Champions France to host Ireland in opening match of truncated 2026 Six Nations
The clash between Antoine Dupont's champions and one of their main rivals for the title takes place on February 5, most likely at the Stade de France pending the conclusion of negotiations with the French Rugby Federation (FFR).
The schedule for the 2026 Six Nations is the first to feature only one fallow week rather than the customary two.
๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง'๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฑ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐
๐ข๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๏ธ๐#GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/ej2ArJsG93
โ Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) May 19, 2025
First announced in 2023, the removal of one break week is to assist with the alignment of the new global rugby calendar.
The first three rounds will be played on consecutive weekends, there will be no games on Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1, before the competition closes with back-to-back matches.
In another significant break with tradition, the Six Nations starts on a Thursday evening rather than the customary Friday or Saturday slots to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on February 6.
England finished runners-up this year and their bid to go one better will begin against Wales at Allianz Stadium on February 7.
They face a Valentine's Day appointment with Scotland at Murrayfield, collide with Ireland at home on February 21 and finish with away trips to Italy and France, with 'Le Crunch' closing out Super Saturday on March 14.
All Six Nations matches will be shown free to air after a new rights deal lasting until 2029 was struck with ITV and BBC in March.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mailโ
an hour ago
- Daily Mailโ
EXCLUSIVE Sale's Du Preez brothers: It's an emotional end of an era - selfishly we wanted Jean-Luc's move to fail!
At the entrance to Sale Sharks' Carrington training centre, a slogan is painted on the wall to remind those who visit of the club's ethos and values. Part of it reads: 'A team. A community. A family.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
England T20 captain Harry Brook: I'm already preparing for 2026 World Cup
Friday's 21-run win over the West Indies in Durham was Brook's first outing as skipper in the format but he knows time is short to get his feet under the table. England have just 14 more games scheduled before the next global tournament in India and Sri Lanka in February, meaning the time is now when it comes to making plans. Dip. Grip. Past the edge ๐ฎโ๐จ Back in the team ๐ฆStraight in the wickets ๐ Liam Dawson | #ENGvWI โ England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 6, 2025 That meant lining up with just two seamers for the first ever time in home conditions, with 12 overs of spin giving a hint at the structure England are likely to lean on in the sub-continent. While Brook's predecessor Jos Buttler set things up with a dominant knock of 96, Liam Dawson walked away with the player-of-the-match award in his first international appearance in nearly three years. The 35-year-old Hampshire stalwart claimed career-best figures of four for 20, while there were also wickets for Adil Rashid and Jacob Bethell. 'We don't want to look too far ahead but we've got to trial some things like this,' said Brook. 'The next World Cup is going to be in Sri Lanka and India. We're not completely set on this structure for the team but it's worth a go and it worked this time. 'I just think that having two very good spinners โ frontline spinners โ makes a massive difference. 'As a batter, when you're facing two experienced spin bowlers, you have to decide which end you're going to attack. 'These two (Rashid and Dawson) have been playing the game for so long, they know T20 cricket, they know the grounds and they've played against so many of these boys, that having them both in the side will help us going forward.' Dawson, who has been overlooked consistently for a rotating cast of spinners with inferior records on the county circuit, was praised for an 'awesome' comeback performance that saw him get the best of Johnson Charles, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase and Rovman Powell. 'He bowled beautifully. He's got so many skills. He's been playing the game for pushing on 20 years and he's learned a lot of things along the way,' said Brook. The West Indies were frustrated to be missing one of their own left-arm spinners on a helpful pitch for the slower bowlers. Akeal Hosein has yet to make it to English soil after delays related a change in UK visa requirements for Trinidad and Tobago. Cricket West Indies said 'attempts to expedite the visa process' had been unsuccessful but a spokesperson confirmed on Friday that the 32-year-old could arrive ahead of Tuesday's series finale in Southampton. One of our greatest white-ball players ever ๐ Match Highlights: | @JosButtler โ England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 6, 2025 All-rounder Jason Holder said: 'He was missed, he's one of our frontline players. It's an unfortunate situation. 'We can't control that so we can only control what's in front of us. We've got players here who are willing and able to do a job for the West Indies. 'We had a team that was good enough to beat England but we fell a little short, particularly with the bat.'
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
England T20 captain Harry Brook: I'm already preparing for 2026 World Cup
Friday's 21-run win over the West Indies in Durham was Brook's first outing as skipper in the format but he knows time is short to get his feet under the table. England have just 14 more games scheduled before the next global tournament in India and Sri Lanka in February, meaning the time is now when it comes to making plans. Dip. Grip. Past the edge ๐ฎโ๐จ Back in the team ๐ฆStraight in the wickets ๐ Liam Dawson | #ENGvWI โ England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 6, 2025 That meant lining up with just two seamers for the first ever time in home conditions, with 12 overs of spin giving a hint at the structure England are likely to lean on in the sub-continent. While Brook's predecessor Jos Buttler set things up with a dominant knock of 96, Liam Dawson walked away with the player-of-the-match award in his first international appearance in nearly three years. The 35-year-old Hampshire stalwart claimed career-best figures of four for 20, while there were also wickets for Adil Rashid and Jacob Bethell. 'We don't want to look too far ahead but we've got to trial some things like this,' said Brook. 'The next World Cup is going to be in Sri Lanka and India. We're not completely set on this structure for the team but it's worth a go and it worked this time. 'I just think that having two very good spinners โ frontline spinners โ makes a massive difference. 'As a batter, when you're facing two experienced spin bowlers, you have to decide which end you're going to attack. 'These two (Rashid and Dawson) have been playing the game for so long, they know T20 cricket, they know the grounds and they've played against so many of these boys, that having them both in the side will help us going forward.' Dawson, who has been overlooked consistently for a rotating cast of spinners with inferior records on the county circuit, was praised for an 'awesome' comeback performance that saw him get the best of Johnson Charles, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase and Rovman Powell. 'He bowled beautifully. He's got so many skills. He's been playing the game for pushing on 20 years and he's learned a lot of things along the way,' said Brook. The West Indies were frustrated to be missing one of their own left-arm spinners on a helpful pitch for the slower bowlers. Akeal Hosein has yet to make it to English soil after delays related a change in UK visa requirements for Trinidad and Tobago. Cricket West Indies said 'attempts to expedite the visa process' had been unsuccessful but a spokesperson confirmed on Friday that the 32-year-old could arrive ahead of Tuesday's series finale in Southampton. One of our greatest white-ball players ever ๐ Match Highlights: | @JosButtler โ England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 6, 2025 All-rounder Jason Holder said: 'He was missed, he's one of our frontline players. It's an unfortunate situation. 'We can't control that so we can only control what's in front of us. We've got players here who are willing and able to do a job for the West Indies. 'We had a team that was good enough to beat England but we fell a little short, particularly with the bat.'
