The men's Six Nations returns in January. Here’s all you need to know about the northern hemisphere’s biggest rugby tournament.
The Six Nations 2025 sees England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales competing for the coveted title – and maybe even a grand slam.
The veteran championship is a staple of the rugby calendar and one of the most popular international tournaments in the world. Taking place every year, it reignites old rivalries between the top sides in Europe, and the stakes will be even higher in 2025, as many players will be competing for a place on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
Ireland head into the Six Nations 2025 looking for a third title in a row. They didn’t win a clean sweep in 2024, however, after England crashed their party at Twickenham, and go into this tournament with temporary boss Simon Easterby at the helm, as head coach Andy Farrell has the honour of managing the Lions.
Related: Check out last year’s final Six Nations table
France have been their closest rivals in recent years and – with superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont back from winning gold in the Olympic rugby sevens – seem likely to be the biggest threat to an Irish hat-trick. That said, Scotland can beat almost anyone on their day, while Steve Borthwick’s England side will be extremely dangerous if they can turn their recent run of narrow defeats into victories. Italy have grown into an impressive unit under Gonzalo Quesada, and Wales will be desperate to avoid a second successive Wooden Spoon.
The tournament is always essential viewing throughout the winter and early spring. Here’s everything you need to know about the Six Nations 2025, including Six Nations fixtures.
Six Nations 2025: Overview
Dates: 31 January – 15 March 2025
Teams: England, Ireland, France, Italy, Wales and Scotland
Defending champions: Ireland
Most titles: England and Wales, 39 each (England have 29 outright wins with 10 shared; Wales have 28 outright wins with 11 shared)
First season: The tournament began as the Home Nations Championship in 1883. France joined in 1910 to make it the Five Nations. The current Six Nations iteration kicked off in 2000 with the arrival of Italy
First title: England (England also won the first-ever Five Nations and Six Nations titles)
UK TV coverage: The BBC and ITV will share coverage once again in 2025
Six Nations 2025: Fixtures
Round 1
Friday 31 January 2025
- France v Wales
Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 8.15pm GMT / 10.15pm SAST / 7.15am AEDT (Saturday) / 9.15am NZDT (Saturday) / 3.15pm ET / 12.15pm PT
Saturday 1 February 2025
- Scotland v Italy
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 2.15pm GMT / 4.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.15am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.15am ET / 6.15am PT - Ireland v England
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 4.45pm GMT / 6.45pm SAST / 3.45am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.45am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.45am ET / 8.45am PT
Round 2
Saturday 8 February 2025
- Italy v Wales
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 2.15pm GMT / 4.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.15am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.15am ET / 6.15am PT - England v France
Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 4.45pm GMT / 6.45pm SAST / 3.45am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.45am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.45am ET / 8.45am PT
Sunday 9 February 2025
- Scotland v Ireland
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 3.00pm GMT / 5.00pm SAST / 2.00am AEDT (Monday) / 4.00am NZDT (Monday) / 10.00am ET / 7.00am PT
Round 3
Saturday 22 February 2025
- Wales v Ireland
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 2.15pm GMT / 4.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.15am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.15am ET / 6.15am PT - England v Scotland
Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 4.45pm GMT / 6.45pm SAST / 3.45am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.45am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.45am ET / 8.45am PT
Sunday 23 February
- Italy v France
Stadio Olimpico, Roma
Kick-off: 3.00pm GMT / 5.00pm SAST / 2.00am AEDT (Monday) / 4.00am NZDT (Monday) / 10.00am ET / 7.00am PT
Round 4
Saturday 8 March 2025
- Ireland v France
Aviva Stadium
Kick-off: 2.15pm GMT / 4.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.15am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.15am ET / 6.15am PT - Scotland v Wales
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 4.45pm GMT / 6.45pm SAST / 3.45am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.45am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.45am ET / 8.45am PT
Sunday 9 March 2025
- England v Italy
Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 3.00pm GMT / 5.00pm SAST / 2.00am AEDT (Monday) / 4.00am NZDT (Monday) / 11.00am ET / 8.00am PT
Round 5
Saturday 15 March 2025
- Italy v Ireland
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 2.15pm GMT / 4.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.15am NZDT (Sunday) / 10.15am ET / 7.15am PT - Wales v England
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 4.45pm GMT / 6.45pm SAST / 3.45am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.45am NZDT (Sunday) / 12.45pm ET / 9.45am PT - France v Scotland
Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 8.00pm GMT / 10.00pm SAST / 7.00am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.00am NZDT (Sunday) / 4.00pm ET / 1.00pm PT
Six Nations 2025: TV coverage in the UK
The BBC and ITV will share coverage in the UK during the 2025 tournament. Scotland and Wales home fixtures are broadcast by the BBC on its terrestrial channels and the iPlayer streaming service. England, France, Ireland and Italy home games are available via ITV, both on terrestrial channels and the ITVX streaming service.
Elsewhere in the world? Check out our guide to watching the Six Nations wherever you are.
Six Nations 2025: Results
This section will be updated as the 2025 tournament progresses.
Six Nations 2025: Squads
This section will be updated when the England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales squads are announced.
Previous Six Nations winners
Peter O’Mahony’s Ireland lifted the Six Nations title in 2024. (Getty Images)
We have a full list of previous winners of the championship in all its different forms dating back to 1883. Here’s every winner of the Six Nations title since Italy joined the tournament in 2000:
2000 – England
2001 – England
2002 – France (Grand Slam)
2003 – England (Grand Slam)
2004 – France (Grand Slam)
2005 – Wales (Grand Slam)
2006 – France
2007 – France
2008 – Wales (Grand Slam)
2009 – Ireland (Grand Slam)
2010 – France (Grand Slam)
2011 – England
2012 – Wales (Grand Slam)
2013 – Wales
2014 – Ireland
2015 – Ireland
2016 – England (Grand Slam)
2017 – England
2018 – Ireland (Grand Slam)
2019 – Wales (Grand Slam)
2020 – England
2021 – Wales
2022 – France (Grand Slam)
2023 – Ireland (Grand Slam)
2024 – Ireland
Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.