6 Nations
6 Nations Form Guide to Week One
A small guide on what to expect from each team this weekend as the 6 Nations returns
This weekend sees the start of February and with it the 6 Nations returns with the opening weekend sure to set the tone for what awaits.
Here’s a quick form guide as to how each team performed over the past 12 months and who needs a good tournament to start off their Rugby World Cup year.
The first game sees France take on Wales in the Stade de France, on Friday, kick off 20 00.
Wales are the team on the up with wins over South Africa and two over Argentina last summer coupled with a clean sweep in the November internationals giving them a seven-game winning streak since last years tournament.
It's that time of year again. Dau fis llawn cyffro. #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/AF9VuyKfE0
— Welsh Rugby Union ? (@WelshRugbyUnion) January 28, 2019
On the other hand, France had a lacklustre 2018, with only two wins in the 6 Nations, followed up by a 3-0 series lose to New Zealand in the summer. November was no different as they won one of three matches including a first loss to Fiji.
Both teams will be looking to kick start their year off with a win with the World Cup only around the corner.
Saturday hosts a double header with Scotland taking on Italy at Murrayfield at 14 15.
The hosts head into the fixture after a missed year finishing last years tournament in third, during the summer they bet Canada and Argentina but fell to defeat to the USA. Their year ended with two wins from four in the November series.
Guinness Six Nations start this week! ?? Which Stuart Hogg are you feeling? ? #AsOne pic.twitter.com/H56BOXUugY
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 28, 2019
Italy are a team in desperate need of some form before the world cup and here would be a good place to start as they only narrowly lost out 29-27 in the teams encounter last year.
Conor O’Shea’s men come in to the tournament on the back of two wins in eleven last year while finishing in last place with a single point from the competition last year.
A win for either side would be a welcome opening to the new international rugby year.
In the final game of the weekend last years Grand Slam winners Ireland host an England team looking to end a three-game losing streak in the 6 Nations.
Ireland begin the tournament as favourites after what was arguably the best year in their history.
They took the 6 Nations and Grand Slam crown home last year with a 24-15 win over England. They then headed out to Australia in the summer and claiming a 2-1 series win on southern hemisphere soil for the first time since 1979.
The year concluded with four wins from four in November, including a 16-9 win over New Zealand.
England had mixed fortunes last year, ending their 6 Nations campaign with three defeats on the bounce and in fifth place in the table. Eddie Jones’ men then lost 2-1 in their summer tour of South Africa.
They ended on an almost perfect high, winning three of their four November series games and coming so close to a clean sweep only losing out 15-16 to New Zealand.
These are the two teams that will have the most pressure on their shoulders coming into the tournament and a win would be a perfect way to ease that.
Besides the last 12 months, and in terms of 6 Nations titles, Ireland and England have shared the last five. With Ireland coming out on top in 2014, 2015, and 2018, while England completed the double between 2016 and 2017.
From looking at all of this it is hard to look past Ireland or Wales due to form, but we all know how quickly things can change in sport.
Heading into this year’s tournament form will only be one factor, now we will have to wait and see if that form continues as we expect.
We can't wait to see who'll be playing in Round One of the 2019 #GuinnessSixNations?
? To find out when all six team announcements will take place this week, click herehttps://t.co/vKxbQRebmU pic.twitter.com/jPytU7kluf
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 28, 2019
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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