2026 Guinness Six Nations

The 2026 Guinness Six Nations is shaping up to be a tournament of transition and high-stakes redemption. With the 2025 title currently held by a dominant French side, the Northern Hemisphere’s elite are descending on February with plenty to prove.

☘️ The Irish Outlook: A Redemption Mission

After a challenging 2025, Ireland enters this campaign on a "mission of redemption." Led by captain Caelan Doris, the squad is looking to integrate fresh provincial talent—keep an eye out for potential breakouts like Munster’s Edwin Edogbo and Ulster’s Nathan Doak.

Ireland’s schedule is particularly heavy at the start and end:

• The Opener: A massive Thursday night clash against France in Paris (Feb 5). This is effectively a "final" in Round 1 that could dictate the entire tournament's momentum.
• The Home Run: Ireland enjoys three home games at the Aviva Stadium this year against Italy (Feb 14), Wales (March 6), and Scotland (March 14).

🏆 Key Storylines across the Championship

• France’s New Look: Fabien Galthié has made the bold decision to move on from veterans like Grégory Alldritt and Gaël Fickou, naming 12 uncapped players in his squad to defend their title.
• England's Momentum: Steve Borthwick’s England side is considered the team with the most upward trajectory following a strong autumn series.
• A New Era for Wales: All eyes are on Steve Tandy, who takes the reins as head coach with the difficult task of ending Wales's recent "Wooden Spoon" streak.
• The Italian Transformation: Italy enters 2026 with historic confidence after finishing 5th last year and recently securing a second win over Australia.

📅 Ireland's 2026 Fixtures

Date	Match	Venue	Kick-off
Thurs, Feb 5	France vs. Ireland	Stade de France	21:10
Sat, Feb 14	Ireland vs. Italy	Aviva Stadium	14:10
Sat, Feb 21	England vs. Ireland	Allianz Stadium	14:10
Fri, Mar 6	Ireland vs. Wales	Aviva Stadium	20:10
Sat, Mar 14	Ireland vs. Scotland	Aviva Stadium	14:10