Latest news with champions Ireland set to name side for opener against England - Interim boss Simon Easterby faces a key call at fly half, with Scotland and Italy also set to reveal their line-ups tod

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Les Bleus are in must-win territory as they begin another Six Nations campaign with big consequences for head coach Fabien Galthie in particular

As the cream of the northern-hemisphere crop prepare to lock horns, Telegraph Sport’s experts stare into their crystal balls

In the 142 year history of the Home Nations, 5 Nations and 6 Nations since 1883, no country has won the competition outright three years in a row.  Granted, there were rare occasions when the Championship was at least shared three times in a row,

Secondrow Scott Cummings (arm), and backrow Josh Bayliss (groin) also sustained injuries which prompted Townsend to call up a further five players Euan Ferrie, Cameron Henderson, Ewan Johnson, Alexander Masibaka and Ollie Smith to the squad in advance of their opening game against Italy.

France captain Antoine Dupont said Toulouse's thrashing of Leicester in the Champions Cup was the perfect warm-up for the Six Nations.

Hope springs eternal as the Six Nations sides renew hostilities in rugby’s grandest old championship. Another competitive edition of the tournament looks likely in 2025 with questions for each and every one of the competing sextet,

Having reached the semi-finals of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Steve Borthwick’s men endured a disappointing 2024. The one high point was victory over Ireland to deny them another Grand Slam, but even that came thanks to a last-gasp drop goal, and they won only two of eight subsequent games, both against Japan.

Dupont links up with Toulouse colleague Romain Ntamack as his half-back partner, and there is a start for Pau wing Theo Attissogbe.

A capsule look at England, France, defending champion Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations, which starts on Friday.

For all the talent in the national set-up, there remains a sense that Scotland have underachieved. They have failed to finish in the top two in the Six Nations, never mind win the title, and have also been eliminated at the group stage of the last two Rugby World Cups.