Every Six Nations preview opens with the same promise: this one will be unpredictable. Usually it isn't, at least not at the top. But 2025 arrives with real uncertainty. Ireland begin a championship without Andy Farrell in the coaching box, France welcome back the player who makes them different, England are still hunting for a midfield that clicks, and Wales are trying to remember what winning feels like. Here is where each side stands, what will decide their campaign, and how the table should look on the final evening.
The Favourites: France and Ireland
France
Strengths: France have the deepest squad in the tournament and, in Antoine Dupont, the one player capable of deciding a match inside twenty seconds. The pack carries genuine weight through the middle, the back row is full of players comfortable on the floor and in wide channels, and with Romain Ntamack fit there are two playmakers rather than one. Three home games in Paris is the kindest schedule in the competition.
Weaknesses: Discipline and concentration. France still have a habit of turning a controlled lead into a jittery last ten minutes, and their record in tight away stadiums is patchy. Fabien Galthié also likes to rotate, which occasionally costs cohesion in the opening fortnight.
Predicted finish: 1st.
Ireland
Strengths: Ireland remain the most system-driven team in the championship. Simon Easterby takes the reins while Farrell is away with the Lions, but the framework does not change: sharp ruck speed, a ruthless kick-chase, and a lineout maul that turns territory into points. A Leinster-heavy core means combinations arrive pre-built rather than assembled on the training pitch.
Weaknesses: Transition. Several long-serving leaders have moved on, the front row is thinner than in recent years, and the number 10 shirt is being shared while a young fly-half learns on the job. Their round-four meeting with France in Dublin looks like the title decider — and they will need to be sharper by then than they were in November.
Predicted finish: 2nd.
The Contenders: England and Scotland
England
Strengths: The set piece is genuinely good. Maro Itoje's promotion to captain gives the pack a clear voice, the maul is a reliable source of penalties, and the back row offers real carrying power. England's bench, when Steve Borthwick uses it early, can change the tempo of a match after 55 minutes.
Weaknesses: Creativity behind the scrum. England kick a lot, often well, but they struggle to convert possession into tries against organised defences, and the centre partnership has been unsettled for two seasons. Slow starts have become a pattern rather than an accident.
Predicted finish: 3rd.
Scotland
Strengths: When Finn Russell is conducting, Scotland can beat anybody at Murrayfield. The back three finishes chances from anywhere, the pack is more physical than its reputation suggests, and Gregor Townsend has genuine depth in the wide channels.
Weaknesses: Tight games. Scotland have repeatedly built leads against top sides and then lost them in the final quarter, usually through a soft set-piece concession or a needless penalty. A serious injury to a key centre would blunt the attack further.
Predicted finish: 4th.
The Long Shots: Italy and Wales
Italy
Strengths: Italy are no longer a fixture you can pencil in as a win. Gonzalo Quesada has built a disciplined, well-organised defence, and the side now trusts its structure for the full eighty minutes. There is genuine quality in the centres and a forward pack that competes at the breakdown instead of surviving it.
Weaknesses: Depth and finishing. Italy create chances and then leave points behind, and the front row can be worn down by the heaviest scrums in Europe. Two wins is a realistic target; three would be a statement.
Predicted finish: 5th.
Wales
Strengths: The back row is competitive against anyone, the maul defence is stubborn, and there are promising young players getting Test minutes earlier than planned. Warren Gatland still knows how to set a team up for a one-off ambush at home.
Weaknesses: Almost everything else. Wales have forgotten how to close out matches, the attack lacks shape and threat, and the fly-half position has been a revolving door. Confidence is the biggest issue: one win would change the mood of the whole campaign.
Predicted finish: 6th.
Predicted Final Table
- France — the best squad, the best player, and three home matches to bank the points.
- Ireland — efficient and hard to break down, but one tight defeat costs them the title.
- England — a strong forward platform, just not enough invention to win in Dublin or Paris.
- Scotland — brilliant in spells, beaten in the moments that decide championships.
- Italy — at least one famous afternoon, plus a frustrating near-miss.
- Wales — improvement by March, but the wooden spoon is decided before then.
How to Get More Out of the Tournament
Six Nations coverage rewards a little preparation. Before the first whistle, note down your own predicted table and keep it somewhere you will see it in March. Being wrong is part of the fun, and it forces you to watch matches you would otherwise skim.
- Watch the last twenty minutes properly. Most of the tournament's decisive moments come after the benches empty. Look at which side controls the restart and which one starts conceding penalties.
- Use the blank weekends. Catch up on the under-20 and A-team fixtures. They explain selection surprises better than any press conference.
- Check local kick-off times early. Coverage is split across free-to-air and pay broadcasters depending on where you live, so confirm the channel and the time before inviting anyone round.
- Judge teams over three rounds, not one. A heavy opening defeat says less about a side than how it responds a fortnight later.
Predictions are cheap, and this championship has a long history of embarrassing anyone who makes them loudly. Still, the shape of the 2025 season looks clear enough: France and Ireland are a step ahead, England and Scotland are close enough to spoil it, and Italy and Wales are fighting a different battle entirely. Enjoy the Fridays, the anthems and the late drama — and keep that predicted table handy.
Photo: Ollie Craig / Pexels
