The 6 nations 2025 tournament begins in a few days and here is why this edition promises to be delicate for the Blues.
The start of 2025 will be marked by the kickoff of the 6 nations tournament. Usually in February and March, the latter begins at the very end of January this year, the 31st, for the first match between the XV of France and the Wales in the Entre du Stade de France.
As every year, the calendar has a real importance for the 6 nations represented (France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales). And in odd year for example, the task can be much more difficult for the XV of France. This year 2025 being odd year, the Blues will indeed be entitled to three trips against two during the pairs years.
And no luck for the XV of France because in the three trips, there are the most difficult! The band to Antoine Dupont must move to Ireland, holder of the Grand Chelem, in England for a crunch in Twickenham and finally in Italy, which is, traditionally the lowest opponent.
It was since the integration of Italy in 2000 that the tournament has become a little more unbalanced, because one in two years, some nations receive two or three times. Traditionally, the XV of France is very often in check in the odd years.
In detail, the XV of France has only won the tournament since the 2000s: it was in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2022, with 4 Grand Chelem in 2002, 2004, 2010, 2022 .
For 25 years, there has been no change in the organization and even in the calendar because the calendar of the year 2000 was established on the opposite of 1999, the date of the last 5 nations tournament. Since then, a cyclic rolling has been set up. This explains why the XV of France does not move to Scotland, Ireland and Wales for example one year on the other.
To have a new change in the organization, you should include a new team. Argentina could have joined the competition a few years ago, but the South American team finally joined rugby championship with New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.