With just one team remaining who can complete the Grand Slam, we analyse the best stats and facts from Round 2 of the 2025 Six Nations.
And then there was one. With both France and Scotland losing in Round 2 of the 2025 Six Nations, Ireland are now the only team still in contention for the Grand Slam.
Although Simon Easterby’s side sit atop standings, there is no guarantee they will go on and win the title. France and England trail just four points behind, with Scotland and Italy not too far adrift, while Wales languish at the bottom of the table.
Wales, unfortunately, look almost certain to claim the unwanted Wooden Spoon. Following defeat to Italy in the opening game of the weekend they now have a 68% likelihood of finishing in sixth place according to the Opta supercomputer.
Saturday’s late game delivered the most drama of the round, as England and France went toe-to-toe in a pulsating game at Twickenham. The Opta win predictor swung wildly in the final quarter as both sides traded blows, but ultimately, England landed the knockout punch, ending France’s Grand Slam hopes.
Both teams are still firmly in the hunt for the Six Nations title. Ironically, England’s fate may rest in the hands of Les Bleus, with France looking like the only team capable of ending Ireland’s 100% record in the final three rounds of this tournament.
On Sunday, Ireland ran out comfortable winners against a Scotland side who struggled to get out of their own half for most of the opening 40 minutes. While they rallied at the beginning of the second half, they never really looked like ending their losing run against an Ireland side who are now the firm favourites to secure a third successive Six Nations title.
We dive into the key stats from the weekend and highlight the standout performers from Round 2, as ranked by the Opta Index.
Italy 22-15 Wales
- Italy won consecutive Six Nations games against Wales for the very first time; in fact, it was just the second time the Azzurri have beaten any opponents back-to-back in the Championship (also Scotland in 2007 and 2008).
- Wales have lost each of their last eight Six Nations games, their longest run in the Championship (since 2000), overtaking a seven-game stretch between 2002 and 2003.
- They’ve now lost 14 Tests in a row overall, which is also their longest ever run.
- Wales have scored just 15 points across their opening two games of the 2025 Six Nations, their lowest tally after two rounds in a single edition since Italy joined the Championship in 2000 (previously 17 in 2023).
- Ange Capuozzo has scored 13 tries in 25 Test caps for Italy since making his debut against France in the opening round of the 2022 Six Nations, the joint-most of any Azzurri player in that time (also Monty Ioane).
- Lorenzo Cannone beat seven defenders against Wales; Sebastian Negri is the only forward to beat more for Italy in a Men’s Six Nations games (8 vs France in 2018).
- His opposite number Taulupe Faletau made 13 carries, taking him past the 500 mark in the Six Nations. He is just the third player to reach that milestone (Parisse – 785, Hogg – 541).
England 26-25 France
- England beat France in a Six Nations game for the first time since 2021 (23-20) and ended a run of seven straight defeats against Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides in the process.
- France won all nine of their own lineouts against England, the first time they had recorded a 100% lineout success rate in a Six Nations game since 2020 (12/12 vs Scotland), and the first time they’d done so against England since 2006 (15/15).
- Louis Bielle-Biarrey has scored in five consecutive Tests for France (8 tries total) and has scored 14 in 16 appearances overall since making his debut in August 2023 – among Tier 1 men’s players, only Will Jordan (15) has scored more in that time.
- Damian Penaud beat six defenders against England. No back beat more in Round 2 (level with Blair Murray) taking his overall tally to 100 in the Six Nations and equalling Gaël Fickou as the France player with the most. Only Rob Kearney (104), George North (142), Stuart Hogg (162) and Brian O’Driscoll (163) have beaten more defenders in the Championship.
- Fin Smith assisted two tries against France, including the decisive winning score. He is the first England player to assist 2+ tries in a Six Nations game since Max Malins against Italy in 2022 and the first to do so against France since George Ford in 2015 (3 assists).
Scotland 18-32 Ireland
- Ireland have won each of their last 11 Test matches against Scotland, their longest ever winning run in this fixture, with seven of those victories coming by 14+ points.
- Ireland have won their opening two games of this year’s Six Nations and are now the only unbeaten team in the Championship; overall they’ve won 18 of their last 20 matches in the tournament (L2).
- Duhan van der Merwe crossed for a try against Ireland, his 15th in the Men’s Six Nations but his first against Ireland in the Championship – only Stuart Hogg has scored more for Scotland in the tournament (16, Huw Jones also 15). The Scotland winger also beat five defenders, taking him past the 100 mark in the Championship (102).
- James Lowe scored his 11th try in the Six Nations, each of those scores coming since the beginning of 2022. That’s more than any other player in that time. Lowe has an additional seven try assists, with his 18 try involvements also being the most of any player since 2022.
- Cian Healy made his 66th appearance in the Men’s Six Nations, moving past O’Driscoll (65) as Ireland’s most capped player in the Championship. Only Alun Wyn Jones (67 for Wales) and Sergio Parisse (69 for Italy) have made more for any nation.
Top Five Players from 2025 Six Nations Round 2
The top player in Round 2, according to the Opta Index, was France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Despite ending the game on the losing side, the Bordeaux-Begles winger couldn’t have done much more to help his team, crossing for two tries against England.
That brace of tries takes his tally to four for this year’s Six Nations and sees him sit top of the try-scoring charts. Of course, we’re not surprised at the French flyer’s form – we tipped him to end the Championship with the most tries ahead of this tournament.
Don’t forget, you can compare all the players in this year’s Men’s Six Nations using our Six Nations Stats Hub.
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