The wait is almost over as the 2025 Six Nations kicks off this week with reigning champions Ireland hoping to become the first team to win the tournament three years on the bounce.
There’s nothing like the Six Nations but the competition is given an extra bit of added spice in a year when the British & Irish Lions are on tour, as they are this summer with a trip to Australia.
This year’s Six Nations gets going on Friday night with France looking to put down a marker at the Parc des Princes when they host Wales.
Saturday throws up a juicy double header, with Scotland hosting an improving Italy side, while England are thrown in at the deep end with a trip to Dublin to face rivals Ireland.
- FRANCE -27.5 HANDICAP
- ITALY +19.5 HANDICAP
- ENGLAND +7.5 HANDICAP
France To Put Wales To The Sword
With frightening strength in depth, a formidable pack and some of the best backs in world rugby, it’s little wonder France are considered one of the favourites again to claim the Six Nations title this season.
Les Bleus have been handed an opening fixture against Wales that should see them hit the ground running and get that early momentum which is so important to challenge for the trophy.
Wales were woeful in 2024 and failed to win a single game in the year, and pressure is piling on head coach Warren Gatland in his second spell in charge of the national side.
Against this formidable French pack, Wales don’t look like they have the firepower to stop the hosts dominating this weekend, especially at scrum time.
With Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack reunited, France are blessed with arguably the best half-back pairing in world rugby.
Dupont and Ntamack can not only marshall the hosts round the field at the Stade de France but they are attacking threats in their own right.
France beat Wales by 21 points the last time they met in Cardiff last season and, with home advantage this time around, Les Bleus can fall on the right side of the handicap on Friday night under the lights in Saint-Denis.
FRANCE -27.5 HANDICAP
Scots May Not Have It All Their Own Way
Scotland will be tired of being dubbed dark horses ahead of a Six Nations but Gregor Townsend’s side are exactly that once again as they prepare for their tournament opener against Italy.
With three home games at Murrayfield this season amid trips to London and Paris, Scotland are considered one of the outsiders for what would be a maiden Six Nations title for the men in blue.
Revenge might well be on the agenda for the Scots after they threw away a promising start in Rome to lose 31-29 to Italy at the Stadio Olimpico last season.
Scotland were also run close by Italy in their last meeting at Murrayfield in 2023, with a late Blair Kinghorn try seeing the Scots run out 26-14 winners in Edinburgh.
Having enjoyed a positive 2024 Six Nations, with two wins and a draw, Italy will be hoping to build on that foundation for the 2025 campaign.
The players seem to be buying into what head coach Gonzalo Quesada has brought to the Azzurri and they should give every side in the Six Nations a run for their money this year.
Scotland have a strong record at Murrayfield and even without injured skipper Sione Tuipulotu they should still have enough to make a winning start to this year’s tournament, before another home game against title-holders Ireland in Round Two.
Fly-half Finn Russell has been playing some outstanding rugby at Bath this season and if he gets going, Scotland fans should be the ones smiling come the full-time whistle this weekend.
The Scots boast attacking threats across the backline, with winger Duhan van der Merve certainly one of the contenders to finish as the tournament's top tryscorer, as he did in the 2021 and 2024 editions.
Scotland have been improving in the forwards over recent seasons to match some of the bigger teams and that should also stand them in good stead going into this contest at Murrayfield.
However, Italy have shown they can cause the Scots problems and they certainly catch the eye with a generous +19.5 handicap in this one.
ITALY +19.5 HANDICAP
England Can Run Irish Close
If the action at Murrayfield is the starter, there is a mouth-watering main course on offer at the Aviva Stadium, as Ireland begin their title defence with a clash against old rivals England.
With coach Andy Farrell away focusing on the British & Irish Lions, Simon Easterby will be the interim boss in charge of Ireland’s fortunes throughout this Six Nations.
His opposite number on Saturday is Steve Borthwick, who will be desperate for his side to cause another upset against the Irish this weekend.
England stunned Ireland and prevented the men in green from landing the Grand Slam last season with a 23-22 win for the Red Rose at Twickenham.
Winning across the Irish Sea will be a tougher prospect for this England side but fit and fresh going into their opening game they can throw everything at Ireland on Saturday.
Even with the absence of Farrell, the Irish have been so well prepared under the Lancastrain since he took on the role, every player in green will know what he has to do.
Backed by a fiery home crowd, Ireland should still have the game plan and the physicality to win Saturday’s game but England look to be good value with a +7.5 handicap.
As long as Ireland don’t make a dominant start and pull a couple of tries clear in the first half, this should be a tense affair with both teams desperate to earn that all-important winning start to the campaign.
A strong opening from Borthwick’s men can see this being a real contest and England on the handicap looks to be the way to go in this one.
ENGLAND +7.5 HANDICAP
