickly transferred to a charging Aoife Wafer got Ireland on the board and they will have been heartened by a pair of defensive stands on their own tryline even if Bourgeois added a penalty. While the hosts looked to close the gap before the turn, their attack lost some shape and the half ended with a knock-on from hooker Neve Jones. Five minutes into the second half, Vernier was sent to the sidelines for a high tackle on Eve Higgins with the yellow card shown on the field then upgraded to a 20-minute took immediate advantage of their numerical advantage when, from the subsequent kick to the corner, an impressive rolling concluded with Jones over the O'Brien missed the testing conversion from the touchline and Ireland could not bridge the gap any further before France were restored to just as Axelle Berthoumieu came on to replace the dismissed Vernier, Ireland got over for their second maul try, and third off a line-out, with Wafer again credited with the score.O'Brien again could not add the extras and France remained in a two-point lead entering the final quarter of an reliable boot of Bourgeois stretched that lead to five with another penalty with eight minutes remaining. Bourgeois was centrally involved in the try that made the victory safe for France, her mazy run across the field preceding replacement Emilie Boulard adding their third try from close range. Ireland: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Higgins, Costigan (capt); O'Brien, Lane; O'Dowd, Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Wall, Hogan, King, Moloney, McCarthy, Haney, Moore, Tuite, McMahon, Reilly, Bourgeois, Llorens Vigneres, Konde, Vernier, Menager (co-capt), Arbez, Bourdon-Sansus, Brosseau, Sochat, Bernadou, M. Feleu (co-capt), Fall-Raclot, Escudero, Okemba, T. Bigot, Mwayembe, Joyeux, Berthoumieu, Champon, Chambon, Queyroi, card: VernierReferee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
