Six Nations: Teams and permutations for TODAY’S Super Saturday
One of the greatest annual international sporting competitions, the Six Nations, concludes today with three matches back-to-back-to-back.
With Ireland and France still in the fight for the title and Wales and Italy fighting to avoid the Wooden Spoon for coming last, every game matters.
Here’s what to look out for, the teams involved, and who needs what to win.
Six Nations: Scotland vs Italy, 12pm
Scotland host the first game of the afternoon in the early kick-off against Italy. Those north of the border can finish in second for the first time ever in these Six Nations championships but they will need a significant win over Italy combined with a Welsh victory later in the championship.
It is simple for Italy: if they win, they move out of bottom spot and above Wales before their Wooden Spoon competition play in Paris later in the afternoon.
Both of these sides have improved in the 2023 Championship and have both managed to show off a better execution in both attack and defence.
Scotland will want to show they can be cut-throat and put 50 points on Italy while the Azzurri will want to win their first match of the Six Nations.
Scotland team: 15. Ollie Smith 14. Kyle Steyn 13. Huw Jones 12. Sione Tuipulotu 11. Duhan van der Merwe 10. Blair Kinghorn 9. Ben White 1. Pierre Schoeman 2. George Turner 3. Zander Fagerson 4. Sam Skinner 5. Jonny Gray 6. Jamie Ritchie 7. Hamish Watson 8. Jack Dempsey
Scotland bench: 16. Ewan Ashman 17. Rory Sutherland 18. WP Nel 19. Scott Cummings 20. Matt Fagerson 21. Ali Price 22. Ben Healy 23. Cameron Redpath
Italy team: 15. Tommaso Allan 14. Pierre Bruno 13. Juan Ignacio Brex 12. Tommaso Menoncello 11. Simone Gesi 10. Paolo Garbisi 9. Alessandro Fusco 1. Danilo Fischetti 2. Giacomo Nicotera 3. Marco Riccioni 4. Edoardo Iachizzi 5. Federico Ruzza 6. Sebastian Negri 7. Michele Lamaro 8. Lorezo Cannone
Italy bench: 16. Marco Manfredi 17. Federico Zani 18. Pietro Ceccarelli 19. Niccolo Cannone 20. Giovanni Pettinelli 21. Manuel Zuliani 22. Alessandro Garbisi 23. Luca Morisi
12pm, BBC1
Six Nations: France v Wales, 2:45pm
The middle game of today’s action is the first one of real importance. France remain in the hunt for the Championship – which, if won, would be their second in succession – but they need to put in a barnstorming performance against Wales.
France are four points behind Ireland in the Six Nations table so a win would be enough to force Ireland’s hand but a bonus point win would put them a point clear.
The French have looked solid, only coming undone by world No1 Ireland in Dublin, but are relying on an England win in Dublin to give them a shot.
Wales are looking to avoid the Wooden Spoon, and they’ll know whether they’re fifth or sixth before kick-off.
France are favourites for this Six Nations battle, but ideally need five points in the table and a number of tries in case the tournament comes down to points difference.
France team: 15. Thomas Ramos 14. Damian Penaud 13. Gael Fickou 12. Jonathan Danty 11. Ethan Dumortier 10. Romain Ntamack 9. Antoine Dupont 1. Cyril Baille 2. Julien Marchand 3. Uini Atonio 4. Thibaud Flament 5. Romain Taofifenua 6. Francois Cros 7. Charles Ollivon 8. Gregory Alldritt
France bench: 16. Pesto Mauvaka 17. Reda Wardi 18. Sipili Dalatea 19. Bastien Chalureau 20. Sekou Macalou 21. Maxime Lucu 22. Yoram Moefana 23. Melvyn jaminet
Wales team: 15. Louis Rees-Zammit 14. Josh Adams 13. George North 12. Nick Tompkins 11. Rio Dyer 10. Dan Biggar 9. Rhys Wenn 1. Wyn Jones 2. Ken Owens 3. Tomas Francis 4. Adam Beard 5 Alun Wyn Jones 6. Aaron Wainwright 7. Justin Tipuric 8. Taulupe Faletau
Wales bench: 16. Bradley Roberts 17. Gareth Thomas 18. Dillon Lewis 19. Dafydd Jenkins 20. Tommy Reffell 21. Tomos Williams 22. Owen Williams 23. Leigh Halfpenny
2:45pm, ITV1
Six Nations: Ireland v England, 5pm
This is the big one, the decider. No matter what happens earlier on in the day there is something riding on this.
If France win well in Paris then Ireland must beat England to win the Championship, if France lose in Paris then England can deny their hosts the Grand Slam.
England were humbled by France last week and play the only side above Les Bleus in the world rankings this afternoon.
Ireland are overwhelming favourites for this Six Nations clash and expected to win by a significant margin – which is exactly what England will want.
England team: 15. Freddie Steward 14. Anthony Watson 13. Henry Slade 12. Manu Tuilagi 11. Henry Arundell 10. Owen Farrell 9. Jack van Poortvliet 1. Ellis Genge 2. Jamie George 3. Kyle Sinckler 4. Maro Itoje 5. David Ribbans 6. Lewis Ludlam 7. Jack Willis 8. Alex Dombrandt
England bench: 16. Jack Walker 17. Mako Vunipola 18, Dan Cole 19. Nick Isiekwe 20. Ben Curry 21. Alex Mitchell 22. Marcus Smith 23. Joe Marchant
Ireland team: 15. Hugo Keenan 14. Mack Hansen 13. Robbie Henshaw 12. Bundee Aki 11. James Lowe 10. Johnny Sexton 9. Jamison Gibson-Park 1. Andrew Porter 2. Dan Sheehan 3. Tadhg Furlong 4. Ryan Baird 5. James Ryan 6. Peter O’Mahony 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Caelan Doris
Ireland bench: 16. Rob Herring 17. Cian Healy 18. Tom O’Toole 19. Kieran Treadwell 20. Jack Conan 21. Conor Murray 22. Ross Byrne 23. Jimmy O’Brien
5pm, ITV1
The table
| TEAM | POINTS DIFFERENCE | POINTS |
| Ireland | 66 | 19 |
| France | 46 | 15 |
| Scotland | 8 | 10 |
| England | -22 | 10 |
| Wales | -50 | 5 |
| Italy | -48 | 1 |