The 2026 Six Nations concludes with what is set to be a memorable Super Saturday, with France, Scotland and Ireland all involved in a thrilling three-way tussle for the title.
The championship race has gone down to the final weekend once more after holders Les Bleus missed the chance to wrap it up with a round to spare following their shock 50-40 defeat in a stunning 90-point epic at Murrayfield.
Such a loss – which was not nearly as close as the final scoreline might suggest – also wrecked French hopes of a first Grand Slam since 2022, though their dazzling late flurry to snatch a try-scoring bonus point could yet prove decisive.
It put soaring Scotland in contention for a first-ever Six Nations title, with the pressure on Gregor Townsend’s position emphatically eased after a week one upset away in rainy Rome was followed by a Calcutta Cup demolition of England, gutsy comeback in Cardiff and that incredible performance against France.
But the Scots may well rue allowing France to sneak a late bonus point that kept Fabien Galthie’s side top of the standings with one game to go as they hunt a record eighth triumph to pull clear of England, level with Scotland but with a vastly superior points difference.
Third-place Ireland, two points further back, are also still vying for glory after holding off spirited Wales last week and Scotland will not need reminding of their woeful record against them as they prepare to go to Dublin in an early kick-off on Saturday that also sets up as a Triple Crown decider.
Scotland have never once beaten Ireland during Townsend’s entire nine-year reign in charge, losing 11 in a row now dating back to 2018. Their last win on Irish soil was at Croke Park all the way back during the 2010 Six Nations.
How France can win Six Nations title
France have the obvious advantage of playing last on Super Saturday, so will know precisely what they have to do to retain their title long before kick-off against free-falling England, depending on what happens in Dublin.
Claiming that late try-scoring bonus point at Murrayfield, plus their large points difference advantage (theirs is +79, compared to +21 for Scotland and +16 for Ireland), means that table-topping Les Bleus head into the weekend knowing that a victory over England with a try bonus point for a total haul of five would definitely be enough to win the Six Nations again, regardless of what transpires elsewhere.
Any win would do – bonus point or not – if Ireland beat Scotland again at the Aviva Stadium. Bonus-point wins for both France and Scotland would see France take the crown.
France’s late blitz to snatch a bonus point at Murrayfield in round four could yet prove decisive in the title race
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How Scotland can win Six Nations title
Resurgent Scotland need to beat Ireland and hope that arch-rivals England then do them a massive favour in Paris in order to claim their first silverware since the final Five Nations Championship in 1999.
Any win over Ireland would be enough if France lose, while they would also take the title if they beat Ireland with a bonus point and France beat England without one.
Scotland would also lift the trophy if they lose to Ireland but get two bonus points and France lose to England, provided they keep their advantage over Ireland in terms of points difference and also deny them a bonus point.
A French draw coupled with a Scottish win would also be enough for Scotland, while both Scotland and France drawing would require Scotland to collect more bonus points than Galthie’s team, because of that aforementioned gulf in points difference.
How Ireland can win Six Nations title
The task is trickier for Ireland, who won the last of their six Six Nations titles in 2024, as they are two points behind France and Scotland going into the final day with a worse points difference than both.
Andy Farrell’s men must beat Scotland with a bonus point and hope that France then fall to England, with a non-bonus point win only enough if France then lose without picking up two bonus points.
A French draw would have required Ireland to win earlier in the day and pick up more bonus points than Les Bleus.
If Scotland and Ireland are beaten to the title by France, the winners of their match can at least console themselves with the Triple Crown, which Scotland have not won since 1990.
Scotland have not beaten Ireland since 2017, losing the last 11 matches in a row
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Can England get the wooden spoon?
They sit fifth heading into Super Saturday – five points above Wales – and go to Paris with a daunting task to avoid a worst-ever Six Nations showing of four defeats that some believe could make head coach Steve Borthwick’s position untenable just 18 months out from the World Cup in Australia and with the inaugural Nations Championship coming up, despite a recent vote of confidence from the RFU.
But they will surely not receive the dreaded wooden spoon owing to their massive points difference advantage over Wales (+4 compared to -96), which means that even a heavy defeat by France coupled with a big Welsh win over Italy in Cardiff would not be enough to consign England to the foot of the table for the first time.
There are also those who believe that a wooden spoon does not count simply for a last-place finish but should only be awarded for a winless campaign, which improving Wales – losers of 15 Six Nations matches in a row now – will hope to avoid for a third successive year against the confident Azzurri, for whom another victory at the Principality Stadium would produce a best-ever finish.