Six Nations gets an unusual Thursday start next year when France hosts Ireland
Rugby fans get ready. The Six Nations tournament will begin on a Thursday night for the first time. France will play Ireland in Paris to kick off the tournament. The match is scheduled for February 5. France will aim for their third title in five seasons. They will close the tournament against England.
FILE -The French team players Antoine Dupont, center, and Gregory Alldritt, right, celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, March 15, 2025.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
The Six Nations rugby tournament will start on a Thursday night for the first time next season when France opens the defense of its title against Ireland in Paris.The schedule for the 2026 tournament was released Monday, with the French getting the honor of launching it on Feb. 5 against its biggest rival in recent championships.According to stats supplier Opta, the last time the tournament staged a match on a Thursday was back in 1948 - when it was the Five Nations. On that occasion, Ireland won away to France in Round 1 and went on to complete its first ever Grand Slam.France will close against England, which finished in second place in the 2025 edition, as it goes in search of a third title in five seasons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
40 minutes ago
- India Today
Gauff ends French wildcard's fairytale, sets up final vs Swiatek-slayer Sabalenka
It will be World No. 1 against World No. 2 in the women's singles final at Roland Garros on Saturday, June 7, as Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff prepare for a much-anticipated title clash on the Parisian produced a clinical performance on Thursday to end the fairytale run of French wildcard Lois Bosson, ranked World No. 361. Earlier in the day, Sabalenka delivered one of her finest displays on clay, stunning four-time champion Iga Swiatek and snapping her 26-match winning streak at Roland two semi-finals could not have been more different in tone and tempo. Gauff needed just 69 minutes to dismantle Bosson 6-1, 6-2, while Sabalenka had to battle for 2 hours and 13 minutes in a high-quality thriller, eventually prevailing 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 in a performance that underlined her title SILENCES PARTISAN PARIS CROWDFacing a raucous French crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff showed poise and maturity beyond her years. Fully aware of the challenge, the American had done her homework—not just on Bosson's game, but also on managing the crowd dynamics, particularly after seeing sixth seed Mirra Andreeva unravel under the pressure in the quarter-final.'I was mentally prepared before the match that it was going to be 99% for her,' Gauff said in her on-court Gauff shows grit and fighting spirit to win this point and delivers our Shot of the Day #RolandGarros Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2025advertisement'But I just tried to block it out. Actually, when you guys were chanting her name, I was saying my own name to myself—just to psych myself up. You know, you have to do that sometimes.''But I think it's an incredible atmosphere to play in front of this crowd, regardless of whether they're for me or not. And I know you guys would usually root for me if I weren't playing a French player, so I love you guys too,' she the court, it was one-way traffic. Gauff hit winners at will and raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set, dominating the baseline exchanges. Bosson, despite her earlier heroics against Jessica Pegula and Andreeva, struggled to reproduce her best tennis under Frenchwoman committed 33 unforced errors—18 more than Gauff—and was unable to make inroads on return, winning just 38% of points on her first serve and 39 percent on her she lifted her level slightly in the second set, Bosson couldn't prevent Gauff from sealing victory in emphatic style, the American keen to conserve energy ahead of her second Roland Garros nonetheless, departs Paris with her head held high. The 22-year-old began the tournament ranked World No. 361 and exits as No. 64. Just a fortnight ago, she was 24th in France's women's singles rankings—she is now the French No. READY FOR SECONDS SHOT AT GLORYadvertisementGauff, who lost the 2022 final to Swiatek, believes the experience of that moment will stand her in good stead when she takes on Sabalenka.'Yeah, it definitely will help me. I was super nervous going into that final [in 2022],' she said.'Obviously, I'm playing Aryna. It's going to be a tough match, but overall I think I'm just really proud of myself.'SABALENKA FLOORS SWIATEKSabalenka produced one of the most impressive performances of her career to defeat Swiatek and reach her first Roland Garros final. Her power game—relentless and unforgiving—proved too much for the defending a stunning reversal, Sabalenka bageled Swiatek in the final set, handing the Pole a rare 6-0 set defeat on her favourite Belarusian has now reached three consecutive Grand Slam finals, following her triumph at the 2023 US Open and a runner-up finish at the Australian Open earlier this final will mark the 11th meeting between Gauff and Sabalenka, with the head-to-head locked at 5-5. Notably, Sabalenka defeated Gauff in straight sets in Madrid earlier this clay season—a win that adds an extra layer of intrigue to their impending Reel
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
'I don't think that was fair': Iga Swiatek fumes over umpire call in French Open exit against Sabalenka
Iga Swiatek expressed disappointment after the chair umpire denied her request to inspect a mark during her French Open semifinal loss to Aryna Sabalenka. The incident occurred in a key moment of the match on Court Philippe-Chatrier. read more Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts towards official Kader Nouni during her semi final match. Image: Reuters PARIS: Iga Swiatek said it's unfair that the chair umpire refused her request to climb down and inspect a mark during her semifinal loss to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open on Thursday. The incident happened when Swiatek was 4-2 up in the second set and with Sabalenka serving on Court Philippe-Chatrier. After Sabalenka's first serve landed out, Swiatek stood still for moment before pointing her left finger at the mark while asking French chair umpire Kader Nouni to climb down and inspect it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I want him to come down, but he didn't. So I don't think that was fair, especially when he came down, like, every time Aryna asked him to. I don't get it, but I don't really care,' said Swiatek, whose 26-match French Open unbeaten streak ended a 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 loss. 'When I had a mark that was out, he was convincing me that I only came there because I saw that my return was out.' After a brief exchange, Swiatek gave up. She walked back into position to receive three-time major winner Sabalenka's second serve, albeit with a wry smile on her face.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Spain vs France LIVE score, UEFA Nations League: Yamal in starting lineup for ESP v FRA; Kick off at 12:30 AM IST
Live Spain vs France LIVE score, UEFA Nations League: Yamal in starting lineup for ESP v FRA; Kick off at 12:30 AM IST ESP vs FRA Live score: Catch the real-time updates from the Spain vs France UEFA Nations League semifinal match being played at the MPHArena in Stuttgart. Updated : Jun 05, 2025 23:31 IST File photo: Spain's Lamine Yamal, center, scores his side's first goal during a semifinal match between Spain and France at the Euro 2024 tournament in Munich, Germany. | Photo Credit: AP Welcome to Sportstar's live coverage of the Spain vs France UEFA Nations League semifinal match being played at the MPHArena in Stuttgart. This is Joan Mathew Jacob taking you through the minute-by-minute updates from the clash.
