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What a sensational few weeks of Rugby Union France we're ultimately crowned Six Nations champions but there was a lot more going on Author | Stephen C Debate over whether the 2026 Six Nations Championship might rank among the greatest editions of the tournament had already begun before the final weekend. By the time round five arrived, the championship had delivered almost everything. Records had tumbled, shocks had arrived and several matches had turned into high-scoring classics. For it to truly claim a place among the finest, though, the tournament needed a fitting finale. France against England in Paris provided exactly that. With the final act of the championship, a penalty from Thomas Ramos drifted between the posts to secure a record eighth Six Nations title for that France side. Ireland, who had earlier defeated Scotland 43-21 on Saturday to claim the Triple Crown, saw hopes of celebrating the title in Dublin slip away in the tournament’s closing seconds. The gripping 4...

Scotland produced a ferocious response to their Six Nations loss in Italy They tore England apart in a bonus-point victory in a breathless Calcutta Cup encounter. Author | Sophie T Stadium | Murrayfield Conducted superbly by Finn Russell and driven by a sharp-edged ruthlessness, the hosts overwhelmed an England side that never recovered from a chaotic opening. The Scots looked transformed. After a testing week that followed defeat by Italy, and against opponents chasing a 13th consecutive win and a first success in Edinburgh since 2020, Gregor Townsend’s side surged into a stunning 17-0 lead inside the opening quarter. Russell set the tone with an early penalty before tries from Huw Jones, Jamie Ritchie and Ben White blew England off course. The visitors’ reply was limited to a converted Henry Arundell try and a George Ford penalty. Arundell endured a bruising afternoon. The winger was shown two yellow cards in the first half, leaving England to play 30 minutes with 14 men. Scotland ma...

England survived a spirited second-half surge from Argentina Max Ojomoh marked his Twickenham debut in style as the hosts stretched their winning run to 11 Tests. Author |  Sophie T Stadium |  Twickenham Ojomoh crossed for one try and laid on another with a deft crossfield kick before the interval, helping England establish a 17-3 lead. It might have been even healthier had Luke Cowan-Dickie not seen a score chalked off for a marginal knock-on on the stroke of half-time. Argentina, who overturned a 21-point deficit to beat Scotland a week earlier, forced their way back once more. Justo Piccardo darted over and penalties from Tomas Albornoz and Santiago Carreras narrowed the gap to 17-16 as the hour approached. England appeared to find their rhythm again when a powerful run from Alex Coles provided the platform for Ojomoh to send Henry Slade over beneath the posts. George Ford added the extras and a penalty to restore an 11-point cushion, although Rodrigo Isgro’s converted ...

Steve Tandy's reign as Wales head coach began with a heavy defeat  Argentina powered to a record victory in a match that had eleven tries Author | Steffan Ingram Stadium | Principality Stadium Wales suffered their tenth consecutive home defeat, compounded by the loss of inspirational captain Jac Morgan, who Tandy later confirmed had a suspected dislocated shoulder. Morgan picked up the injury while scoring one of Wales’ four tries, with number eight Aaron Wainwright also forced off. Argentina crossed for seven tries, with fly-half Geronimo Prisciantelli scoring twice, and further tries from prop Pedro Delgado, scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz, wings Mateo Carreras and Bautista Delguy, and replacement Santiago Grondona. Full-back Santiago Carreras added 17 points with the boot. It marked both the highest score Argentina have ever recorded against Wales and their largest margin of victory. Wales responded with tries from scrum-half Tomos Williams, hooker Dewi Lake, Morgan, and ...

Wins for Exeter, Leicester and Saracens this weekend Let’s have a closer at all the drama and action from these fixtures. Author |  Peter Jones Before the weekend's drama, there were away wins for Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears.  Exeter 38 - 0 Harlequins  England centre Henry Slade was instrumental as Exeter maintained their strong return to form with a commanding Premiership victory over Harlequins. The Chiefs struck quickly, scoring three tries in a ten-minute burst during the first half, with Slade heavily involved, setting up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's opener and then linking with Australian debutant Len Ikitau. Harvey Skinner extended the lead to 24-0 before the break after capitalising on a Harlequins error, while Greg Fisilau added a bonus-point try shortly after half-time. Exeter's defence proved impenetrable, preventing Harlequins from scoring for the first time in nearly two years, despite the visitors dominating possession and territory. Slade capped the win ...

Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody has revealed his motor neurone disease diagnosis The 47-year-old World Cup winner says he is focusing on his family and wellbeing after learning of the incurable condition Former England captain Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and says he is not yet ready to confront the full reality of the muscle-wasting condition that claimed the lives of fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow. The 47-year-old, who was part of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad and lifted multiple English and European titles with Leicester Tigers, spoke to BBC Breakfast two weeks after receiving the diagnosis. Moody, who appeared alongside his wife Annie, said he currently feels “at ease” and is focusing on his immediate wellbeing, his family and making practical preparations for the future. He first sought medical advice after noticing weakness in his shoulder while training in the gym. When physiotherapy failed...

England crowned world champions after a commanding win over Canada. Red Roses claim third World Cup with record-breaking victory before 81,885 fans. Author |  Sophie T Stadium | Twickenham In front of a record crowd of 81,885, the Red Roses banished the memories of back-to-back final defeats to New Zealand with a display built on forward dominance and relentless defence. The loss to the Black Ferns in 2021 remains their last, as John Mitchell ’s side extended their extraordinary winning run to 33 matches. Closer analysis of a memorable victory for England Canada struck first through Asia Hogan-Rochester ’s early try, but England responded in style. Ellie Kildunne’s dazzling solo effort was followed by scores from Amy Cokayne and Alex Matthews to seize control, despite Sophie de Goede ’s penalty keeping the underdogs within sight. Abbie Ward added another soon after the restart before Hogan-Rochester claimed her second, yet Matthews’ close-range finish secured the title. I...

Kildunne double fires England past France into the World Cup final Ellie Kildunne marked her return with two tries as England overcame a spirited France side to secure their place in a seventh successive Women’s Rugby World Cup final. Author | Sophie T Stadium | Ashton Gate Kildunne , absent from the quarter-final victory over Scotland after suffering concussion, struck either side of half-time with the kind of incisive running that has become her trademark. France, resilient and unbowed, pushed the hosts throughout. They trailed only 7-5 at the interval and might easily have been ahead given England’s handling errors and lapses in discipline that handed them possession and territory. After the break the Red Roses found greater control. A trademark maul powered hooker Amy Cokayne over the line, before Abbie Ward stretched the lead with a close-range finish. Kildunne, who had already crossed in the fourth minute, capitalised on Marine Ménager ’s loose touch to weave through the ...

England are two matches from glory They are preparing to face France in the semi-final of the Women's Rugby World Cup  Author | Adrian S Pre match national anthems v USA After sweeping past Scotland 40-8 in the quarter-finals, the Red Roses will meet France for a place in the final. The sides last clashed little more than a month ago in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match. England are unbeaten at the tournament, having scored 248 points across their four matches. They have conceded just 25 points in that time.  Should this be a straightforward win for England? The victory over Scotland in the quarter-final was England’s 31st in succession, extending their own world record for consecutive wins in international rugby union. Their dominance against France is equally striking, with 16 straight victories since their last defeat in 2018. While the Red Roses were emphatic in the most recent meeting, encounters between the two teams are more often tightly contested. Post-match huddle v Sa...

England safely into the last eight of the Women’s Rugby World Cup Jess Breach scored a hat-trick as England delivered their biggest ever World Cup win, defeating Samoa to secure a place in the quarter-finals. Author | Jamie P Stadium | Franklin's Gardens The Red Roses had previously recorded their widest World Cup winning margin with an 82-0 victory over Kazakhstan in 2010, while their highest points total in a World Cup match came against Fiji in 2022, when they scored 84. Fly-half Helena Rowland contributed 27 points, setting a new record for individual points in a Women’s World Cup game. Her final kick from wide outstripped the previous record of 25 points held by Nicky Crawford and Sue Day . England dominated the first half in Northampton , crossing for seven tries, including two from centre Megan Jones . Sarah Bern , Maddie Feaunati , Lark Atkin-Davies and Lucy Packer also scored as the hosts delivered a clinical display. READ MORE |  Sports news, discussion and mor...

England open World Cup with record-breaking rout of United States The Red Roses run in 11 tries in Sunderland as Kildunne stars before record crowd. Author | Anthony Gates Stadium | Stadium of Light Pre match national anthem England launched their Rugby World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with an empathic win over the United States in front of a record crowd of 42,723 at the Stadium of Light. A closer look at what happened The Eagles , ranked 10th in the world, stuck to their task in the opening exchanges but were gradually swept aside as the depth and quality of John Mitchell ’s squad shone through. England crossed for 11 tries, many of them sparked by the influence of Ellie Kildunne , who scored twice and had a hand in several more. Kildunne, whose square-dance celebration has already become a feature of the tournament, again took centre stage. The full-back, reigning World Player of the Year , finished with 153 metres, five clean breaks, two tries and two assists in a play...

Some pride restored for Australia It wasn't the perfect ending but still a memorable tour for the British and Irish Lions  Author |  Peter Grainger In torrential Sydney rain, with lightning strikes forcing a suspension in play, Australia salvaged pride with a riotous victory over the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test at Stadium Australia . Though the series had already been clinched by the Lions with wins in the opening two matches, the Wallabies produced their most compelling performance of the tour, outscoring the visitors by three tries to two in wild, storm-lashed conditions. Dylan Pietsch ’s early try and a Tom Lynagh penalty gave the hosts an 8-0 lead by the break in what had already become a bruising, ill-tempered contest. Maro Itoje , Tommy Freeman and Lynagh were all forced off after failing head injury assessments, while James Ryan was knocked unconscious in a distressing collision with the knee of Will Skelton shortly after half-time. A...

An historic win for the British and Irish Lions against Australia  Hugo Keenan’s last-gasp try secured a dramatic series win for the British and Irish Lions in a pulsating Test match against Australia in Melbourne. Author |  Peter Grainger In front of a crowd of more than 90,000 people, the tension was relentless throughout a contest destined to be remembered as one of the greats. Even Keenan ’s decisive score was followed by an agonising wait for the television match official’s verdict. Jac Morgan ’s intervention at the breakdown was ruled legal and the try stood, sparking wild celebrations. Remarkably, the Lions had trailed 23-5 after a breathless opening spell dominated by a ferocious Australian side led by Rob Valetini and Will Skelton . The hosts ran riot, with James Slipper , Jake Gordon and Tom Wright all crossing in a frenetic first half, while Tom Lynagh added early penalties. Gordon and Wright struck while Tommy Freeman was in the bin, as the Lions appeared...

There has been some interesting changes to the next edition of the Six Nations England host Wales for the Anglo-Welsh clash that will conclude the opening weekend of the Championship Author - Peter Grainger French influence on the schedule Ireland will travel to defending champions France in the first-ever Thursday night fixture in Six Nations' history when the 2026 tournament begins on 5 February. Ireland and France have won the past four titles between them and their blockbuster encounter has been brought forward to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan the following day. The shift has reportedly been designed to maximise audiences in France. The finale of last year's tournament, when France beat Scotland to secure the title, returned record Six Nations audiences in France. The 2025 tournament recorded a 6.3% increase in audience in domestic markets overall. It has also been confirmed there will be only one rest weekend, rather than the p...

Ruthless England scored 10 tries in a thumping 68-14 victory against Wales This wasn't enough to clinch the Six Nations title though  Author - Jack L Steve Borthwick’s men produced their best performance of the campaign to leapfrog Ireland at the top of the Championship table Source | Guinness Six Nations YouTube account This left France needing to beat Scotland in the final Super Saturday match to become champions. Les Bleus duly obliged leaving England without a title in five years. England were clinical in Cardiff and set the tone inside three minutes as Maro Itoje scored, while Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman, Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart also crossed for tries in the first half. Fantastic pre match atmosphere England’s tries came in quick bursts but, in-between, Wales were more than a match for the visitors and, had they had the rub of the green and shown composure at the right moment, they would have scored plenty of points themselves. However, they tired in t...

Late drama brings Scotland’s Calcutta Cup dominance to an end England remain in the hunt for the Six Nations title after a crazy finish at Allianz Stadium saw Finn Russell miss a crucial last-minute conversion. Author - Sophie T Scotland took control early on, with tries from Ben White and Huw Jones giving them a narrow three-point lead at half-time. However, England battled hard, gaining the upper hand in the breakdown after the restart. Marcus Smith slotted two penalties, while Fin Smith landed a powerful long-range kick from halfway, putting England 16-10 ahead with just nine minutes remaining. Last time out | England 26 - 25 France Scotland responded with a thrilling counterattack, as Duhan van der Merwe crossed in the corner following a break from replacement Stafford McDowall, who sliced through England’s defence. With the stadium holding its breath, Russell—having already missed two kicks—watched as his potentially match-winning conversion drifted agonisingly wide of the lef...

England kick-started their Six Nations campaign with a win over France They sealed a dramatic 26-25 victory at Twickenham with a last-gasp try from Elliot Daly. Author - Amy W In wet and slippery conditions, Louis Bielle-Biarrey looked to have snatched the win for France with five minutes to go, but England had other ideas. Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, and replacement prop Fin Baxter also crossed the try line for the hosts, who battled back from six points down in the second half to take the lead with nine minutes remaining against a heavily fancied French side. Bielle-Biarrey (twice) and Damian Penaud scored tries for France, while full-back Thomas Ramos added 10 points with the boot. Meanwhile, Marcus Smith had a tough day off the kicking tee, missing five points, while France were forced to reshuffle in the absence of the suspended Romain Ntamack, with Antoine Dupont stepping into the fly-half role. The visitors never quite found their rhythm. Rugby Union: Scotland 18 - 32 Ire...

A classic Six Nations encounter at Murrayfield The match ignited from the very first whistle, with both sides setting a fierce early tempo in what turned into a bruising encounter at Murrayfield. Author - Sophie T Ireland wasted no time in stamping their authority, their attacking rhythm proving too slick for Scotland in the opening exchanges. The hosts struggled to keep pace and soon conceded a penalty, allowing fly-half Sam Prendergast to kick to the corner and set up a dangerous attacking platform. A smartly executed maul breakout had Ireland scrambling, but with defenders committed, Prendergast spotted space out wide and unleashed a pinpoint 25-metre pass—the longest of the 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations so far—straight into the hands of Calvin Nash, who strolled over untouched. The young fly-half then coolly slotted the touchline conversion to make it 0-7. The game’s intensity ramped up in the 13th minute when referee James Doleman paused play to review a shove from Scotl...