There are just three fixtures of the 2025 Six Nations remaining and the title race has taken shape with three teams still harbouring ambitions of lifting the trophy on 15 March.
France’s emphatic win over Ireland establishes Fabien Galthie’s side as favourites for the title, with the hosts’ grand slam dreams dashed in Dublin. A bonus-point victory takes France clear of their penultimate opponents at the top of the table despite defeat to England earlier in the tournament.
Ireland are still in the hunt as they chase an unprecedented three-peat, though the task has become significantly harder for Simon Easterby’s men after a damaging defeat.
England, meanwhile, also still have hope after trouncing Italy as they travel to Cardiff to take on Wales on Super Saturday when the championship will be decided.
Here’s what each team needs to win the title but first, a look at the current table and the remaining fixtures:
Remaining 2025 Six Nations fixtures
Round five
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Saturday 15 March: Italy v Ireland - Stadio Olimpico, Rome (2.15pm, ITV)
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Saturday 15 March: Wales v England - Principality Stadium, Cardiff (4.45pm, BBC)
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Saturday 15 March: France v Scotland - Stade de France, Paris (8pm, ITV)
FRANCE
France’s bonus-point win over Ireland takes them on to 16 competition points. Another bonus point win against Scotland in their final fixture will make certain of the title, with no other team able to reach 21 points.
Were they to win without a bonus point, England could match their tally of 20 points – though France’s vastly superior points difference (a mammoth 86 points better than England’s) gives them a huge advantage, with that being the determining factor rather than head-to-head, making England’s round two win count for little. In reality, a win of any description will see Les Bleus crowned champions.
A defeat to Scotland would open the door, though, particularly if France are denied any bonus points…
ENGLAND
England will feel their task is simple: a bonus-point win against Wales would give them the best shot of securing a title. France play last on Super Saturday but a five-point England win in Cardiff earlier in the day would leave them on the tally of 20 mentioned above. That would put the pressure on Galthie’s side, while Steve Borthwick’s men would be hoping for a favour from Scotland. In that scenario, if Scotland beat France, then England would be champions.
A win without a bonus point could end up being enough, too – if Les Bleus do lose, the highest mark they could reach would be 18 (with two bonus points), a total England will exceed with any sort of win over Wales. But that may not be accounting for…
IRELAND
Ireland had been in pole position as they chased a grand slam, particularly with Italy to come. But not only did France win in Dublin, they denied the hosts a bonus point of any kind – a scenario that appeared unlikely before kick off.
That leaves Simon Easterby’s side down on 14 points. A bonus-point win in Rome is a must, then, and preferably by a significant margin to repair the damage done to their points difference by France. Five match points would take the defending champions to 19 overall and if France and England both lost, then Ireland would be champions.
They can also be crowned champions if they secure a bonus-point win over Italy, France lose to Scotland and England beat Wales but fail to secure a bonus point. In that scenario, Ireland and England would both be on 19 championship points, meaning the title would come down to points difference, with England currently just seven points ahead of the men in green on that metric.
