Les Bleus won a narrow three-horse race by a single bonus point last year, but England, who just missed out on glory, haven't lost a game since their 2025 opener against Ireland a year ago.
RadioTimes.com brings you the expert predictions for the Six Nations 2026 from six players who have played in it.
Six Nations 2026 predictions
Ben Youngs (England) – "People will start recognising him as a world class winger."
For The Love Of Rugby podcast
In environments like England, there's obviously an expectation. I've been there where you've had a few losses, but you never feel that far away, you just need momentum to turn those narrow losses into wins – that's what they've done.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has had injuries and not the consistency, but that guy is electric. He could get people on their feet and excited every time he touches the ball. He might be a real breakthrough and people will start recognising him as a world class winger.
Key match: France v England
Alex Cuthbert (Wales) – "We'll score a lot of tries."
Scrum V podcast
Louis Rees-Zammit is definitely our point of difference. He's our X-factor player, I'd love to see him at full-back. He's going to get a lot of touches of the ball and the player to push Wales forward. We've got a really good, exciting back three but Rees-Zammit is our main boy.
We're definitely fighting to avoid that wooden spoon. We'll score a lot of tries and may sneak a couple of losing bonus points, which will hopefully be enough to be above Italy. But that's me being very optimistic.
Alan Quinlan (Ireland) – "They won't go in with that favourites tag."
Off The Ball
It is a unique situation where you lose your coach for most of the year with the British & Irish Lions, but Andy Farrell is very well respected and an inspirational figure, so the hope is that Ireland can find a bit of spark again.
Jamison Gibson Park is that cog that connects forwards and backs and when he plays really well, he can unlock defences, pick passes out.
Key match: France v Ireland
Jim Hamilton (Scotland) – "Better than it's ever been... but it needs to transfer into a tournament."
The Rugby Pod
If you look at some of the stuff that we're doing, it's better than it's ever been, in terms of the physicality, the attacking shape that we've got and the quality of athletes we are producing, but it just hasn't transferred to the tournament. [Gregor Townsend] will be the first to say it needs to transfer into a tournament now.
We've always got one or two big games in us, but as the tournament shows, you've got to be better than one or two games. I could come back and eat my words but I am quietly confident. Third.
Maggie Alphonsi (England) – "He's exciting to watch. He brings a lot of hype."
ITV
England didn't have an attacking structure, they lacked that attacking flair. Defensively, they adopted almost this South African style of rugby, which was to try and have this blitz defence. We didn't know what England's identity was, what was their style of rugby?
Henry Pollock is on the bench, blonde hair with a black hair band. He divides opinion, but he's exciting to watch. He brings a lot of hype. When you talk about players who come in to the second half to make a difference, he's going to be one.
Key match: England v France
Dan Biggar (Wales) – "Is he enough on his own to get Wales out of it? Absolutely not."
ITV
Louis Rees-Zammit gives Wales a focal point, an X-factor feeling when he's on the ball. When his name is on the team sheet, there's a little bit more confidence in the team and a bit of fear in the opposition. Is he enough on his own to get Wales out of it? Absolutely not.
I'm disappointed the fixtures have fallen as they are with England away to start, then France at home. The Italy game has to be the one on Super Saturday. It's Wales' best chance of getting a victory in a shootout for fifth and sixth.
Key match: Wales v Italy
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