Rugby’s Greatest championship will take place over seven weekends in 2018, beginning on Saturday 3rd February and finishing with a championship ‘Super Saturday’ on March 17.
The 2019 Championship will begin on February 1 and conclude on March 16.
Next year’s fixture list means that for the first time since 2013, Wales will not host a Friday night match in Cardiff. Wales have hosted six of the seven Friday matches since 2009 but for the next two championships, France – who staged the first – will do so. The venue for next year’s Friday fixture, which will be against Italy, is yet to be determined but it will not be in Paris.
Warren Gatland’s Wales and Scotland get things underway next year in Cardiff with the early kick-off (2.15pm), with Ireland also travelling to Paris that day to begin their campaign against France.
Back-to-back championship winners England will then begin their tilt at a third straight title on Sunday 4 February in Italy.
England and Wales will renew their rivalry in Round Two, while Ireland welcome Italy and Scotland look to avenge 2017’s defeat to France at BT Murrayfield.
A Friday evening clash for the Guiseppe Garibaldi Trophy between France and Italy kicks off Round Three. For the first time ever, this fixture will take place outside of Paris. A venue for this match will be announced in the next few weeks. The Calcutta Cup will be contested between England and Scotland in Edinburgh, and Ireland and Wales play out a potentially crucial clash in Dublin.
The Centenary Quaich will be on the line again as Ireland host Scotland in Round Four, with the Scots defending that trophy after dramatically winning 2017’s encounter in Edinburgh. England will travel to France for ‘Le Crunch’, and Wales welcome Italy the following day.
As has been the case so often before, the championship title could well be on the line on Super Saturday, March 17.
Italy and Scotland get things underway in Rome at 12.30pm, before Twickenham hosts a repeat of the final game from the 2017 Championship, as England lock horns with Ireland in a critical encounter which could see the Millennium Trophy, the Triple Crown and possibly the Championship at stake.
Wales against France in Cardiff at 5pm will round off next year’s tournament, and the 2018 Six Nations Champions will be crowned immediately after that match.
‘We are delighted to confirm the fixture dates for the 2018 Championship, coming shortly after a record breaking 2017 edition,’ said Six Nations Rugby chairman Pat Whelan. ‘We enjoyed record figures across TV and digital and look forward to continuing that trend over the next two seasons.
The 2019 Championship will begin on the weekend of February 1/2, and will run until March 16. Both the 2018 and 2019 Championships will continue to see rest weeks after Rounds Two and Three as in previous years.
2018 Six Nations
3/4 February
Wales v Scotland Sat 2.15
France v Ireland Sat 4.45
Italy v England Sun 3.00
10/11 February
Ireland v Italy Sat 2.15
England v Wales Sat 4.45
Scotland v France Sun 3.00
23/24 February
France v Italy Fri 8.00*
Ireland v Wales Sat 2.15
Scotland v England Sat 4.45
10/11 March
Ireland v Scotland Sat 2.15
France v England Sat 4.45
Wales v Italy Sun 3.00
17 March
Italy v Scotland Sat 12.30
England v Ireland Sat 2.45
Wales v France Sat 5.00
2019 Six Nations 1/2 February
France v Wales Fri 8.00
Scotland v Italy Sat 2.15
Ireland v England Sat 4.45
9/10 February
Scotland v Ireland Sat 2.15
Italy v Wales Sat 4.45
England v France Sun 3.00
23/24 February
France v Scotland Sat 2.15
Wales v England Sat 4.45
Italy v Ireland Sun 3.00
9/10 March
Scotland v Wales Sat 2.15
England v Italy Sat 4.45
Ireland v France Sun 3.00
16 March
Italy v France Sat 12.30
Wales v Ireland Sat 2.45
England v Scotland 5.00
