Six Nations 2025 Preview
One of the most exciting periods of the rugby union calendar returns and we have some fantastic 2025 Six Nations Predictions for you to use. Ireland will attempt to defend their crown and become the first side to win the tournament three times in a row. However, a buoyant French outfit and a potential sleeping giant in England are breathing down their necks.
The Six Nations kicks off on January 31st at 8:15 pm when France welcomes Wales to the Stade de France. Ireland begins their campaign on February 1st when they host England at 4:45 pm in the Aviva Stadium. Can the boys in green retain for a historic third time, or are they waiting to be knocked off their perch? Let’s dive into our rugby predictions for the 2025 Six Nations.
France
France looks like the team to beat in the Six Nations this year. The former Grand Slam Champions have been incredible under head coach Fabien Galthie. They won their first Six Nations in 12 years back in 2022 and have finished as runners-up in the two tournaments since. Les Bleus enters this tournament in dominant form, having won nine of their 11 tests in 2024.
Their attacking corps must be considered the best in the world. Damian Penaud and Romain Ntamack have gone from strength to strength under Galthie. However, Antoine Dupont is their jewel in the crown. The world’s best scrum-half had an incredible 2024. He captained Toulouse to the Top 14 and European Rugby Champions Cup, won a gold medal at the Rugby sevens in the summer Olympics, and claimed the European Professional Club Rugby Player of the Year. Dupont has won the Player of the Championship three times at the Six Nations and is worth 7/4 to claim his fourth with our online bookmaker.
The only thing that could work against France in this tournament is the weight of expectation. This is the best France team we have seen in 30 years. Their Six Nations triumph in 2022 seemed to signify the beginning of a prolonged winning period. However, they have finished runners-up twice since and were knocked out of the 2023 World Cup in the quarter-finals. A team as talented as this cannot keep being nearly men.
Six Nations 2025 Prediction – Winners
Our Six Nations prediction is for France to win the tournament. France’s talent pool is the best in the world right now and they are the favourites this year, worth 7/4 for anyone betting on Rugby union. That gold medal triumph will have given them momentum and Dupont enters off the back of arguably the best year of his career. Ireland will be standing in their way, but Les Bleus looks too strong for the boys in green.
Ireland
Ireland enters the Six Nations as defending champions in 2025. They made back-to-back victories in the tournament last year after dominating in 2023, winning the Grand Slam. However, there was heartache in the World Cup yet again as they bowed out in the quarter-finals to New Zealand. Andy Farrell led the side to a strong eight wins from 11 in 2024, but he departs for the British and Irish Lions tour. Defence coach Simon Easterby will take the job on an interim basis and inherit an excellent squad.
Ireland is a well-oiled machine. Farrell has his side maintain possession and control territory excellently. Although he will not be there, Easterby is no stranger to the Ireland camp and should have no issues picking up Farrell’s work. The reigning champions can wear opponents down with constant pressure and utilise their powerful forward pack. Ireland has found a winning formula in the Six Nations and is nearly neck and neck with France at the forefront of the betting markets.
There has to be a worry about the age of their squad. Experience is extremely important in these tournaments, but it has to be mixed with younger, energetic players. Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy are 35 and 37 respectively, and all their centres are in their 30s. These are still world-class players, but can they last an entire tournament at the peak of their powers?
Six Nations Prediction – 2nd Place
We are predicting a second-placed finish for Ireland. No team in history has won three Six Nations trophies on the trot and France’s team looks too strong to allow Ireland to become the first. There is no doubt that a title challenge is well within reach, but they would need to be flawless and hope for a slip-up from France.
England
Steve Borthwick takes England into his third Six Nations tournament as head coach, looking for yet more improvement. The tumultuous end to the Eddie Jones era is firmly behind this team and Borthwick has overseen steady progress since taking over in December 2022. They narrowly missed out on a World Cup final after a 16-15 loss to South Africa in the semi in 2023 before finishing 3rd in last year’s Six Nations.
Their forward pack is traditionally England’s biggest strength and that will be no different in 2025. Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler, and Itoje provide power and skill in scrums, mauls and lineouts. Their ability to win and retain possession will be integral in the Six Nations. Borthwick’s structured attack and tactical kicking game make them tougher to break down than other sides.
However, they have been plagued by inconsistency in recent years. England’s performance in the 2023 World Cup gave their fans confidence in a strong 2024, but a lacklustre run followed. They won just five games from 12 tests last year. They have also run into an injury crisis of late. Jamie George, Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Dombrandt, and Alex Coles are all out for the opening weeks of the Six Nations and Alex Mitchell cannot train this week because of a knee problem. Borthwick is lucky to have good depth, but those are some key players to lose.
Six Nations Prediction – 3rd Place
Our Six Nations prediction is for another third-placed finish for England. They have the talent to beat just about anyone but look too vulnerable in key games to reach the top of the mountain. Their opening fixture with Ireland will tell us what we can expect from them, but those injuries to key players mean they will enter that game considerably weaker than they’d like to be. They are worth 10/3 to lift the trophy for anyone betting on the Six Nations.
Scotland
Scotland had a good 2024 despite a relatively disappointing showing in the Six Nations last year. Inconsistency was their issue, defeating England and Wales but losing to Italy and narrowly missing out to Ireland and France. Since then, they have enjoyed a few successful tests, including a famous victory over Australia.
Jonny Gray returns to the side after a long layoff and couldn’t arrive at a better time. He is starring for Bordeaux in the Top 14. The Scots will begin their campaign with back-to-back home games, allowing for a great start. If Scotland can get off to a flyer, then there is no reason they can’t go on to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
There has to be a time when being the Dark Horse is simply not enough. Every year we hear of a new dawn for Scotland, but we are yet to see it come to fruition. There is no doubt they have the talent, but they have to capitalise instead of being yet fragile in important games. Injuries to captain Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings have put a dent in those hopes too.
Six Nations Prediction – 4th Place
Our prediction is for a fourth-placed finish for Scotland. There is a wealth of talent in this squad, but they are simply too inconsistent to go any further. They have dropped the ball when it seemed like their year one too many times. There is less expectation this year though, precisely for those reasons, and a good start could flip their fortunes drastically.
Wales
Wales are going through a transition period as they enter the 2025 Six Nations. They have a young squad and have lost key players with experience, like Alun Wyn Jones and George North both retiring in the last 18 months. That has coincided with the terrible form of the Dragons, following their wooden spoon in the tournament last year. They have lost 12 games on the spin, a record that dates back to October 2023.
The returns of Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams, and Josh Adams will at least lift the hopes of some fans. Adams and Williams are tied-sixth for Wales’ all-time try scorers and Faletau remains one of the strongest number 8s in world rugby. However, the latter two are likely in the twilight of their international career. The omission of Cameron Winnett was somewhat of a shock, but there are still some impressive youngsters in the squad and Jac Morgan has hit new heights so far this season.
This is a team in its developmental stages. The loss of George North is sure to be felt and there are a lot of players in this squad with sub-10 caps. Their lack of depth, particularly in front-row and fly-half, is alarming. This squad looks very thin on paper and will need their experienced players to carry them through the tournament.
Six Nations Prediction – 5th Place
Wales is no stranger to upsets, but we are predicting an underwhelming fifth-place finish at the 2025 Six Nations. They will be battling it out with Italy to avoid the Wooden Spoon. The Welsh have it in them to spring some surprise results, but that is likely the best they can hope for in this tournament.
Italy
Italy are the perennial underdogs of the Six Nations. They received the Wooden Spoon eight tournaments in a row between 2016 and 2023 before finishing fifth last year. They were inconsistent at best in 2024 and would love to stay away from the Wooden Spoon for the second year in a row. Italy is far from whipping boys, however.
The Italians have several players dotted around major clubs in France and England and also have some great youngsters. Tommaso Menoncello was named Player of the Tournament here last season and will form the core of this Italy team for years to come. Their time may not be now, but this could be a precursor for greater things in the future.
Like Wales, this team suffers from a lack of experience and depth. That leaves them a step or two behind the nations in front of them. Italy historically struggles against the top teams. That mentality has to change, and these young players could be the ones to flip it. However, their time is still to come.
Six Nations Prediction – 6th Place
Italy and Wales look destined to battle for last place and a potential Wooden Spoon. Neither side will enter this tournament in good form and Italy had a woeful Autumn Internationals Series in 2024. We think Wales can snatch a win in Rome, dooming Italy back to bottom place in the 2025 Six Nations.
