The 2027 Guinness Six Nations kicks off in Dublin on Friday 5 February with a heavyweight Ireland v England opener. Scotland host Italy at Murrayfield on the Saturday afternoon, and France welcome Wales to the Stade de France in the evening.
Round 1 of the 2027 Six Nations opens the championship with three fixtures spread across Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February. The classic programming pattern returns: a high-profile Friday night opener (Ireland v England, exceptionally moved out of the traditional Saturday slot to kick the tournament off), followed by two matches on the Saturday โ an afternoon kick-off (Scotland v Italy) and an early-evening fixture (France v Wales). UK kick-off times follow Six Nations Rugby conventions: 20:10 GMT for the opener, 14:10 and 16:40 GMT for the Saturday fixtures.
This first round matters because it offers a first read on form just nine months before Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. Every head coach will be building their championship with one eye on the pool-stage draw at the end of the tournament. Tight margins and emerging combinations will be closely studied by every coaching staff in the run-up to Australia.
The Anglo-Irish derby opens the championship. Lansdowne Road is traditionally one of the toughest away days for England. The fixture also decides the Millennium Trophy.
Scotland host Italy in the early-afternoon slot. The fixture decides the Cuttitta Cup, named in honour of Italian rugby legend Massimo Cuttitta.
Wales open their championship in Paris. The Stade de France is always full for Six Nations fixtures โ a fierce atmosphere awaits the visitors.
Pencilled in for the Friday night slot, this clash between two of the tournament's most powerful sides immediately sets the tone. Ireland โ six-time champions across the last decade โ have a noisy Dublin crowd behind them; England arrive looking to land an early blow and stabilise their cycle ahead of Australia 2027. The head-to-head record has tightened in recent seasons after a long period of Irish dominance at home. On the line: the Millennium Trophy, contested at every direct meeting between the two nations.
Scotland host an Italian side still rebuilding. Murrayfield, perched on the edge of Edinburgh, is one of the championship's largest venues. Italy have rarely won in Scotland, but the Azzurri have made notable progress since 2022 and have run several top-tier nations close. A fixture Scotland should win โ but never one to take lightly.
Wales open their tournament away from home against title-contending France. Inside an 80,000-seat Stade de France, the visitors face one of the toughest opening assignments in the championship. The match also offers a useful read on Welsh combinations nine months out from the Rugby World Cup: attacking shape, defensive resilience and territorial kicking will all be under scrutiny.
In the UK, the Six Nations is split between ITV and the BBC, with S4C providing Welsh-language coverage of Wales matches. In the Republic of Ireland, Virgin Media holds the rights. The full 2027 broadcast grid will be confirmed in autumn 2026.