Six Nations Fixtures This Weekend (8th/9th Feb 2025)

All eyes turn to Europe’s premier rugby championship on the weekend of February 8th and 9th, 2025, as the Six Nations enters its second round of thrilling matchups. Three high-stakes encounters await: Italy host Wales in Rome, England welcomes France to Twickenham for “Le Crunch,” and Scotland faces off against Ireland at Murrayfield. 

Italy vs Wales – Saturday, 8 February 2025

Team Form: Italy opened their campaign with a 31-19 defeat away to Scotland, after falling behind early and struggling to catch up​. Wales, meanwhile, are in a dire run of form – they were thrashed 43-0 by France in Round 1 and have now lost 13 consecutive Test matches, the longest losing streak in Welsh rugby history. Both teams are desperate for a first win in this year’s Championship.

Key Players to Watch: Italy will look to exciting backs like full-back Ange Capuozzo and fly-half Paolo Garbisi to spark their attack, while captain Michele Lamaro anchors the defense (he made 20 tackles in Round 1)​. Wales welcome back talisman Taulupe Faletau at No.8, “widely considered one of the finest number eights in world rugby” – his first Test since Wales’ last victory in 2023. Captain Jac Morgan (21 tackles last week)​ will lead the forward effort, and wing Josh Adams provides finishing threat out wide.

Match Prediction: Many analysts give Italy a slight edge at home. Rugby World’s Alan Pearey, for example, tags this as essentially a “wooden spoon decider” and predicts a narrow Italian victory (24–19). The feeling is that Wales’ confidence is brittle, and if Italy can reproduce last year’s inspired performance (when they beat Wales in Cardiff), the Azzurri could capitalize on Welsh struggles​. However, Wales know a 14th straight loss would be catastrophic, so expect a tense battle.

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome​. Italy haven’t beaten Wales at home since 2007, but they’ll draw inspiration from a vocal Roman crowd. (Notably, Italy defeated Wales in Cardiff in both 2022 and 2024 and they aim to notch back-to-back wins over Wales for the first time ever.)

TV Broadcast: Live on ITV1 in the UK (English commentary) and S4C in Wales (Welsh-language)​. The match kicks off at 2:15 PM GMT, and it will also stream live on ITVX and BBC iPlayer for UK viewers. (In Italy, coverage is available on Sky Sport/TV8​

Team Form: England are struggling for results going into “Le Crunch.” They fell 27-22 to Ireland in Dublin in Round 1 and have now lost 7 of their last 9 Test matches​. Steve Borthwick’s side showed some improvement in performance but still can’t close out wins. France, by contrast, started with a dominant 43-0 win over Wales and are riding a hot streak – Les Bleus have lost only one of their past 11 games (nine wins and a draw)​. France have also beaten England in their last three Six Nations meetings, including a record 53-10 victory at Twickenham in 2023, so they arrive full of confidence.

Key Players to Watch: England have made a bold selection at fly-half, handing 21-year-old Fin Smith his first Test start to ignite their attack. They’ll need leadership from veterans like Maro Itoje (captain) in the pack and dynamism from flanker Tom Curry, who won more turnovers than any other player in Round 1 (3 jackal steals)​. France welcome back their superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont, returning to Six Nations action after a year away – his presence significantly elevates the French attack. Fly-half Matthieu Jalibert and wing Damian Penaud also return to the starting XV​, adding creativity and finishing prowess. Keep an eye on No.8 Grégory Alldritt, who was immense against Wales (18 carries and 32 meters in contact, Round 1’s top carrier)​, as he leads France’s powerful forward pack.

Match Prediction: France enter this clash as favorites despite playing away. Many pundits believe England will improve at home but still fall short – Planet Rugby, for instance, predicts France by eight points at Twickenham. England’s recent inability to put together a full 80-minute performance, combined with France’s confidence and depth, has most analysts leaning toward a French win. Still, England will hope the Twickenham factor and a backs-against-the-wall mentality can produce an upset.

Venue: Twickenham Stadium (officially the “Allianz Stadium” for sponsorship during Six Nations) in London​. This 82,000-capacity ground is England’s home fortress – though France’s last visit here in 2023 resulted in that stunning 43-point rout, a fact England will be eager to avenge. The atmosphere for Le Crunch will be electric as always.

TV Broadcast: Live on ITV1 for UK viewers​. Coverage starts in the afternoon leading up to the 4:45 PM GMT kickoff​. . (In France, the match will be shown free-to-air on France 2, and in the USA it’s available live on Peacock.) UK fans can also stream the game via ITVX.

Team Form: Both sides made winning starts last weekend. Scotland weren’t perfect but secured a bonus-point 31-19 win over Italy in Round 1​, extending a solid run that included a successful Autumn series. They’ll be confident at home, though they haven’t beaten Ireland since 2017 (ten consecutive defeats)​. Ireland continued their dominance of the Six Nations with a 27-22 victory over England​

 – that was Ireland’s 13th win in their last 14 Championship matches as they chase a third title in a row​. The defending champions look as strong as ever, but this trip to Edinburgh could be one of their sternest tests.

Key Players to Watch: Scotland’s backline is firing – outside center Huw Jones was the hat-trick hero of Round 1​, and he’ll partner with the creative veteran Finn Russell (co-captain) to challenge Ireland’s defense. Winger Duhan van der Merwe and full-back Blair Kinghorn add firepower to a Scotland attack that thrives on quick ball. For Ireland, look out for captain Caelan Doris at No.8 to lead by example in the pack, and the ever-reliable full-back Hugo Keenan anchoring the back three. Wing James Lowe is in form – he tallied three try assists against England​ – and the midfield duo Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw provides a potent mix of power and experience. Ireland also welcome back veteran flanker Peter O’Mahony into the starting lineup, adding leadership in the forward battle.

Match Prediction: This showdown for the Centenary Quaich promises to be tight. Ireland have had the upper hand in this fixture for a decade, and most experts tip them to extend that streak. Planet Rugby anticipates Ireland will edge it by one score (around 7 points) at Murrayfield, citing Ireland’s ruthlessness and big-game experience. Scotland, however, will take heart from home advantage and their recent form – some local pundits even dare to predict a narrow Scotland win in an “if not now, when?” scenario. It’s likely to come down to execution in key moments, but Ireland’s consistency gives them the favorites tag.

Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh​. A packed Murrayfield will be roaring on the Scots in their first home game of the tournament. Ireland won on their last visit to this ground in 2023, but Scotland will remember 2017 – the last time they beat Ireland here – and hope to recreate that upset on Sunday afternoon.

TV Broadcast: Live on BBC One in the UK (3:00 PM GMT kickoff). In Ireland, the game will be shown on RTÉ (as well as streamed on RTÉ Player). The match is also available via Peacock in the US and other international broadcasters (France 2, Sky Sport in NZ, SuperSport in South Africa, etc.)​.