Six Nations

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Six Nations news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Red Roses romp in as Wales draw blank again

11 February 2018 1 comment

DEFENDING champions England made it two wins out of two with an eight-try thumping of Wales. The hosts scored four tries in the first half […]

Free-scoring France get another try bonus

11 February 2018 2 comments

Scotland W …3 France W …26 WINGER Cyrielle Banet scored a wonder try as France beat Scotland 26-3. Sarah Law’s penalty had put Scotland in […]

Gregor Townsend names Greig Laidlaw among six changes to Scotland team

8 February 2018 0 comments

Scotland head coach makes three changes to the backs and three to the forwards for clash with France

Eddie Jones names England team to play Wales and plays mind games with Rhys Patchell

8 February 2018 0 comments

The England head coach warns Patchell to expect a more robust defence when he sees England players running to tackle him

Warren Gatland names unchanged team to face England at Twickenham

6 February 2018 0 comments

Gatland confirms Liam Williams will be allowed to play for Saracens this weekend as he recovers from injury

Ben Youngs suffers suspected ligament damage

5 February 2018 0 comments

Leicester Tigers scrum-half to have a scan on Monday

Momentum will carry us to Twickenham with belief

4 February 2018 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS Midfield maestro: Centre Hadleigh Parkes That was more like it! I’ve said for a long time that Wales have the players to take […]

Halfpenny is class on another red-letter day for Scarlets

4 February 2018 2 comments

PETER JACKSON VERDICT Marksman: Leigh Halfpenny kicks more points One day soon the scoreline will be enshrined in clubhouses all over Heart and Soul Rugby […]

Sexton sets Irish eyes smiling with one of the great drop goals

4 February 2018 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER JOHNNY Sexton broke French hearts in Paris last night with a match winning 45 metre dropped goal with the last play of […]

Johnny’s so glad he got last chance…

4 February 2018 0 comments

IRELAND’S Grand Slam remains on track thanks to Johnny Sexton’s lastgasp winner. The fly-half said: “It was one of those moments – I’m just happy […]

Joseph must stop ambling through and get positive

4 February 2018 1 comment

More like it: Jonathan Joseph makes a break against Scotland in last year’s Six Nations PICTURE: Getty Images IF Jonathan Joseph was more penetrative in […]

Dallaglio: Move might help Haskell find his best form

4 February 2018 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY JAMES Haskell’s sadness at being released by Wasps could galvanise his bid to represent England at the 2019 World Cup, according to […]

Ntamack double defies an Irish fightback

4 February 2018 0 comments

France U20 …34 Ireland U20 …24 ROMAIN Ntamack scored two tries as France opened their campaign with victory in Bordeaux. The Toulouse fly-half crossed twice […]

New boys sparkle as England start so well

4 February 2018 0 comments

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Leading from front: Ben Earle Danger from deep: Tom Parton ENGLAND U20s opened the defence of their Six Nations title with a […]

Wales send out warning to their rivals

4 February 2018 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Wales U20 …36 Scotland U20…3 WALES produced a clinical five-try display to open their Six Nations campaign with a bonus-point win in […]

Captain Carys tells Wales to be clinical

4 February 2018 0 comments

By SARAH HURSE HANNAH Bluck’s try on debut for Wales helped her side survive a late onslaught from Scotland in a thrilling opening to the […]

Cattell back for Red Roses’ Italian job

4 February 2018 1 comment

By JAMES BREACH PREVIEW Italy Women v England Women Today. Kick-off 5.30pm SARACENS centre Lauren Cattell will earn her first cap for England since 2016 […]

Give us a real Anglo-WelshCup rather than this pale imposter

4 February 2018 2 comments

WHAT is the Anglo-Welsh Cup good for? Absolutely nothing in terms of a comprehensible competitive format for Premiership clubs and Welsh regions alike, and it […]

Haskell deserved swansong season as thanks for his loyalty

4 February 2018 0 comments

JAMES Haskell’s exit from Wasps is a clear demonstration that loyalty is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity in the professional game. By the same token […]

Wily Warren has too much know-how for reckless Scots

4 February 2018 2 comments

From NICK CAIN at the Principality Stadium THE Scarlets experiment worked a treat as Wales opened their Six Nations account in scorching style with a […]

Eddie Jones names England squad to take on Italy

2 February 2018 0 comments

Ben Te’o beats Jonathan Joseph to start at inside centre

Stockdale and Aki named in Ireland team to play France

1 February 2018 0 comments

Ireland’s last trip to Paris in the Six Nations ended in a 10-9 defeat

Six Nations spotlight – Ireland: Joe Schmidt must unleash his terrifying dogs of war

30 January 2018 0 comments

Ireland head coach spoilt by riches of big-name players and new dynamics brought to the table by young up-and-comers

Courtney Lawes has big appetite for success – Eddie Jones

30 January 2018 0 comments

Eddie Jones on the upward trend of Courtney Lawes since he took over the England job

Halfpenny’s kicking can win it for Wales, says Sir Gareth Edwards

30 January 2018 0 comments

Wales legend gives his backing to the Scarlets full-back to kick Wales to victory against Scotland

Wales name squad for Six Nations opener

30 January 2018 0 comments

Scarlets players dominate Warren Gatland’s squad for Scotland match

Owen Williams can be Wales’ flexible back, says Gloucester partner Burns

26 January 2018 0 comments

By Neale Harvey Owen Williams’ flexibility across the back-line can propel him into Six Nations starting contention for Wales, says Gloucester half-back partner Billy Burns. […]

Injury-hit England sweat on fitness of Robshaw and Brown

24 January 2018 0 comments

Eddie Jones left with selection worries ahead of Six Nations opener as injury list grows to 16

Halfpenny ‘needs to offer more ball in hand’ warns JJ Williams

24 January 2018 0 comments

Welsh rugby great says Halfpenny hasn’t been the same since returning from Toulon

Eddie Jones signs contract extension as England head coach

17 January 2018 0 comments

Australian signs on to 2021 and RFU confirm steps being taken to bed in his successor for smooth transition

Barclay continues as Scotland captain despite Laidlaw’s inclusion for Six Nations

16 January 2018 0 comments

Gregor Townsend also names four uncapped players in squad expected to challenge for Six Nations title

Gatland hands Worcester wing Josh Adams Six Nations call-up

16 January 2018 0 comments

Full details of the Wales squad named by Warren Gatland

No X-Factor, but captain Hartley’s still the right man to lead out England

10 January 2018 0 comments

Nick Easter says the Northampton Saints hooker is still the man for England despite Jamie George no longer being his main competitor

Leinster and Ireland dealt injury blow as Ringrose ruled out for over a month

9 January 2018 0 comments

Centre out for remaining Champions Cup pool matches and first two Six Nations matches

‘I’ll do my best to stay on the level of other England locks’, says bulking Isiekwe

3 January 2018 0 comments

Nick Isiekwe on the unconventional diet which has helped him grow to over 18st

Wales advised to consider Vern Cotter as successor to Gatland

2 January 2018 0 comments

Mike Ruddock urges the WRU to consider the former Scotland boss he describes as a ‘class act’

Brian Ashton: Daly is a must for regular place on Eddie’s teamsheet

20 March 2017 0 comments

No man is indispensible but one member of the England backline is starting to prove as close to undroppable as any can be under demanding […]

England go numb as the big freeze strikes again

19 March 2017 0 comments

From NICK CAIN at the Aviva Stadium No farther, Brown: England full-back Mike Brown is shackled Pile-up: the ball runs loose as Anthony Watson and […]

Maestri blasts Barnes for failing to award penalty try

19 March 2017 1 comment

YOANN Maestri was in a foul mood following France’s farcical win over Wales, claiming refereee Wayne Barnes treated them like a “very small nation” by […]

Schmidt denies pulling a fast one

19 March 2017 0 comments

IRELAND head coach Joe Schmidt denied he had been playing mind games by withdrawing No.8 Jamie Heaslip minutes before kick-off. The veteran back rower was […]

Sorry, France, but this was not in spirit of the game!

19 March 2017 1 comment

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND What an effort by Wales. What a sham by France! Some might call it cheating, others will say what […]

So, why did England give Ireland so much ball?

19 March 2017 1 comment

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK JEREMY GUSCOTT On the charge: Ben Te’o should have been brought on sooner It was always going to be a […]

Hogg brings the fizz to Cotter’s leaving do

19 March 2017 1 comment

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Scotland 29pts Tries: Russell 28, Scott 38, Visser 62, Seymour 73 Conversions: Russell 28, 62, 73 Penalty: Hogg 5 Italy 0pts At […]

Good riddance to record run, now Eddie can experiment

19 March 2017 1 comment

BRENDAN GALLAGHER VERDICT Days are numbered: England captain Dylan Hartley It had to happen – and in fact you could argue it might have been […]

‘Fantastic culture created by Vern’

19 March 2017 1 comment

SCOTLAND captain John Barclay was lavish in his praise of departing coach Vern Cotter. “It is hard to put into words what Vern has put […]

It’s Rorke’s Drift again, but this time the Welsh heroics end badly

19 March 2017 1 comment

By PETER JACKSON Roar power: Referee Wayne Barnes awards a try to Damien Chouly, of France, deep in injury-time to level the scores at 18-18 […]

Cards fall in favour of five-try Scotland

19 March 2017 0 comments

Scotland U20 38 Italy U20 17 DARCY Graham scored two tries as Scotland dominated an ill-disciplined Italian side to claim their first win of the […]

‘Cheating’ French rile Howley in prop row

19 March 2017 0 comments

ROB HOWLEY believes France went against the spirit of rugby with the way they replaced prop Uini Atonio during the 20 minutes of over-time. Atonio […]

Defensive shift earns Slam for Zach’s boys

19 March 2017 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Ireland U20 10pts Try: Coombes 64 Conversion: Johnston 64 Penalty: Johnston 40 England U20 14pts Tries: Nay 18, Walker 40+2 Conversions: Malins […]