It will be the first time in the Championship’s history that Europe’s showpiece rugby tournament will kick off on a Friday evening – with Wales having the honour of hosting England in Cardiff on February 4.
The 2010 Championship was again a huge success with a fantastic finale in Paris witnessed by a record French TV audience.
The final weekend of the 2011 Championship should again provide plenty of excitement with 3 exhilarating fixtures (Scotland v Italy, Ireland v England and France v Wales).
In yet another exciting development 2011 will also see the Irish team return to their traditional home in Lansdowne Road at the new Aviva Stadium after 4 wonderful seasons in their adopted home of Croke Park.
David Pickering, Chairman of the Six Nations Council, said: “The RBS 6 Nations Championship remains the envy of the rugby world, a tournament played with pride and passion and drenched in history and tradition”.
The 2011 RBS 6 Nations dates are:
RBS Six Nations Fixture Schedule 2011
All UK time – Add 1 hour for France and Italy
Friday 4th February – Wales v England – 7.45pm
Saturday 5th February – Italy v Ireland – 2.30pm
Saturday 5th February – France v Scotland – 5pm
Saturday 12th February – England v Italy – 2.30pm
Saturday 12th February – Scotland v Wales – 5pm
Sunday 13th February – Ireland v France – 3pm
19/20 February Free
Saturday 26th February – Italy v Wales – 2.30pm
Saturday 26th February – England v France – 5pm
Sunday 27th February – Scotland v Ireland – 3pm
5/6 March Free
Saturday 12th March – Italy v France – 2.30pm
Saturday 12th March – Wales v Ireland – 5pm
Sunday 13th March – England v Scotland – 3pm
Saturday 19th March – Scotland v Italy – 2.30pm
Saturday 19th March – Ireland v England – 5pm
Saturday 19th March – France v Wales – 7.45pm