Six Nations 2026: team-by-team guide to the tournament 

Ireland and France will get the campaign under way in Paris on Thursday night.

A view of the Men’s Six Nations Championship Trophy at Edinburgh Castle, to celebrate the start of the Championship, in the city that gave birth to international rugby. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

IRELAND 

In charge: Andy Farrell (seventh 6N as head coach) 

2026 captain: Caelan Doris 

MIA or retired: Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony, Test centurions all, have all retired since the 2025 Six Nations; while Tom Ahern (lock/flanker), Ryan Baird (lock/flanker), Shayne Bolton (back three), Jack Boyle (loosehead prop), Mack Hansen (back three), Robbie Henshaw (centre), Hugo Keenan (full-back), Jordan Larmour (back three), Paddy McCarthy (loosehead prop), and Andrew Porter (loosehead prop) are all injured. Adding to the turmoil is a suspension for centre Bundee Aki, who will miss the first three rounds of the championship against France, Italy and England.

Senior lock Ian Henderson was omitted from the squad which began preparations with a week in Portugal while versatile playmaker Ciaran Frawley and uncapped duo Bryn Ward, the Ulster back rower, and Connacht loosehead Billy Bohan were released from camp to join the Ireland XV squad set to face England A in Limerick this Friday night.

Ready or not? Form has been inconsistent since losing their three-in-a-row Six Nations title bid last March, when a lone defeat at home to France consigned Ireland to a third-place finish under interim head coach Simon Easterby. A summer tour minus Ireland’s 18 British & Irish Lions gave opportunities to several new faces but the fixtures against Georgia and Portugal were so one-sided that little could be learned from the on-pitch performances at least. Fast forward to the Autumn Nations Series and the returning Lions were undercooked when they beaten first up by New Zealand in Chicago. Big victories over Japan and Australia restored some fluidity to Ireland’s game but that was washed away in the final Test of 2025. South Africa flexed their muscles in Dublin and inflicted a 24-13 victory that was way more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests, Ireland’s discipline disintegrating with a 20-minute red card and four further yellows as the Springboks pulverised the Irish scrum.

Throw in some less than encouraging provincial performances from Munster and a Leinster team which keeps winning but less convincingly than in previous seasons and there are plenty of question marks hanging over an injury-hit squad heading into Farrell’s seventh campaign at the helm.

New kids: Three uncapped players in Muster lock Edwin Edogbo, scrum-half Nathan Doak and his Ulster centre team-mate Jude Postlethwaite have been integrated into Farrell’s Six Nations squad but the head coach has made it clear they will have to work hard to adapt to international rugby and all three were made to wait for their debuts after omission from the matchday squad to face France on Thursday night.

Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match against Australia. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Spring schedule: Feb 5 France (a), Feb 14 Italy (h), Feb 21 England (a), Mar 6 Wales (h), Mar 14 Scotland (h) 

Reason to be cheerful: After an underwhelming Autumn Nations Series when the Lions contingent in particular looked short of match sharpness, Ireland’s frontliners could be coming to the boil at just the right time. There were glimpses of a return to previous highs with some of Ireland’s attacking play during November but only glimpses and Farrell will want to see more consistency through 80-minute performances during the upcoming campaign.

Reason to be fearful: Plenty, unfortunately for Ireland supporters heading to Stade de France to face the defending champions and with a trip to Twickenham and aan in-form England coming hard on its heels in round three. Those injuries have meant Ireland will field fourth- and fifth-choice looseheads in Paris while rising penalty and card counts during the Autumn and an under-pressure set-piece will need to be addressed as Ireland bid to get to grips with recent law changes and the current direction the sport is taking as a result.

SQUAD: Forwards: Tom Ahern (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, captain), Edwin Edogbo (Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).

Backs: Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Tom Farrell (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 

Did You Know: This Thursday’s 2026 opener against France will be Andy Farrell’s first Six Nations game in charge since the 2024 finale at home to Scotland, when Ireland clinched the title for the second year in a row having completed a Grand Slam in 2023. Farrell handed the reins to interim boss Simon Easterby for 2025 to take up his position as British & Irish Lions head coach for last summer’s series victory over Australia.

FRANCE 

In charge: Fabien Galthie (7th season) 

2026 captain: Antoine Dupont 

MIA or retired: The French squad announced by Fabien Galthie got everyone talking with the gilded trio of Gael Fickou, Damian Penaud and Gregory Alldritt omitted. That’s two recent captains, the country’s record try scorer and over 200 caps in total.

More shocking again was the news that La Rochelle tighthead Uini Atonio had suffered a heart attack and has now had to retire. Toulouse ten Romain Ntamack and reserve scrum-halves Maxime Lucu and Nolann Le Garrec are among those currently injured.

Ready or not: France were not exactly great in the last Test window but a near-third-string squad impressed down in New Zealand last summer and Galthie has injected a lot of new blood into the ranks for this tournament.

They are, lest we forget, the reigning champions coming into this latest Six Nations and Antoine Dupont being back is another immense plus. The scrum-half’s presence and influence can’t be exaggerated.

New kids: Régis Montagne is no ‘newbie’ but he has hit new, belated heights. Now 25, he made his Test debut in New Zealand last summer and started all three games in November. With Atonio absent, his importance is only amplified and he starts on the bench first up.

Some of the fresh options in the midfield are incredible. Nicolas Depoortère made his Test debut two years ago but still only has a handful of caps, the Toulouse 20-year old Kalvin Gourgues looks a gem and the equally young Fabien Brau-Boirie from Pau is similar.

Penaud’s absence leaves the No.14 open and, while it has gone to Pau’s 21-year old Théo Attissogbe against Ireland, keep an eye out for the uncapped Gaël Dréan of Toulon who is scoring almost a try per game this season. He should get a shot at some point.

Spring schedule: Feb 5 Ireland (h), Feb 15 Wales (a); Feb 22 Italy (h); Mar 7 Scotland (a); Mar 14 England (h).

Reason to be cheerful: The French are reigning champions and they have both Ireland and England at home to start and finish the tournament. France also tend to fare well in Championships held after the British and Irish Lions tours, for obvious reasons. They have a squad loaded with talent, they lean heavily on Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles teams that are showing well this season, and they have their great maestro back in the form of Monsieur Dupont.

Reason to be fearful: Again, France weren’t impressive in November. Losing to a 14-man South Africa by some distance was particularly painful. The omission of three star players may shake things up but if this goes badly then Galthié will find those decisions a stick to be beaten with.

SQUAD: Forwards: Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Hugo Auradou (Pau), Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle), François Cros (Toulouse), Alexandre Fischer (Bayonne), Joshua Brennan (Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Mickaël Guillard (Lyon), Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle), Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse), Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux Bègles), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Temo Matiu (Bordeaux Bègles), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse), Régis Montagne (ASM Clermont), Rodrigue Neti (Toulouse), Lenni Nouchi (Montpellier), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Dany Priso (Toulon), Thomas Staniforth (Castres), Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne), Cameron Woki (Bordeaux Bègles) Backs): Grégoire Arfeuil (Pau), Théo Attissogbe (Pau), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux Bègles), Fabien Brau-Boirie (Pau), Romain Buros (Bordeaux Bègles), Thibault Daubagna (Pau), Nicolas Depoortere (Bordeaux Bègles), Gaël Dréan (Toulon), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Kalvin Gourgues (Toulouse), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (Pau), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux Bègles), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux Bègles), Noah Nene (Stade Français), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (oulon), Ugo Seunes (Racing 92).

Did You Know: Antoine Dupont signed a new four-year deal with Toulouse back in October that will see him stay at the club through to 2034. The contract is worth a reported €1.4m per year and it makes him the highest-paid rugby player in the world.

ENGLAND 

In charge: Steve Borthwick (4th season) 

2026 captain: Maro Itoje 

MIA or retired: England have their injury issues with Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Curtis Langdon (Northampton), George Martin (Leicester), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale), Adam Radwan (Leicester) and Will Stuart (Bath) all unavailable.

Others, including out-half Fin Smith, Fin Baxter, Ben Curry and Ollie Lawrence, have been working on their fitness at the pre-tournament camp in Girona while Owen Farrell does not feature despite his return to Saracens from Racing 92.

The absences of Bath back rowers Alfie Barbeary and Ted Hill, as well as Saracens lock Nick Isiekwe, have all raised eyebrows while Tom Willis has been left out on the back of the news that he will leave Saracens and join Bordeaux-Begles next summer.

Ready or not: The form horse coming into this race, no doubt about it. England have won their last eleven Tests on the back of a defeat to Ireland in the 2025 Six Nations in Dublin and Steve Borthwick has already challenged them to get to Paris on the last day with a Slam at stake.

They have the ability to do that, although the visit to Murrayfield in round two looks to be key to those aspirations as Scotland have had their number in recent times, winning five and drawing one of the last eight head-to-heads.

There is talk of England expanding their game but they will still be a basics-first outfit, especially with Fin Smith out injured and the more workmanlike George Ford in the cockpit. Paris in the spring will tell us exactly how good they are.

New kids: Tom Willis’ absence, and that of Barbeary, leave England without a recognised out-and-out No.8 so it may be that Exeter Chiefs’ Greg Fisilau is given an opportunity to debut at some point in the tournament given his recent form.

Bath tighthead Vilikesa Sela and Northampton Saints loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun were the other uncapped players named in the initial tournament squad while Bevan Rodd and Trevor Davison, with five caps between them, are on the bench against Wales.

Spring schedule: Feb 7 Wales (h); Feb 14 Scotland (a); Feb 21 Ireland (h); Mar 7 Italy (a); Mar 14 France (a).

Reason to be cheerful: That unbeaten run, for one. It's 2020 since England last won the Championship and Borthwick has brought stability to the ship after the storm that was the back end of the Eddie Jones era.

Reason to be fearful: England have a lot going for them but they haven’t been sensational in building their unbeaten run and it is asking a lot of any team to go to Saint-Denis on the last day and get a win. Do that and this England team is for real.

SQUAD: Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Arthur Clark (Gloucester), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Guy Pepper (Bath), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Vilikesa Sela (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath).

Backs: Henry Arundell (Bath), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Max Ojomoh (Bath), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers).

Did You Know: England hold the tournament record for the most points scored in one match having put up 80 against Italy in 2001. They also hold the record for most points scored in one tournament having racked up 229 that same year.

WALES 

In charge: Steve Tandy (1st season) 

2026 captain: Dewi Lake 

MIA or retired: Captain Jac Morgan will miss the start of the tournament on the back of the shoulder injury sustained in the autumn while veteran No.8 Taulupe Faletau, centre Max Llewellyn and the young Kane James, who is switching allegiance from England, are also unfit.

Liam Williams, one of their greatest ever players, announced last month that he was retiring from the Test game aged 34 while Leicester Tigers’ Tommy Reffell, Saracens’ Nick Tompkins, Cardiff’s Callum Sheedy and Rio Dyer of the Dragons were all left out.

Louis Rees-Zammit of Bristol Bears runs with the ball. Pic: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Ready or not: Not. Definitively not! A win in Kobe last July ended an 18-game losing streak and another meeting with Japan in November halted a ten-game home run without a victory. The team’s fortunes are a sorry reflection of the crisis engulfing the game in the Principality.

New kids: Leicester’s Gabriel Hamer-Webb has taken a long road to his first Wales call-up. Born in Bath, the wing chose Wales after asking his mother for guidance and he has had spells with six clubs in three counties, including Southland in New Zealand.

Louie Hennessy is primarily a centre but has scored from the wing for Bath this year. He’s big and physical and the 21-year old will aiming for a first cap having first been named in the Wales squad back in November.

Not exactly a new kid but the return to the collective of Tomas Francis is worth noting. The 33-year old tighthead, currently playing Pro D2 with Provence, hasn’t played for Wales since the last World Cup. Other returnees are James Botham, Sam Costelow and Mason Grady.

Spring schedule: Feb 7 England (a); Feb 15 France (h); Feb 21 Scotland (h); Mar 6 Ireland (a); Mar 14 (Italy (h).

Reason to be cheerful: Any to be found should be sent post-haste to the WRU offices c/o Steve Tandy. Maybe Wales have bottomed out, but there is precious little reason to believe that there is any dramatic upturn in fortunes around the corner.

Reason to be fearful: That awful recent form guide for one, and the dreadful mood around the game right now given the very future of the Ospreys, the most successful of their four regions, on the precipice as the WRU continues to stand on one rake after another.

SQUAD: Forwards: Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Ben Carter (Dragons), Olly Cracknell (Leicester Tigers), Harri Deaves (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Provence), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Josh Macleod (Scarlets), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) Backs: Josh Adams (Cardiff), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester Tigers), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Eddie James (Scarlets), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester).

Did You Know: Wales have lost their last eleven Six Nations game. Their last Championship win was a 29-17 success away to Italy in March of 2023. They have won just two games in this tournament since their last title in 2021. Remarkable.

ITALY 

In charge: Gonzalo Quesada (third season) 

2026 captain: Michele Lamaro 

MIA or retired: Tommaso Allan, Ange Capuozzo, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Sebastian Negri, Jacopo Trulla, and Ross Vintcent were not considered for the squad named late last month due to injury. That’s a lot of big names missing for the Azzurri.

Ready or not? Italy won two games for only the second time in Six Nations history in 2024 and should probably have matched that last time out. Two wins should again be the minimum aim, though the schedule has them playing away three times.

Italy’s Michele Lamaro speaks to the media at Edinburgh Castle. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Trips to Ireland and especially France look testing but they will have a week off before welcoming England to Rome and they have shown enough under Quesada to suggest that they are still on an upward curve.

South Africa faced them three times in 2025 and Rassie Erasmus even predicted that Italy would finish top two or three in the Championship. The opener against Scotland is utterly crucial for any such lofty ambitions.

New kids: Such a shame to hear that Edoardo Todaro suffered a serious knee injury while training with Italy pre-tournament. The 19-year old has been flying for Northampton Saints this season having scored ten times in just 13 appearances. Quesada named a squad with just two rookies in January. Samuele Locatelli plays in the back row with Parma back-rower while his clubmate Damiano Mazza was named the 2024 Serie A Elite MVP.

Italy have retained the bulk of the squad that beat Australia and pout it up to the Springboks in November while welcoming back Benetton’s Paolo Odogwu and his clubmate Matt Gallagher who hasn’t featured since the 2025 Championship.

Spring schedule: Feb 7 Scotland (h); Feb 14 Ireland (a); Feb 22 France (a); Mar 7 England (h); Mar 14 Wales (a).

Reason to be cheerful: This is a team on the up and they have a growing raft of players who are, if not world-class, are operating at a level just below. They have shown promise up front and out the back at various times in the past but now have talent in both areas.

The playmaking trio of Paolo Garbisi, Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex can be superb, for instance. And in Martin Page-Relo they have a nine operating at elite level with Bordeaux-Begles right now. Consistency will be key for them.

Reason to be fearful: The absences of stars like Allan, Negri and Capuozzo can’t be overlooked given the depth in Italy simply can’t match England or France, or probably even Ireland, and the opener at home to Scotland is a must-win if they are to do anything historic.

SQUAD: Forwards: Simone Ferrari (Benetton), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma), Marco Riccioni (Saracens), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton), Michele Lamaro (Benetton), Captain Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma), David Odiase (Zebre Parma), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton) Backs: Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs), Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton), Leonardo Marin (Benetton), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton), Matt Gallagher (Benetton), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Louis Lynagh (Benetton), Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma), Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints) 

Did You Know: Italy have won just 16 of their 130 Six Nations games since being added to the tournament in 2000. Scotland have been their best source of joy with eight wins to date, Wales have been beaten four times, France twice and Ireland the once. Only England to go.

SCOTLAND 

In charge: Gregor Townsend (ninth season) 

2026 captain: Sione Tuipoluto 

MIA or retired: Scotland fans were left to wonder why Glasgow hooker Gregor Hiddleston had been omitted. Townsend instead selected Dave Cherry and George Turner alongside British & Irish Lions tourist Ewan Ashman, both of whom are more experienced but not now playing at the level Hiddleston is currently.

The same may apply to veteran 81-cap lock Jonny Gray, back in the squad despite struggling for game time at European champions Bordeaux Begles. Gray keeps out Leicester Tigers lock Cam Henderson while Alex Samuel is another missing from the second-row selections.

Ready or not? Losing at home to New Zealand and Argentina during the Autumn Nations Series does not inspire confidence that the Scots are ready to end their 27-year Six Nations title drought, having last won the championship in its five-team format. Townsend’s men have finished fourth in the table for two seasons in a row now while the head coach is yet to taste victory over Ireland during his tenure. Yet the form of Glasgow Warriors this season, in leading the URC and qualifying as the second seeds from the Champions Cup pool stages means this could be the season some of those unwanted trends are overturned.

New kids: Edinburgh young guns Liam McConnell, 21, and Freddy Douglas, 20, have one cap apiece and are vying for inclusion in the Scottish back row, though they have stiff competition from an established set of experienced rivals including Jamie Ritchie, Josh Bayliss, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey.

Spring schedule: Feb 7 Italy (a), Feb 14 England (h), Feb 21 Wales (a), Mar 7 France (h), Mar 14 Ireland (a) 

Reason to be cheerful: Glasgow Warriors’ form is the chief cause for Scottish optimism heading into the 2026 Six Nations, with 15 internationals in their ranks transferring seamlessly into international camp.

Reason to be fearful: A miserable Six Nations record and almost permanent inconsistency have plagued Scotland and Townsend. A shaky November which forced their supporters at Murrayfield to witness the Scots blow a gilt-edged chance to finally defeat the All Blacks and a second-half capitulation to Argentina having led 18-0 will not help shake off those painful traits come championship time.

SQUAD: Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh ), Josh Bayliss (Bath ), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh ), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Vannes), Alex Craig (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), Liam McConnell (Edinburgh), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints), D’arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Jamie Ritchie (Perpignan), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), George Turner (Harlequins), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors).

Backs: Fergus Burke (Saracens), Matt Currie (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Bath), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) Captain, Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (Toulon) 

Did You Know: Scotland’s last victory over Ireland came in the 2017 Six Nations at Murrayfield, the season before Gregor Townsend became head coach. Townsend was a member of the last Scotland team to win the championship, back in 1999 in the old Five Nations.