It’s time for round two fo the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship this weekend, with six of Europe’s leading countries doing battle for the second time this year.
England’s trip to Scotland for the Calcutta Cup is the tie of the round on Saturday, following on from the day’s opening game between Ireland and Italy in Dublin.
France take their freewheeling show on the road to Wales on Sunday, with the struggling hosts striving to keep their dignity intact.
Ireland vs Italy – Saturday 14 February
Ireland step out at home for the first time in this year’s Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship on Saturday, with Italy the visitors to the Aviva Stadium.
It’s a topsy-turvy contest given recent years, with the Irish coming into the game off the back of a chastening loss to France on the opening night.
A 36-14 thumping in Paris was a far from ideal kick off for Andy Farrell’s men last Thursday, who can now ill-afford any further slip ups if they are to remain genuine challengers for another title.
And they won’t expect to have it all their own way against the Azzurri, either.
Much improved over the last few years, Gonzalo Quesada’s side made the perfect start to this year’s Six Nations when they beat Scotland 18-15.
Emerging victorious in Rome, they are perfectly positioned to have a crack at hoisting themselves above the bottom two in the final standings come the spring.
Lorenzo Pani makes his comeback in national colours following a two-year absence, with the full back having Monty Ioane and Louis Lynach for company on the wings.
The Irish will hand a debut off the bench to 23-year-old lock Edwin Edogbo, while Rob Baloucoune will make his maiden Six Nations appearance on the wing from the get go.
Tadhg Furlong is another welcome returnee as far as the replacements.
Ireland Starting XV: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Caelan Doris (c), 6 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Tom O’Toole, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Edwin Edogbo, 20 Tadhg Beirne, 21 Nick Timoney, 22 Jamison Gibson-Park, 23 Jack Crowley.
Italy Starting XV: 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Louis Lynach, 13 Tommaso Menonchello, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Michele Lamaro, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso Di Bartomelo, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Muhamed Hasa, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 David Odiase, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Paolo Odogwu.
Scotland vs England – Saturday 14 February
All eyes are on Edinburgh on Saturday, as Scotland and England collide in round two of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship.
It’s a Calcutta Cup clash at Murrayfield and one which the visitors will be favourites to win on enemy soil for the first time in six years.
That’s in no small part thanks to their own excellent start against inexperienced Wales at Twickenham on the opening weekend.
The Red Rose picked off the Welsh at will in securing a bonus point try before half time, eventually emerging as 48-7 victors in a lopsided contest.
But their primacy is also thanks to the fact the Scots were stunned in their own opening game.
Gregor Townsend and his side are under fire after losing 15-18 away to Italy in Rome, severly denting their ambitions to thrust themselves into title contention after years of flattering to deceive across a whole Six Nations.
Nathan McBeth, George Turner, Gregor Brown and Jamie Ritchie have all been brought into the starting line up as Townsend searches for the winning formula.
Hooker Dave Cherry also takes a seat on the bench for the home side.
Maro Itoje returns to the English starting line up, after starting the campaign among the replacements last week following his spell of compassionate leave.
Scotland Starting XV: 15 Tom Jordan, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Nathan McBeth.
Replacements: 16 Dave Cherry, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 George Horne, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Darcy Graham.
England Starting XV: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Fin Smith.
Wales vs France – Sunday 15 February
It could be messy on Sunday, as France travel to Wales for round two of the 2026 Guinnes Six Nations Rugby Championship.
Few would be surprised if this turns out to be a match between the countries that finish top and bottom of this season’s final table.
The French opened up with a booming 36-14 home victory over Ireland last Thursday night.
Wing tyro Louis Bielle-Biarrey led the way with a brace of tries and the Irish came up with few answers to the onslaught on a raucous night under the lights at the Stade de France.
It was precisely the opposite experience for the Welsh in round one, as they were well beaten by neighbours England at Twickenham.
Steve Tandy’s young side were never in the game in London, subsiding to a 7-48 defeat in which a second half consolation try for Josh Adams proved the only thing to cling on to.
Les Bleus have gone strong for the Cardiff date, worryingly for the hosts, although they have been forced into a new centre pairing of Emilien Gailleton and Fabien Brau-Boirie in the absence of Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana.
Brau-Boirie makes his debut for coach Fabian Galthie, who has otherwise kept big guns Antoine Dupont, Matthieu Jalibert and Louis Bielle-Biarrey right in the thick of the action for week two.
Olly Craknell is brought into the Welsh side in the eighth man position for his Six Nations debut, while Joe Hawkins is introduced at inside centre among the four changes to coach Steve Tandy’s run-on team.
Wales Starting XV: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Alex Mann, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Rhys Carre.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ben Carter, 20 Taine Plumtree, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Mason Grady.
France Starting XV: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 12 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Oscar Jegou, 6 François Cros, 5 Michael Guillard, 4 Charles Ollivon, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16 Maxime Lamothe, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Regis Montagne, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Emmanuel Meafou, 21 Lenni Nouchi, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Noah Nene.