Six Nations 2026 rugby: France v England live score and updates

And again… LBB has 27 tries in 27 Tests now (Will Kelleher writes). To clarify what I said earlier, he has scored in ten consecutive Six Nations matches, but his try tally is actually now 15 in those Tests! Magnifique.

Good grief, that’s an astonishing try. France retake the lead and Bielle-Biarrey has another one. England’s indecision in defence costs them again as Mathieu Jalibert pokes a cute kick in to space behind for the wing to run on to for his 27th try in 27 games. The kick from Ramos is good.

What a response from England! Tom Roebuck slides over in the corner as Borthwick’s side hit straight back. Fin Smith’s conversion is wide, but the visiting side have come flying out of the blocks here.

One shot, one kill! Louis Bielle-Biarrey, remarkably, now has ten Six Nations tries in ten Tests (Will Kelleher writes). Hilarious. England had been trying exactly the same play at the other end, with Elliot Daly pinning a kick into the left-hand corner. When France did it, though, they had the best winger in the world to steam onto it, beat Cadan Murley and score… again.

Quite a sparky England start (Will Kelleher writes). Tom Roebuck chased hard and hit Emmanuel Meafou well off the kick off, and then when they had the ball England — shock of shocks — went fast and wide. Elliot Daly pinned France in with a kick, but now they have escaped well with a scrum and a clear from Antoine Dupont.

As gorgeous as the French kit is (four-month waiting list, if you were after one), it’s so light that it clashes with England’s white strip. It doesn’t help much that the French are wearing white shorts, too.

England think they have a try, as Seb Atkinson goes over in the corner after a sharp start, but Tommy Freeman was adjudged to have knocked on, saving the blushes of the France wing Théo Attissogbe.

Fin Smith hoists the ball high into the Paris air, and the final match of the 2026 Six Nations is under way.

The Stade de France is plunged into darkness and God Save the King rings out, with plenty of England supporters making themselves heard.

The home crowd give La Marseillaise the beans, and we’re nearly ready to go.

Now Freddie Michalak — dressed in the naughty cricket-style cardigan they have made for this 120th anniversary Le Crunch match — is delivered a match ball by two riders on horseback, obviously.

Some kids run onto the field and start to play touch with it under the spotlights, as the horsemen do a lap of honour and fireworks spit.

The battling men then steal the kids’ ball — but, wait! — one of the children floors the main baddie with a crunching tackle and… saves rugby, I think? More sparklers fly.

Don’t forget that at the start of this championship, this fixture was pinned as a grand-slam decider. How excited we all were! Now, France could concede their title to Ireland after hammering them in the first round, and England face the ignominy of finishing fifth after losing three on the bounce.

Ok, so the thing in the middle seems to represent La Manche — the Channel (Will Kelleher writes). We now have a bugler sounding a horn, and Frenchmen warring with English battalions. Only in France…!

Consistent jeers, whistles and boos as the England team is read out over the Tannoy here (Will Kelleher writes). Henry Pollock gets an extra frisson, shock. You’d expect nothing less!

Then we get the French lineup, teed up by a montage narrated by Fabien Galthié and Antoine Dupont, and each players’ first name is announced before the crowd roars their surname.

Tricolour flags are fluttering all around, as a huge flag is unfurled across the middle of the pitch. It is black with a white silhouette of something… maybe the Six Nations trophy? It’s hard to tell, particularly because the ground staff had to repair an obvious rip at the top end. To be fair, the original trophy was burnt in a van fire earlier in the tournament.

The replacement was flown via private jet from Dublin to the Stade de France, where it was placed before Ireland and Scotland kick off. If Ireland end up winning the title tonight, as France lose, then they will get their medals at the Aviva Stadium tonight, but will only lift the trophy tomorrow. Standby for some bleary-eyed shots if that happens!

The home side will be wearing a special edition shirt for this clash, a sky blue number that pays tribute to the strip worn in France’s first game against England 120 years ago.

As our man Will Kelleher asked in this morning’s paper, is it arguably the sexiest kit in sport?

I would estimate that the Stade de France is only about 40 per cent full, but a serious swell of noise has just greeted a group of about ten or so France players arriving onto the field to warm up (Charlie Morgan writes). This is going to get loud.

In case you were wondering as to the supporters’ sentiments at the ground, a confident France fan proclaims: “Roast beef. You’re going to end up on the grill.”

Dear readers, you might want to know that Stuart Barnes has been through the emotional wringer while watching Arsenal from the Stade de France press room here (Will Kelleher writes). Seeing them nearly concede, and then go up the other end to score via Viktor Gyokeres sent him into orbit.

Then the nervy final throes have been a tough watch, let’s put it that way, but then came the relief when Max Dowman made it 2-0… “Better than Iniesta” he says of the 16-year-old.

We’ll send him for a lie down before the rugby kicks off…

t wasn’t quite Groundhog Day, but for the thousands of travelling supporters at the Aviva Stadium, this will still have felt very much like a movie they have suffered through many times before (Mark Palmer writes).

Scotland are now up to a dirty dozen against Ireland, with a litany of common threads running through those 12 consecutive defeats like a series of four-letter words through a stick of rock.

Error-strewn, tentative and overpowered when the game was still there to be won, Gregor Townsend’s team by turn fell into, and facilitated, all manner of familiar Irish traps. And though they scrambled manfully for decent chunks of the second half, the hole they were in was already far too deep — and by the end had become a chasm. A third top-half finish in nine Six Nations campaigns under Townsend deserves some kind of recognition, but it wasn’t what any of us came for.

Read Mark Palmer’s full analysis of Scotland here

For the final game of this year’s madcap championship, a beleaguered England travel to France, for whom a victory of any kind will secure their second straight title.

It’s over. That long, long wait for a Six Nations victory has been ended by Wales in the most joyous and emphatic fashion (Steve James writes). At the 16th attempt, and after 1,099 days, they not only beat Italy here, they hammered them to confirm the progress so obviously made in defeats by Scotland and Ireland. Forget the final scoreline. It flattered Italy. They staged something of a second-half comeback when Wales made changes and the game broke up, but at 31-0 down on 47 minutes the contest had been over.

The opening-round defeat by England was the catalyst for Wales to muscle up, and how they have done that since, culminating in a physical and direct performance here where they simply smashed Italy up front. And they were precise and clinical in scoring four tries. They will still take the wooden spoon, but the upward trajectory throughout the tournament was at last rewarded with a deserved win.

Read Steve James’ full report here

The Prince of Wales, patron of the WRU, was in the stands at the Principality Stadium today.

The Italy captain, speaking to the BBC: “First of all, credit to Wales they played an amazing game in front of an amazing crowd. We know how much it meant to them to play in this stadium.

“We knew we had a good opportunity, we knew if we played our game and in some stages we were inconsistent and gave away too many penalties, especially in their 22.

“We lost a lot of energy to try and match the energy Wales were giving, in the end it was too late.

Asked if there was any fatigue from the England performance last week, the captain said: “No, 100 per cent not, we’ve had a very long Six Nations, but that’s the challenge that comes with playing in this tournament.

“We prepared well and we had the belief we could win.

“The first half cost us, but all credit to Wales.”

Speaking to BBC Sport, the Wales No8, said: “It’s been incredible, the past two games we’ve played really well but hadn’t got over the line.

“The way we started today and hung in there shows how far we’ve come as a group.

“When you look at our opening halves we put a lot of pressure and reflected on the score board. Bit disappointed with how it ended, but how the stadium was today made it very special.

“There’s a lot of young guys in the squad and this will be special for them.

“Disciple has been our downfall, looking back at the England and France game it cost us.

“We’ll celebrate as a team tonight, not ideal to finish bottom of the table. But everyone can see we’re growing and moving in the right direction.”

Wales captain, speaking to BBC Sport: “From Scotland to Ireland through to now, you can see the development of this group. We asked in the week for our best performance of the campaign, and we got it.

“We’ve always got belief in ourselves. The important thing today was that what we did in the first half, we backed it up in the second half.

“There’s a lot of noise and stuff going on behind the scenes in Welsh rugby, but once you get into camp and you focus on building and growing as a team, all your focus goes into that.”

Speaking to BBC Sport, the Wales full back praises the coach Steve Tandy and his team-mates: “It’s unbelievable to play with this team, you felt the crowd against Scotland.

“To do it today, was so special.

“When a new coaching system comes in, it’s difficult to get onboard over night, it takes time but credit to the players. We’ve brought into every training session, every game, the Scotland and Ireland games, and now today.

“We’ve got an amazing culture now and everyone is full of confidence.

“We were quite confident going into the England game. But when you have two yellow cards in the first 20 minutes it’s pretty hard to come back from.

“It was difficult to show what we wanted to show, same with the French game.

“That’s when we sorted our defence game and came together.

“I thought the first 20 minutes against Scotland was when it clicked. We’ve got an exciting back line as well as the forwards have been incredible the past three games.

“There’s so much positivity in this camp and there’s more to come.”

It has been said before over the past week or so, but a rematch between England and Wales a week on Saturday would be seriously intriguing (Charlie Morgan writes).

Steve Tandy’s side have shown admirable togetherness and resilience, with no little skill, since going down to France and thoroughly deserve this result to cap what has ended up as a promising campaign. Next stop for them is a meeting with Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium before two more Nations Championship ties against Argentina in San Juan and South Africa in Durban. Eddie James, Rhys Carré, Dewi Lake and Aaron Wainwright stand among the bright spots for Wales, who can feel proud and optimistic.

That rally from Italy means that Wales need France to beat England by 86 points to avoid their third successive wooden spoon. Unlikely, you have to say, but not impossible.

A final flourish for Italy as Garbisi goes over in the corner, but it matters little, even less now that Garbisi has knocked another kick wide. Wales have won their first Six Nations game since 2023.

Italy think they have another, but Leonardo Marin looks to be just short of the line. It slipped out of his mitts while in the field of play, so it’s a knock-on and a Wales scrum. A penalty comes their way, and the bonus-point win is set to follow.

Aaron Wainwright, who got proceedings off to a flier with his two tries in the first half, is given the player of the match award.

Now then… Monty Ioane could be over for Italy in the corner but there’s an extremely tight touch call… The on-field decision is try. The behind angle shows his leg was in touch after a brilliant covering tackle from Ellis Mee.

It’s the kind of chance an international wing really should take, but Mee has done well to keep him out. Wales’ 19-point lead remains intact and a massive Tomos Williams clearance kick relieves the pressure again.

Italy have another one, and it’s Tommaso Allan, the former Harlequin, who has it after butchering a chance a few phases earlier. Garbisi can’t convert, and Wales have a 19-point lead with just more than ten minutes to go.

Tommaso Menoncello bursts through but is felled by a Josh Adams tap tackle. More excellent defence from Wales limits any damage and they clear after a brave lineout.

Dan Edwards is replaced by Jarrod Evans at fly half. He’s had an excellent game, scoring 16 of Wales’ 31 points so far.

A huge roar as Wales hold up Greg Nicotera on the line, allowing Edwards to clear their lines and relieve a bit of Italian pressure that was beginning to build. Tub-thumping celebrations all round.

A rolling maul gets Italy on the board, and it’s the replacement hooker Di Bartolomeo who has it. Archie Griffin is sent to the sin-bin for collapsing the maul. Garbisi converts.

Just beforehand, Welsh rugby’s new golden boy Carré was given a huge ovation as he was replaced by Nicky Smith.

Crikey, this is confident stuff from Wales. Edwards, who has yet to miss a kick in this game so far, lines up a drop goal from just inside his own ten-metre line and it sails through. The Principality Stadium is in raptures.

Italy have now missed 27 tackles.

There’s the bonus-point try! Dan Edwards has it after they go through the phases, win a penalty advantage and fling it wide. A stunning performance from Wales so far. Edwards converts his own try.

The Italians have missed 21 tackles so far in this match, and are allowing Wales to make ground with almost every carry. Are their enormous exploits earlier in the tournament catching up with them?

For those of you wondering… for England to get the wooden spoon, Wales need to score another try here to secure the bonus point, after which a 79-point swing would be enough for Tandy’s side to finish fifth. Not impossible.

What a performance so far from the home side. Two tries for Wainwright and another for the captain Lake gives them a healthy lead. They’ve managed 4.2 points per visit to the Italian 22, and have had the vast majority of the ball and the territory.

Neither side’s lineout is really singing here, but it makes for an entertaining game nonetheless.

Elsewhere, there’s huge celebrations from Rhys Carré, who wins a penalty on halfway to keep Wales’ boot in Italian throats.

The Wales full back has had a quiet tournament since moving to No15, but he’s letting his hair down here, enjoying sprinting into broken field and making things happen against some cumbersome Italian defence.

Wales are in complete control here, the Italians look shellshocked. Dewi Lake goes over from a simple catch and drive from his lineout ball, and the captain has his eighth international try. Edwards has another conversion and Wales have a 21-point lead in the first half an hour.

Aaron Wainwright has another! He burrows under Italian defenders on the blindside of a ruck off the Welsh lineout. It’s checked by the TMO for any issues in the set-up and grounding, but it’s all above board, and Edwards knocks over a tough conversion to give Wales a 14-0 lead.

The Dragons No8 Wainwright enjoyed his sixth try of his career, and his second against Italy.

To Ireland the Triple Crown and a giddy few hours in one of the suites at the Aviva Stadium to see whether England could do them an unlikely favour in Paris by beating France and thus handing Andy Farrell’s team an unlikely Six Nations title.

Somehow you doubt that it will be a nervous watch. There was too much to celebrate about their performance in what had been a thrilling, high-quality contest played in beautiful conditions, in which they outscored the Scots by six tries to three.

For the quality of their attack alone, this was Ireland’s best performance of the tournament, surpassing even Twickenham. At times their passing, lines of running and support play up there with the best of the Andy Farrell era.

Read Peter O’Reilly’s full match report

Aaron Wainwright goes over under the posts to huge Welsh cheers. Solid second-phase quick ball off the Wales lineout is crashed over by the big No8, who steamrolls three Italian defenders on his way. Dan Edwards knocks over the simple conversion.

After a break via the barnstorming Menoncello brings the Italians upfield, excellent defensive work from both wings Adams and Ellis Mee keeps them out. A penalty lets the home side clear their lines.

A stoppage in the early stages with Josh Adams, the Wales wing, down getting treatment. Looks like a broken finger, but he’s going nowhere.

The Principality Stadium looked, as usual, resplendent in the pre-match proceedings.

Fairly depressing areas for Scotland? They have their one shot at the title and lose by 22 points, albeit with the margin blown out at the end (Will Kelleher writes).

It would be very strange if Ireland were to win the championship now, wouldn’t it? One amazing game, and poor against Italy and Wales, good in parts against Scotland and dreadful against France but they’re in the hunt. It does show the enduring quality of their setup and just how consistent their standards are. This is now their fifth consecutive championship with four or more wins, dating back to their last three-win Six Nations in 2021. Two titles, including one grand slam, in that time, too and if France lose to England that’ll be three.

Here we go, then. Paolo Garbisi heaves the ball high into the air and we are under way.

This fixture brings together two of the most stirring national anthems in sport. First up is Fratelli d’Italia, complete with the customary “SI” at the final note, before Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is sung a cappella with the stadium bathed in a low red glow. Spine-tingling.

Understandably Super Saturday’s sharpest focus is elsewhere, with titles, triple crowns and even, in the case of Steve Borthwick and his coaching team — despite dreaded assurances to the contrary — jobs on the line in Dublin and Paris.

But no jobs are on the line in Cardiff, unless you count the Welsh Rugby Union chairman Richard Collier-Keywood facing a vote of no confidence very soon at an EGM, with the chairman of the Professional Game Board, the always anonymous Malcolm Wall — in whom there was also proposed a vote of no confidence — having already stepped down this week.

Read Steve James’ preview

Kick-off approaching under the roof at the Principality Stadium.

The Ireland head coach, speaking to ITV Sport, praises the Ulster centre: “He has to be [in conversation for player of tournament] doesn’t he?

“The Irish fridge! He’s been immense.”

After all that excitement, the second game of the day has rather crept up on us. We’re just 20 minutes away from kick-off in Cardiff as a resurgent Wales take on an Italy team aiming for their third win of the tournament.

Grab yourself a drink and settle in. If this game is as good as Ireland v Scotland, we’re in for a treat.

The Ulster wing is presented with the BKT Rising Player of the Tournament. As he says himself, 28 is “a little old” to be receiving such an award, but fair play to him. He’s been excellent.

The Scotland captain, speaking to ITV Sport, is magnanimous in defeat: “Ireland definitely deserve it.

“I’m proud of my group and the way we stuck to it after a tough start [loss against Italy].

“It’s been an emotional tournament.”

Ireland’s players roared with delight after the final O’Brien try.

The Ireland captain, speaking to ITV: “It’s a rare day as an Irishman to be supporting England!”

Doris and his side now have a long wait to find out whether they’ll win another title — England don’t kick off in Paris for another four hours.

There was a massive and exceptionally moving rendition of The Fields of Athenry from the stands (Owen Slot writes). This feels like the stadium celebrating and saying: thank you and well done.

Scotland deserve recognition for the fight and character they showed for decent spells of that second half, but either side they left themselves a mountain to climb against an Ireland team who were generally far more accurate, far more disciplined and far sharper on both sides of the ball (Mark Palmer writes). All in all, a pretty flat way for the dream to die and that’s now 12 consecutive defeats against Ireland. Eighteen months out from yet another World Cup meeting between the teams, the Scots look no closer to finding the formula in this fixture.

That last play sums up the whole game — Sione Tuipulotu’s egregious fumble puts the ball on a plate for Tommy O’Brien to run in and take the winning margin beyond 20 points for Ireland.

And to top it all off, they’re now playing bloody Sweet Caroline over the PA. Enough already.

There’s the crowning moment, and the Triple Crown. A missed pass from Russell is fumbled by Tuipulotu and pounced upon by O’Brien, who scampers round Rowe into the corner. Crowley converts and Ireland have done what they needed to do.

A penalty goes against Scotland on the Irish five-metre line, and the Aviva erupts into a huge rendition of The Fields of Athenry that’s almost louder than their chorus at Twickenham last month. What do Scotland have to do to beat Ireland? This will be 12 games on the bounce now they’ve lost to the men in green.

A penalty for the home team is knocked over by Crowley, and with seven minutes to go, that is surely that.

There’s Ireland’s fifth try of the game, and time is running out for Scotland. Excellent hands from Frawley in the tackle releases Tommy O’Brien who goes over. Crawley converts and Ireland have their 12-point lead back.

And what about the hands from big Grant Gilchrist to send his fellow back-five forward flying over (Mark Palmer asks)? Where have they been hiding in his previous 87 caps?

Scotland refusing to go quietly, to the delight of a huge travelling support in Dublin (Mark Palmer writes). This has been a much cleaner, crisper spell from the visitors and they find their reward with a brilliantly-taken Rory Darge try. Game on (again).

And here come the cavalry — Kyle Rowe, Alex Craig, George Horne, and Magnus Bradbury all on. But just when we’re praising an outbreak of accuracy, Huw Jones drops the restart. Aaaaaaaargh.

This is an impressive turnaround from Scotland (Owen Slot writes). They’ve come back shorn of the jittery uncertainties of the second quarter. Their two tries have been a testament to their patience, to their belief in the gameplan and their ability to deliver on it. These are the very elements that Ireland shook from them in the first half.

Blooming heck! Scotland have scored again! What a game we’re watching here. Rory Darge is the man to tap down and Russell duly converts.

The home side hit straight back, and it’s the replacement Darragh Murray who squeezes in close to the posts for the all-important bonus-point try. Crowley converts and Ireland’s 12-point lead is restored.

…or they might just ask that man Russell to step up yet again (Mark Palmer writes). Scotland’s talisman has been utterly rotten thus far, but what a moment for him to come back to the boil. Brilliant conversion, too, and suddenly — somehow — this is a five-point game.

Scotland need something, anything, early in this third quarter (Mark Palmer writes). But even when they manage to string together some phases in opposition territory, they are meeting a green wall each and every time. Ireland have already claimed four turnovers on the floor (Tadhg Beirne, take a bow) and are winning the gainline battle hands-down.

Another moment of individual brilliance from that man Darcy Graham looks like the visitors’ best hope of finding a way back into this match, but for the Scots there continues to be many a slip between cup and wing.

The referee Luke Pearce made no bones about his issues with the scrums.

After some good phase play in midfield from Scotland, Tadhg Beirne nicks the ball back to take all the momentum out of the attack. Jamison Gibson-Park launches the ball downfield for a Scotland lineout. That’s the fourth turnover of the day for Ireland.

The next points in this match have to go the way of Gregor Townsend’s side. A couple of handling errors early in the second half will do nothing to settle Scottish nerves.

The players are back out on the field for their final 40 minutes of the tournament. Can Scotland bounce back, or will Ireland keep their foot on the gas to give themselves the best possible chance of the title?

Let’s have a look at some of the best pictures from that first half…

Scotland have just fluffed a basic backs move without the defence even in their faces (Owen Slot writes). Their timing has gone. Half-time is their saviour. If you think about what Scotland needed to deliver here, this is nothing like it.

Scotland have a terrible history of shipping points quickly and early against Ireland and they have replicated that again this afternoon. A more mature Scotland might have taken that on the chin, but that’s not what we’re seeing here. We’re seeing a frazzled team performing as though Ireland have succeeded in sewing doubt amongst them.

Somewhat deflatingly for Scotland, this is threatening to turn into a re-run of a movie we have seen so many times at the Aviva (Mark Palmer writes). Ireland are all over them at the contact and have been utterly clinical in the Scottish 22, while Scotland have piled up error upon error and lost virtually all the zip, pep and — crucially — precision which were so brilliantly to the fore against France.

They haven’t been helped by so many of their regular star turns falling flat. Russell has been all over the place, Ben White’s box-kicking has proved erratic, while the likes of Jack Dempsey and Rory Darge have not been able to bring to bear their previous influence in the close-quarter exchanges. It is all a bit of a guddle from Gregor Townsend’s men, for whom the break may be coming at exactly the right moment: a complete reset looks to be required.

Russell penalty not making touch (Owen Slot writes). Russell running into trouble. Huw Jones forward pass. Errors following errors. Scotland aren’t converting in the red zone either.

Meanwhile, there’s chaos as Graham hacks a loose ball forward but Blair Kinghorn can’t gather it.

Gregor Townsend is left with hands on head as Ireland hold out near their own line and win a scrum. The referee, Luke Pearce, has a word with the captains about players questioning his calls. Scotland come back though and have a lineout in the Ireland 22 again…but concede a penalty at a subsequent ruck.

It’s Robert Baloucoune who finishes wide in the corner after Ireland play it out from the back of the scrum outside the Scottish 22. The conversion is awry but it’s a 12-point lead for the hosts.

Super impressive strike move (Owen Slot writes). Two things are happening here: Ireland are really firing, a really accurate, really technically excellent attacking game. And Scotland are contributing to this by compounding error upon error. You could say that they’ve been pressured into this but a lot are self-imposed.

It’s been a breathless old opening first quarter and if Scotland have shown plenty to encourage them and their supporters in attack, there are similarly more than a few familiar warning signs in the efficacy of Ireland’s power game and ability to choke the life out of opponents (Mark Palmer writes).

The Scottish medics have been heavily involved, with Grant Gilchrist already in the wars on the day he becomes his country’s most capped lock, while George Turner, the hooker, has just trudged off for a head injury assessment with Ewan Ashman taking his place. Hopefully the Edinburgh man will bear no ill effects from the wandering hands of Oscar Jegou last week which led to a (ludicrously light) four-week ban for gouging.

Ten minutes gone and three tries already (Owen Slot writes). Smarter people than me (no jokes please) were predicting a tight one here. Sorry, we’re just not getting that at all.

Note here: the lineout drive that created Dan Sheehan’s try was initiated by the penalty conceded by Darcy Graham for a defensive offside. This is exactly the kind of error that Scotland spent all afternoon avoiding last week against France. They need that discipline and accuracy or their dreams will be fast snaffled out. It’s now 14-7 as Jack Crowley kicks another conversion.

Wow — straight back from Scotland (Owen Slot writes). Straight back into their attacking rhythms. Really excellent try as Darcy Graham goes in in the corner. A real statement of their confidence, clarity of thought. Outstanding. Sixteen phases. Do we have a game? Yes, we have a game. We’re tied at 7-7.

And Mark Palmer has the answer to his question of whether Scotland can hit back. Yes they can!

That was indecently fast. Too fast. Excellent manipulation of the Scottish defence to create the space and an easy in for Jamie Osborne (Owen Slot writes). Ireland had a scrum penalty against the head in Scotland’s 22 — and kicked to the corner to set up the move.

We’ve been hailing the improved resilience of this Scotland team over the course of the championship (Mark Palmer writes). After pretty much the worst possible start to the game, can they come springing off the ropes again to keep that title dream alive?

It’s Ireland to kick off, and the final day of the Six Nations begins!

A proper atmosphere is building here at the Aviva (Owen Slot writes). It’s so much fun with both sides still in the contest. So much fun that The Scotsman had a leader column this morning hailing the Six Nations Championship as one of the great things in life — somehow forgetting that Scotland have never finished in the top two. So maybe not quite that great.

Meanwhile, I was criticised earlier in the pre-match lunch for having quiche on the same plate as a fry-up. Thoughts? One of the great sins? It’s the sort of thing that’d get Steve Borthwick sacked. Though Bill Sweeney would no doubt give him the vote of confidence.

The teams are coming out and passing the Six Nations trophy — fair to say there are a few nervous faces. The winners, remember, still have a chance of claiming the title, though France, who lead Scotland as it stands on points difference, are still in the driving seat.

That look could well be all of us here in Dublin at some stage this afternoon (Scottish rugby correspondent Mark Palmer writes). What could possibly go wrong, eh?

Clearly there are a few moving parts to the Super Saturday scenario, but if Scotland do their bit by beating Ireland, it will still have been a successful day regardless of what then transpires at the Stade de France (former Scotland captain John Barclay writes). In fact, I’d go one step further and say it would represent their most successful day for more than a quarter of a century.

Winning four consecutive championship matches would not only surpass anything this team have previously managed under Gregor Townsend but many years prior: Scotland have not put together such a run since the 1990 grand slam.

In nine years of this regime, all manner of miserable sequences have been ended by virtue of having defeated England, France and Wales home and away, but Ireland have so far remained an impossible nut to crack, the Scots having lost all 11 head to heads since 2017.

Forget title — ending Irish streak would be Scotland’s best result since 1990

Not too long to go now, so here’s a reminder of the teams:

Ireland Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, O’Brien; Crowley, Gibson-Park; O’Toole, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt). Replacements Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Murray, Timoney, Casey, Frawley, Aki.

Scotland Kinghorn; Graham, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Steyn; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey. Replacements Ashman, Sutherland, Rae, Craig, Bradbury, Horne, Rowe, Jordan.

The Six Nations has felt like an intoxicating party to which England have not turned up (Charlie Morgan writes). And whatever happens on the final weekend, Scotland’s 50-40 triumph over France will take some topping as the performance of the year.

It was a display to justify Gregor Townsend’s claims that he had seen the best of his team in November, despite those autumn defeats, and that there was more to come. As the skipper Sione Tuipulotu stressed at the final whistle, Scotland stepped up for their head coach.

On the way to putting 50 points on Les Bleus at Murrayfield, the hosts were accurate, tough and courageous in how they executed a multifaceted game plan. France were unfortunate at times, but were blown away.

The courageous game plan behind Scotland’s destruction of France

Andy Farrell has selected his beefiest and most dynamic side to face Scotland as Ireland chase a fourth triple crown in five seasons — with the Six Nations title also up for grabs (Peter O’Reilly writes).

With Dan Sheehan, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier all returning to the starting side after last week’s 27-17 victory over Wales, Farrell is placing his faith largely in the team that laid waste to England at Twickenham.

McCarthy’s return at tight-head lock should help to bolster a scrum that has consistently struggled, conceding a whopping 19 penalties in four games so far. Meanwhile, Sheehan and Van der Flier enhance Ireland’s carrying threat.

Andy Farrell beefs up Ireland pack for Six Nations finale with Scotland

For each and every Scotland player, this will be the first time they have gone into a game with major silverware on the line (Mark Palmer writes).

Fronting up the All Blacks or Springboks, even a do-or-die 80 minutes for World Cup pool progression hopes: none of it holds a candle to the potential and the pressure of an occasion where history beckons and a coveted trophy sits pitchside like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow over Dublin Bay.

Saturday at the Aviva Stadium will be an entirely new experience for your correspondent too. Although covering Test rugby for a living can never be considered anything other than a privilege, there have undoubtedly been points over the past 21 years when charting the fortunes of this Scotland team has felt like a repetitive chore, with the same old hurdles rising up to get them time and time again.

I’ve covered team for 21 years, now trophy is on the line

Maybe no Six Nations Championship has ever been such a study in crisis-ology (Owen Slot writes). Everyone’s had a crisis. Actually, everyone apart from Italy. France started off in one; Wales are permanently in one; Scotland and Ireland screwed up so royally in week one that they were immediately plunged into one. England went from grand slam contenders into the biggest crisis of them all.

Gregor Townsend has, for the first time, got Scotland to the final weekend of the championship with an opportunity to win the thing — because he’s had more experience of crises than anyone.

Scotland were in one at the end of the autumn because they failed to see out what would have been a potentially historic victory over the All Blacks and then blew a whopping lead against Argentina. If it wasn’t a national crisis, it was at the very least a plunge in the share price of shortbread, oatcakes and single malt. But Townsend barely blinked.

England can learn from Gregor Townsend’s refusal to be stressed by crises

Six weeks can feel like an age, particularly during the most unpredictable and compelling Six Nations campaign in recent memory (Charlie Morgan writes). In early February, after going down 36-14 at a sodden Stade de France, Ireland’s prospects were bleak.

A flat performance frustrated Andy Farrell while causing many to wonder whether an ageing squad required a significant — and swift — overhaul. Fast forward to mid-March, and Farrell’s charges have rallied impressively.

Outside of an exceptional display at Twickenham, which blew away an insipid England, it has not been plain sailing. But they have done enough to give themselves a shot at a third championship title in four years, which is testament to their resilience and class.

Ulster unleashed and ‘cage mentality’: how Andy Farrell reignited Ireland

Good afternoon and welcome to The Times’ live coverage of the final day of what has been an enthralling Six Nations.

Our writers will provide live news and analysis throughout the afternoon, beginning with a pivotal match in Dublin between Ireland and Scotland (2.10pm), where the winner still has a shot at championship glory. Wales’ clash with Italy follows at 4.40pm before leaders France, who have their destiny very much in their own hands, play Steve Borthwick’s battered England at 8.10pm.

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