ITALY 24-73 FRANCE France Sets Record with 68-24 Victory Over…
Guinness Six Nations 2025 – Round 2 | Who’s playing, where to watch and latest predictions
Round 2 of the Guinness Six Nations 2025 is here, bringing another weekend of thrilling rugby action—find out who’s playing, where to watch, and the latest predictions!
Match Details
What: Italy vs. Wales
Where: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
When: 14:15, Saturday 8th February
How to Watch: ITV1
Match Preview
Italy vs Wales: Six Nations Clash with Wooden Spoon Stakes on the Line
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome will be the battleground this Saturday (14:15, ITV1) as Italy and Wales clash in a pivotal Six Nations 2025 encounter. This match could have significant implications for the tournament standings, with both teams eager to secure a crucial victory.
Italy’s Quest for Home Victory
Wales, struggling after a heavy 43-0 defeat against France in their opening Six Nations fixture, are under pressure to bounce back. Despite being underdogs, they possess a talented squad capable of causing an upset.
Full-back Liam Williams, along with Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, will look to ignite the Welsh attack. However, they will need to improve significantly on their performance against France, where they failed to score a single point.
The Welsh forwards, led by Taulupe Faletau, will need to be at their best to compete with the Italian pack.
Match Prediction
Italy are the clear favorites heading into this match, reflecting their recent form against Wales and home advantage. They have won two of their last three encounters, although both victories came in Cardiff. The Azzurri will be determined to secure a win in Rome for the first time since 2007.
Team Lineups
Italy
15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements
16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Dino Lamb, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Ross Vintcent, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Jacopo Trulla
Wales
15 Liam Williams, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Eddie James, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Ben Thomas, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 6 James Botham, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements
16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 James Botham, 21 Jac Morgan, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Sam Costelow16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Blair Murray
Recent Head-to-Head Results
16.03.24 | Wales 21 – 24 Italy
11.03.23 | Italy 17 – 29 Wales
19.03.22 | Wales 21 – 22 Italy
05.12.20 | Wales 38 – 18 Italy
24.10.20 | France 38 – 21 Wales
Match Details
What: England vs. France
Where: Allianz Stadium, London
When: 16:45, Saturday 8th February
How to Watch: ITV1
Match Preview
The highly anticipated Six Nations showdown between England and France is set to ignite on Saturday at Allianz Stadium (16:45, ITV1). This historic rivalry never fails to deliver drama, and with both teams eager for victory, fans can expect an intense battle on the pitch.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has made bold changes in the backline, shifting Marcus Smith to full-back and bringing in Fin Smith at fly-half. The Northampton Saints duo of Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell form the half-back partnership, while Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence line up in the centres. Ollie Slightholme and Tommy Freeman join Marcus Smith in a dynamic back three.
Up front, England’s pack sees Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and Will Stuart forming the front row. Skipper Maro Itoje partners with George Martin in the second row, while Tom Curry, Tom Willis, and Ben Earl complete the back row.
France Squad Updates
France remain unchanged in the forwards from their dominant win over Wales. Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, and Uini Atonio form the front row, with Alexandre Roumat and Emmanuel Meafou in the second row. The back-row trio consists of Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, and Gregory Alldritt.
Antoine Dupont captains the side and partners Matthieu Jalibert at half-back, with Romain Ntamack missing out due to suspension. Pierre-Louis Barrassi and Yoram Moefana start in the centres, while the electric back three features Thomas Ramos at full-back, alongside wingers Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
England vs France: Latest Odds & Predictions
England enter this fixture as underdogs, while France are strong favourites to secure victory in London. France were ruthless against Wales on the opening weekend, and while England pose a tougher challenge at Allianz Stadium.
Fabien Galthie’s men dismantled England 53-10 on their last visit to London in 2023, and with a more settled squad, they are well-positioned to secure back-to-back victories in the English capital. Damian Penaud’s return is a massive boost for France’s backline. The prolific winger bagged a brace at Twickenham last year.
Final Verdict: Expect a fiercely contested battle, but France’s stability and attacking prowess give them the edge to secure another Six Nations win over England.
Team Lineups
England
15 Marcus Smith, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Henry Slade, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Tom Curry, 5 George Martin, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Will Stuart, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements
16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Chandler Cunningham-South, 21 Ben Curry, 22 Harry Randall, 23 Elliot Daly
France
15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Grégory Alldritt, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 François Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Alexandre Roumat, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements
16 Julien Marchand, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Hugo Auradou, 20 Mickaël Guillard, 21 Oscar Jegou, 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Émilien Gailleton
Recent Head-to-Head Results
16.03.24 | France 33 – 31 England
11.03.23 | England 10 – 53 France
19.03.22 | France 25 – 13 England
13.03.21 | England 23 – 20 France
06.12.20 | England 22 – 19 France
Match Details
What: Scotland vs Ireland
Where: Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
When: 15:00, Sunday 9th February
How to Watch: BBC1
Match Preview
Can the Scots End Their Losing Streak?
The stage is set for an intense Six Nations showdown as Scotland and Ireland clash at Murrayfield, battling for the prestigious Centenary Quaich. Both teams secured opening-round victories, but Ireland boasts a dominant record in this fixture, having won the last ten meetings.
Scotland’s Form: A Solid Start with Room for Improvement
Scotland kicked off their campaign with a 31-19 bonus-point victory over Italy at Murrayfield. While they started strong, their performance lacked consistency, allowing Italy to stay in contention for large periods of the game.
Gregor Townsend’s record against Ireland remains a major concern. The Scotland head coach has yet to secure a win against the Irish, with the team’s last triumph in this fixture dating back to 2017. Overcoming this mental hurdle will be crucial if Scotland hopes to challenge one of the tournament’s heavyweights.
Ireland’s Form: Defending Champions Eye Another Win
Ireland opened their title defense with a hard-fought 27-22 win over England in Dublin. After a sluggish start, they controlled the second half, showcasing their ability to close out games under pressure.
Winning 13 of their last 14 Six Nations matches, Ireland has a clear psychological advantage over Scotland. However, with Andy Farrell absent due to his Lions Tour commitments, they must guard against complacency against a dangerous Scottish side eager to break their losing streak.
Scotland vs Ireland Prediction: Can the Hosts Upset the Odds?
Despite Ireland’s recent dominance, Scotland has reasons to believe they can turn the tide. With home advantage and renewed confidence from their strong Autumn Nations Series performances—where they defeated Australia and pushed world champions South Africa close—an upset could be on the cards.
Ireland remains the favorites, but if Scotland can replicate their best form and maintain intensity for 80 minutes, they have the potential to end their losing streak against their Celtic rivals. Expect a fiercely contested battle, with Scotland aiming to defy history and secure a statement win at Murrayfield.
Team Lineups
Scotland
15. Blair Kinghorn, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Tom Jordan, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Finn Russell co-captain, 9. Ben White, 1. Rory Sutherland, 2. Dave Cherry, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Jonny Gray, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Matt Fagerson, 7. Rory Darge co-captain, 8. Jack Dempsey
Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Pierre Schoeman, 18. Will Hurd, 19. Sam Skinner, 20. Gregor Brown, 21. Jamie Ritchie, 22. Jamie Dobie, 23. Stafford McDowall
Ireland
15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Robbie Henshaw, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. James Lowe, 10. Sam Prendergast, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Rónan Kelleher, 3. Finlay Bealham, 4. James Ryan, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O’Mahony, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements
16. Dan Sheehan, 17. Cian Healy, 18. Thomas Clarkson, 19. Ryan Baird, 20. Jack Conan, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Jack Crowley, 23. Garry Ringrose.
Recent Head-to-Head Results
16.03.24 | Ireland 17 – 13 Scotland
07.10.23 | Ireland 36 – 14 Scotland
12.03.23 | Scotland 7 – 22 Ireland
19.03.22 | Ireland 26 – 5 Scotland
14.03.21 | Scotland 24 – 27 Ireland
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