{"id":206772,"date":"2025-06-23T04:14:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T04:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/206772\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T04:14:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T04:14:11","slug":"2026-six-nations-fixtures-confirmed-with-england-handed-perfect-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/206772\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a02026 Six Nations fixtures confirmed with England handed perfect start"},"content":{"rendered":"

Opening clash confirmed: France vs Ireland to kick off the Championship under the lights<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Join RUCK\u2019s Instagram broadcast channel\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.<\/p>\n

The countdown is on. The 2026 Guinness Six Nations is set to roar into life with a blockbuster opener between\u00a0France and Ireland<\/strong>\u00a0on\u00a0Thursday 5th February<\/strong>. The reigning giants collide in a fixture that could shape the entire tournament from the off.<\/p>\n

Saturday 7th February<\/strong>\u00a0sees a Super Saturday of sorts, as\u00a0Italy host Scotland<\/strong>\u00a0in Rome before\u00a0England welcome fierce rivals Wales<\/strong>\u00a0to Twickenham \u2014 now rebranded as the\u00a0Allianz Stadium<\/strong>. Expect fireworks.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s your complete, round-by-round breakdown of the\u00a02026 Six Nations fixtures<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc9 ROUND 1<\/p>\n

Thursday 5th February 2026<\/strong>
\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\u00a0France v Ireland<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Venue TBC
\ud83d\udd57 Kick-off: 8:10pm<\/p>\n

Saturday 7th February 2026<\/strong>
\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\u00a0Italy v Scotland<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Stadio Olimpico, Rome
\ud83d\udd51 Kick-off: 2:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f\u00a0England v Wales<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
\ud83d\udd5f Kick-off: 4:40pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc9 ROUND 2<\/p>\n

Saturday 14th February 2026<\/strong>
\u2618\ufe0f\u00a0Ireland v Italy<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Aviva Stadium, Dublin
\ud83d\udd51 Kick-off: 2:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udff4\u00a0Scotland v England<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Murrayfield, Edinburgh
\ud83d\udd5f Kick-off: 4:40pm<\/p>\n

Sunday 15th February 2026<\/strong>
\ud83d\udc09\u00a0Wales v France<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Principality Stadium, Cardiff
\ud83d\udd52 Kick-off: 3:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc9 ROUND 3<\/p>\n

Saturday 21st February 2026<\/strong>
\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f\u00a0England v Ireland<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
\ud83d\udd51 Kick-off: 2:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc32\u00a0Wales v Scotland<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Principality Stadium, Cardiff
\ud83d\udd5f Kick-off: 4:40pm<\/p>\n

Sunday 22nd February 2026<\/strong>
\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\u00a0France v Italy<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Decathlon Arena, Lille
\ud83d\udd52 Kick-off: 3:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc9 ROUND 4<\/p>\n

Friday 6th March 2026<\/strong>
\u2618\ufe0f\u00a0Ireland v Wales<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Aviva Stadium, Dublin
\ud83d\udd57 Kick-off: 8:10pm<\/p>\n

Saturday 7th March 2026<\/strong>
\ud83c\udff4\u00a0Scotland v France<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Murrayfield, Edinburgh
\ud83d\udd51 Kick-off: 2:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\u00a0Italy v England<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Stadio Olimpico, Rome
\ud83d\udd5f Kick-off: 4:40pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc9 ROUND 5 \u2013 Super Saturday<\/p>\n

Saturday 14th March 2026<\/strong>
\u2618\ufe0f\u00a0Ireland v Scotland<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Aviva Stadium, Dublin
\ud83d\udd51 Kick-off: 2:10pm<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc32\u00a0Wales v Italy<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Principality Stadium, Cardiff
\ud83d\udd5f Kick-off: 4:40pm<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\u00a0France v England<\/strong>
\ud83d\udccd\u00a0Venue TBC
\ud83d\udd57 Kick-off: 8:10pm<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest difference with South Africa is the diversity. Players we call on in different parts of the country, different backgrounds and who are playing overseas in different countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can draw from different sources, if I can call it that and try to get it down to one thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a challenge, but also one of the great strengths. When you get it right, it can be quite special.\u201d<\/p>\n

EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n

\u201cWoeful\u201d \u2013 David Campese Slams FOUR Lions Stars Including Marcus Smith<\/strong><\/p>\n

The British and Irish Lions\u2019 28\u201324 defeat to Argentina in Dublin on Friday night has sent shockwaves through the rugby world \u2014 marking their first opening tour loss since 1971.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make no mistake, this wasn\u2019t just any warm-up clash. The Pumas came to play, and they delivered a brutal wake-up call to Andy Farrell\u2019s side just one week out from their first hit-out on Australian soil.<\/p>\n

While Farrell was quick to give credit to the South Americans, Wallabies legend David Campese didn\u2019t hold back. In a brutally honest assessment, Campese ripped into FOUR Lions players, slamming their performances as \u201cwoeful,\u201d \u201cdismal,\u201d and \u201csimply not good enough\u201d for Lions level.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s who felt the full force of Campo\u2019s wrath in his column for PlanerRugby<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1. Duhan van der Merwe \u2013 \u201cDismal display under the ball\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Campese was particularly scathing about van der Merwe\u2019s failure to compete in the air, despite his physical stature:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI simply can\u2019t understand how Duhan van der Merwe, a man of 6\u20195\u201d, fails under the high ball in the way he does.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He pointed out van der Merwe\u2019s aerial struggles as a key weakness that Argentina exploited:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHe\u2019s bloody massive yet managed only one from five in the air in a dismal display under the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/strong><\/p>\n

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