Head to Paris and set the table for rugby league’s unshakable feast. 2026 is a year of change for the men’s international game, with the launch of the new Nations Championship and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series reshaping the long-established calendar, but the Six Nations’ permanent place in the schedule remains. It’s 26 years since Italy’s arrival marked the last major change to the annual tournament. In an era when all but a handful of sports facilities are being tinkered with, it speaks to the evergreen quality of the event that calls for overhaul have quietly faded away.
Another batch of fine contenders emerges from the darkness, peeking out of the winter flowerbeds. This is an event booked in Paris meet Defending champions France will play a key role in the finals, taking on Ireland in the first round and England in the final, while Scotland, Italy and Wales will also have a say, any of which could be a potential decider of the Grand Slam. “We know the last seven Six Nations tournaments have gone into the final round,” England head coach Steve Borthwick said. “We hope that English fans will be able to cross the English Channel and come to Paris to watch the teams compete in the final round and have the opportunity to achieve what we want.”
Six Nations trophy up for grabs (Getty)
While the competition is ongoing, some camps are feeling slight uncertainty about small changes that could have a huge impact on the event. It may have passed for all but the most ardent Six Nations followers, but with the scrapping of the first so-called rest week, the competition’s duration has been slightly reduced from seven to six weekends. Bearing may be important; while it will make the tournament much more traffic-heavy, with an opening three rounds followed by a two-week final, the opportunity to rest and recharge – or change strategy as England do at York in 2024 – will be limited.
advertise
The consensus is that this will suit teams that are more successful in developing depth. For home leagues, the British and Irish Lions summer is useful in this regard, although history shows that it is often France that benefits most in the year following the quadrennial tour. With the exception of 2014 and 2018, competition seemed distant for France, who has won every edition since the Lions’ tour of the professional era, including four Grand Slams.
France look to defend Six Nations crown (PA Wire)
What are the chances of this trend continuing? Good, someone had to say. Not only did Fabian Galthie’s side welcome Ireland and England to their discotheque Saint-Denis, but the competitiveness and ruthlessness sometimes lacking in France’s performances was highlighted by the omission of senior figures from the squad. Could Galthie’s gamble backfire? Maybe, but any team that can thank but not thank Damien Penault and Gregory Alderitt isn’t short on talent, especially if it’s led by the returning Antoine Dupont.
Injury luck can be huge for all nations and Ireland are already feeling its unwelcome effects. It could provide the opportunity for a needed revival and lift Ulster above the Leinster conveyor belt, but a team that has shone in the face of adversity before may have to do so again. Some believe Andy Farrell’s approach may have been compromised by the next phase of rugby’s tactical evolution; anyone who has spent time around a code-hopper will know that the savvy schemer is sure to have a trick or two up his sleeve.
Ireland and France meet on opening night of competition (Getty)
These shifts in Test rugby principles seem to best suit the England squad, which is undoubtedly on the rise. One might scoff at a run of success so far without a real signature win, but 11 wins in a row has a group of men with growing confidence strutting into the Six Nations, where they promise a lot. The weight of expectations seems easier to carry on their shoulders than some English teams in the past – but there are pitfalls every step of the way, not least Edinburgh in the second round, a place where Borthwick and his side have soured memories of recent times.
advertise
There is still a feeling that the Scots are the team most likely to bridge the gap between contenders and pretenders, although even their most patient supporters are frustrated by the tendency towards the latter over the former. Glasgow’s success in the Rugby Union Championship and Champions League has been both a blessing and a curse for Gregor Townsend, underscoring the quality of the herd and coaching across the country.
Wales must overcome off-field challenges in Six Nations campaign (PA Wire)
For Italian and Welsh, the portions could be less, perhaps again a waste of cutlery. The Blue Jackets’ upward curve may be somewhat curbed by several injury absences, while Welsh rugby once again appears to be in a mess of its own making, with greater uncertainty off the field. One can hardly recall a time when a trip to Cardiff failed to stir the soul – and we are almost exactly at that moment.
Uini Atonio (center) was forced to retire after suffering a heart attack (Getty)
Still, there isn’t a country at this World Cup that hasn’t experienced its highs and lows. There is a deep sense of family and friendship. Because the Six Nations has always been a tournament of friends and foes, and family bonds across generations.
advertise
A final thought in this regard is France’s support for Uini Atonio, who is recovering in hospital after suffering a heart attack that cut short his career. The New Zealand-born conservative played a larger-than-life character in Shakespeare’s plays and was beloved in La Rochelle for his broad shoulders and smile.
“The impression we have of Unni is a man who never gives up,” France coach Galthie said of an absent friend before the opening game. “He was a man who showed the way through his actions, always with a smile and talent.” As we say, a message to us all state appetite again.