Rugby union fans are in for a treat over the next couple of months, with the 2024 Six Nations Championship scheduled to be staged.
Ireland clinched the Grand Slam in 2023 and will fancy their chances of mounting another strong bid, but they may not have things all their own way on this occasion.
France could be tough to stop in their quest to win the title for the second time in three years, particularly with the fixture list working in their favour.
Read on as we look at the fixtures and latest betting odds for the tournament, before assessing which team will emerge victorious this year.
Six Nations 2024 Fixtures
The fixtures for the 2024 Six Nations Championship are as follows:
Round 1
Friday, February 2 – France vs Ireland
Saturday, February 3 – Italy vs England
Saturday, February 3 – Wales vs Scotland
Round 2
Saturday, February 10 – Scotland vs France
Saturday, February 10 – England vs Wales
Sunday, February 11 – Ireland vs Italy
Round 3
Saturday, February 24 – Ireland vs Wales
Saturday, February 24 – Scotland vs England
Sunday, February 25 – France vs Italy
Round 4
Saturday, March 9 – Italy v Scotland
Saturday, March 9 – England vs Ireland
Sunday, March 10 – Wales vs France
Round 5
Saturday, March 16 – Wales vs Italy
Saturday, March 16 – Ireland vs Scotland
Saturday, March 16 – France vs England
Six Nations 2024 Betting Odds
Most online bookmakers rate France as the favourites to win the Six Nations title, but some of the best betting sites in Ireland disagree with that viewpoint.
They are unable to separate France and Ireland in the outright market, which creates an intriguing betting puzzle for punters to unravel. The latest outright odds are as follows:
- Ireland – 5/4
- France – 5/4
- England – 7/1
- Scotland – 11/1
- Wales – 25/1
- Italy – 500/1
Six Nations 2024 Preview
France (2022) and Ireland (2023) have completed the Grand Slam in each of the last two tournaments and will once again be the teams to beat this year.
The fixture list gives France a useful edge, with their toughest games against Ireland and England both scheduled to be staged on home soil.
Ireland have not won in France since a narrow 15-13 success in 2018 and ending that run will not be easy in front of a partisan French crowd.
Captain Johnny Sexton’s retirement is also a blow to their hopes, and Ireland may find it difficult to claim top spot in the Six Nations this time around.
England’s hopes of upsetting the odds have also been dealt a setback, with captain Owen Farrell making himself unavailable ‘in order to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing’.
While home advantage against Wales and Ireland will help their cause, the final match in France could be the one which scuppers their title hopes.
Scotland and Wales both have major points to prove after disappointing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, while Italy look destined to finish bottom of the table for the ninth consecutive year.
If France defeat Ireland in their opening game they would be a good bet to equal England’s record of seven Six Nations titles. Claiming the Grand Slam is also achievable if they produce their best form.
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