The full squads for the 2025 Six Nations have been named with the annual battle for northern hemisphere rugby sumpracy kicking off on February 1 (AEDT).
Ireland and France will start as favourites, while there is pressure on England coach Steve Borthwick, and Wales’ Warren Gatland.
Here is how they line up, and all the Australian times to watch on Stan Sport.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
England
Maro Itoje will captain England for the Six Nations in a surprise leadership overhaul by head coach Steve Borthwick.
Jamie George has been in charge since the 2023 World Cup but, after a disappointing year in which England won only five of their 12 Tests, he has been replaced by his Saracens team-mate.
It is the first time Itoje has been give the role, although he took over from George when the hooker was substituted in games, and the 30-year-old continues his rise as a leader having been installed as Saracens skipper at the start of the season.
Borthwick has picked a 36-man squad for the Six Nations that includes rampaging Saracens number eight Tom Willis, but is missing veteran prop Dan Cole and scrum-half Ben Spencer.
Forwards: Fin Baxter, Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Tom Curry, Theo Dan, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Ted Hill, Maro Itoje (c), George Martin, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Bevan Rodd, Will Stuart, Tom Willis
Backs: Oscar Beard, Elliot Daly, Fraser Dingwall, George Ford, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Alex Mitchell, Cadan Murley, Harry Randall, Tom Roebuck, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet
France
Romain Ntamack returns for the tournament having missed 18 months with injury while there was a suprise callup for Noah Nene, who plays centre for Dax in the second division ProD2 competition.
There is likely to be some attention on Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou who are back after their rape cases were dismissed following accusations in Argentina.
Forwards: Esteban Abadie, Dorian Aldegheri, Gregory Alldritt, Uini Atonio, Hugo Auradou, Cyrill Baille, Giorgi Beria, Paul Boudehent, Joshua Brennan, Georges-Henri Colombe, Francois Cros, Marko Gazzotti, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Matthias Halagahu, Oscar Jegou, Anthony Jelonch, Maxime Lamothe, Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Danny Priso, Rabah Slimani, Romain Taofifenua
Backs: Theo Attissogbe, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Leo Barre, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Drean, Antoine Dupont (c), Antoine Frisch, Emilien Gailleton, Matthieu Jalibert, Nolann le Garrec, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Noah Nene, Romain Ntamack, Damien Penaud, Thomas Ramos, Gabin Villiere
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Italy
Louis Lynagh is missing after having to undergo knee surgery while Melbourne born Monty Ioane is selected. Welsh halfback Stephen Varney is back after missing the November Tests while there’s also a return for fullback Tommaso Allan.
Forwards: Lorenzo Cannone, Niccolo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Simone Ferrari, Danilo Fischetti, Alessandro Izekor, Dino Lamb, Michele Lamaro, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Sebastian Negri, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Ricconi, Luca Rizzoli, Federico Ruzza, Ross Vintcent, Giosue Zilocchi, Manuel Zuliani
Backs: Tommaso Allan, Juan Ignacio Brex, Ange Capuozzo, Matt Gallagher, Alessandro Garbisi, Paolo Garbisi, Simone Gesi, Monty Ioane, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Martin Page-Relo, Jacopo Trulla, Stephen Varney
Ireland
There are two Aussies in the Ireland squad under interim coach Simon Easterby, who takes over with Andy Farrell preparing to lead the Lions to Australia, with Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham taking their places in an experienced squad.
There is just one newcomer – prop Jack Boyle.
Forwards: Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris (c), Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Cormac Izuchukwu, Rónan Kelleher, Gus McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, Peter O’Mahony, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier
Backs: Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose
Scotland
Kiwi-born former Crusaders flyhalf Fergus Burke gets his first call-up in a squad led by Aussie Sione Tuipulotu, who guided the Scots to a win over the Wallabies in November.
Former Wallaby Jack Dempsey, the 30-year-old back rower who’s fit again after being sidelined since sustaining a shoulder injury against South Africa in the November series, was also named in the Scots’ squad
Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti, Gregor Brown, Dave Cherry, Luke Crosbie, Scott Cummings, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Patrick Harrison, Will Hurd, Jack Mann, D’Arcy Rae, Dylan Richardson, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Marshall Sykes
Backs: Fergus Burke, Matt Currie, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Finn Russell, Kyle Rowe, Sione Tuipulotu (c), Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White
Wales
Jac Morgan will lead Wales in this year’s Six Nations as several experienced players return from injury with coach Warren Gatland desperate to end a 12-game losing run that has put his future at the helm in doubt.
Winger Josh Adams, hooker Elliot Dee, No.8 Taulupe Faletau, lock Dafydd Jenkins, centre Joe Roberts and fullback Liam Williams are all back in the squad after injury, though Gatland has something of a crisis at five-eighth.
With Gareth Anscombe out of favour and Sam Costelow injured, Ospreys five-eighth Dan Edwards is one of two uncapped players selected, along with Scarlets winger Ellis Mee.
Forwards: Keiron Assiratti, James Botham, Elliot Dee, Taulupe Faletau, Dafydd Jenkins, WillGriff John, Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Jac Morgan, Sam Parry, Tommy Reffell, Will Rowlands, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Freddie Thomas, Henry Thomas, Christ Tshiunza, Aaron Wainwright, Teddy Williams
Backs: Josh Adams, Ellis Bevan, Dan Edwards, Josh Hathaway, Eddie James, Ellis Mee, Blair Murray, Joe Roberts, Tom Rogers, Ben Thomas, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Liam Williams, Rhodri Williams, Tomos Williams
Six Nations schedule
(All times are AEDT)
Saturday Feb 1
France vs Wales, 7.15am
Sunday, Feb 2
Scotland vs Italy, 1.15am
Ireland vs England, 3.45am
Sunday, Feb 9
Italy vs Wales, 1.15am
England vs France, 3.45am
Monday, Feb 10
Scotland vs Ireland, 2.00am
Saturday, Feb 23
Wales vs Ireland, 1.15am
England vs Scotland, 3.45am
Monday, Feb 24
Italy vs France, 2.00am
Sunday, March 9
Ireland vs France, 1.15am
Scotland vs Wales, 3.45am
Monday, March 10
England vs Italy, 2.00am
Sunday, March 16
Italy vs Ireland, 1.15am
Wales vs England, 3.45am
France vs Scotland, 7.00am
