France are currently in the pound seats to claim their first title since 2022, but they arguably face the toughest challenge and are by no means guaranteed victory.

Back-to-back defending champions Ireland must beat Italy in Rome on Saturday – and with a bonus point – to keep their title hopes alive. The Irish are third on the log with 14 points and are under pressure following their defeat to the French.

Simon Easterby. Photo: X

Nothing less than five points will be enough to keep their dream alive and shift the pressure onto England and France. Ireland’s stand-in coach, Simon Easterby, said they are confident of returning to winning ways in Rome.

“We have freshened things up a little this week in the selection, and it’s a great boost to welcome back some players from injury, alongside others who have patiently waited for their chance to start,” Easterby said.

“We’re aware of Italy’s many threats, and we know from experience that travelling to Rome presents a serious challenge, so the squad understands its responsibilities.

“While there was disappointment with certain aspects of our performance last weekend, we are grateful for the chance to get back on the horse this week.

Wales vs. England. Photo: X

“We’ve shown our resilience in recent years, and I have no reason to believe this weekend’s game in Rome will be any different.”

The crucial clash between the Azzurri and the Irish kicks off at 16:15.

At 18:45, attention shifts to Cardiff, where bottom-of-the-log Wales take on second-placed England. While the Welsh are enduring an unprecedented winless streak in Test rugby, they certainly have the potential to spoil England’s party – and breaking their losing run against the Roses would be a huge moment.

England coach Steve Borthwick said his team will head to the Millennium Stadium with confidence as they hunt for their first Six Nations title since 2020. “We’re excited to face Wales at the Principality Stadium this weekend, one of the most iconic venues in rugby,” Borthwick said. “The atmosphere will be electric, and we know we’ll need to be at our very best to get the result we’re aiming for.

France vs. Scotland. Photo: X

“Reaching 50 caps is a well-deserved milestone for Will Stuart and a testament to the hard work he’s put in throughout his career. We’re excited to see him reach this landmark on Saturday and look forward to him continuing to deliver performances at the highest level.”

The match that will likely decide the Six Nations title takes place in Paris, where Les Bleus take on Gregor Townsend’s Scotland. While France have won four of their last five Tests against Scotland, the Thistles certainly won’t hand them the victory.

A win should be enough for France, provided England don’t secure a bonus point in Cardiff, but Fabien Galthié and his team will leave nothing to chance and will target a bonus point win.

Galthié warned that the Scots would not go down without a fight and have a history of pulling off upsets.

Fabien Galthié. Photo: X

“We know Scotland well, we’ve met them often in the past six years. We also remember what happened against Scotland four years ago—we needed to win with a bonus point and a specific points difference, but we lost,” Galthié said.

“I spoke with Gregor Townsend afterwards, and it was a huge motivation for them. They know what they’re doing, they know how to win games against top opponents, and they’ve already done it before. They know what their ambition is.”

The highly anticipated clash between France and Scotland at Stade de France kicks off at 22:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg