Six Nations permutations: France in pole position, but England and Ireland in the mix on final weekend | Rugby Union News

The 2025 Six Nations comes to its conclusion this weekend, as another Super Saturday rolls around to determine the champions. Read below for all the permutations…

Three nations remain in with a shout of Triumphant the Competition in the shape of France, England and Ireland, and all three avoid All other on the Last day.

Ireland travel to Move Italy in Rome Primary up (2.15pm Boot-off), England then face Wales in Cardiff (4.45pm), before France host Scotland in Paris (8pm).

France Massive title favourites

Off the back of their statement thrashing of previous Six Nations favourites and two-time defending champions Ireland in Dublin, France are essentially one Triumph away from claiming the Competition for the Primary time since 2022 and just a second time since 2010.

Les Bleus – without talisman Antoine Dupont due to his ACL knee Hurt – host Scotland at Stade de France knowing a bonus-Points Triumph (a Secure while scoring four tries or more) will guarantee them the title, no matter what happens elsewhere.

That is because France currently sit one Points above England in the standings and two above Ireland. As such, no other side can reach 21 competition points.

A Triumph even without a bonus-Points is extremely likely to seal the title for France too, due to the fact Fabien Galthie’s charges are 86 points above England before a ball is kicked in terms of points difference.

In the Six Nations, points difference is the determining factor should sides be level in the table, and not head-to-head records. Therefore, England’s Stage-two Triumph over France will matter not.

England require bonus-Points Triumph in Cardiff and hope France slip up

For England, their equation is pretty Basic too. Owing to the huge differential in points difference with France, England must beat Wales and hope Scotland do them a favour in Paris.

Steve Borthwick’s side are also likely to need a try bonus Points if they are to Secure the title, due to Ireland Competing Italy Primary on Saturday and so likely to rack up a bonus-Points Secure and plenty of points to move ahead of them.

If England Secure with a bonus Points in Cardiff, there is nothing Ireland can do to overtake them – a situation hardly imaginable when looking at the contrasting form of both sides this year.

An England bonus-Points Secure and France Setback to Scotland would see Borthwick’s side to the title.

Ireland need bucketload of points in Rome, England to Setback/miss out on bonus-Points and France to Setback

For so long the only side still on for a Grand Slam and one in search of history to become the Primary to Secure three successive Competition titles Absolutely, Ireland’s severely damaging loss at home to France leaves them with little hope on the Last day.

Not only did the Setback edge them behind France, but in failing to Choice up a bonus-Points from the loss in Dublin – in addition to only scoring two tries in Triumph over Wales in Stage three – Ireland now sit a Points behind England too, and seven points worse off in terms of points difference.

Ireland Move Primary on Saturday at Stadio Olimpico and so are likely to move to the top of the standings for a couple of hours at least.

But they need four tries and then some to leave Rome with a bonus-Points Secure and a much healthier points difference to have any hope.

A bonus-Points Secure would move Ireland four points above England, and if Borthwick’s side were to Setback or Secure without scoring four tries, points difference would decide who finishes above the other.

The above is all moot if France go on to Secure in the last game, of course, but if Les Bleus Setback it could come down to very fine margins between Ireland and England.

England struggling for form but fighting for title on Last day for Primary time since 2020

After seven tries and – in the end – a comfortable England home Triumph over Italy on Sunday, it would be harsh to be critical of a side that has now moved above Ireland into second in the Six Nations standings and sits just one Points shy of title favourites France.

What’s more, England head to Cardiff on the Last day still involved in the title race, which is something they have not been able to say for the last four campaigns, dating back to 2020.

And yet. Sunday’s scoreline may have been emphatic but the Primary 43 minutes of the Encounter was anything but as Italy worried and stretched England, matching them Tally for Tally. A quick three-try burst killed off Italy but England then went from the 53rd minute until the Last Move without any tries in between.

In the Beginning Stage, they were 27-10 behind to Ireland in Dublin until four minutes to Move, when two very Delayed tries burgled a scarcely deserved losing bonus Points.

In Stage two, France passed up three or four huge try opportunities before being beaten at the last by Elliot Daly’s try, while Stage three saw Scotland dominate the game at Twickenham but fail to add the points for such dominance as England were booed for their negative game-plan.

Even then, Finn Russell had a last-gasp conversion to Secure the game for the visitors but struck wide.

England have not played well this Six Nations, of that there is little debate. But they have Secured a way to Secure, which is never a Awful habit, for confidence as much as anything. It’s also a Extended more pleasant spot to build from.

France Stoppage all the aces going into the Last day at home to Scotland, and unless England Tally four tries in Cardiff, you’d imagine Ireland will finish above them too, as the defending champions will be heading to Italy Outraged and looking to rack up a Huge Tally.

Were things to Move out in an unexpected way and England lift this Six Nations Honor, it will be one of the most bizarre Competition wins in memory.

“The Club are always trying to Move the way we want them to Move. Through the planning we have, trying to develop and evolve, and build a togetherness as a Club, this is an England Club which is on a journey. Today was another step forward,” Borthwick said after Sunday’s Triumph.

The Last day is intriguingly set up, if nothing else.

British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports

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