France Rugby

France imploding, England abdicating, Italy enjoying a renaissance – how will it all pan out in this topsy-turvy championship?

After record defeat to Ireland, Borthwick made 12 changes but has kept players who were defeated to Italy

France look destined to win the title, but nothing about this championship has been predictable

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Flanker faces disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after contact with Scotland’s Ewan Ashman in a maul

After Italy’s triumph over England, you’d have been reaching for the Kleenex yourself

Ireland set to take on Scotland at Aviva, with victory raising possibility of tournament title

Gregor Townsend’s side run in seven tries and score 50 points but France hold on to lead at top of table with try bonus point

But there’s no telling what Scotland will do to them when they meet in the Six Nations on Saturday

Matthieu Jalibert returns for French team, who can win the title with a bonus-point victory

Statistics show how Ireland and other teams are adapting their Six Nations game plan midway through a World Cup cycle

The Counter Ruck Podcast

The players overcame the seemingly insurmountable, but supporters need to come back to earth

Ireland have climbed back up the world rankings after beating England but Italy’s tournament could still go either way

During their Six Nations loss to Ireland, England’s players were constantly yapping at Frenchman Pierre Brousset

Second grand slam of Fabien Galthié era within reach, but that may not be a formality

Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert have thrilled during Les Bleus’ storming start to the Six Nations

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Mack Hansen bemoans a ‘weird narrative’ around the Ireland team on The Tommy Tiernan Show

Pau centres Émilien Gailleton and Fabien Brau-Boirie come into side and both score within the first 15 minutes

The Stade de France witnessed another display of French sprinting ability last week, leaving the Irish trailing in the Six Nations

The hope is that the character of this Irish team won’t fail again in this Six Nations

The Counter Ruck Podcast

The La Rochelle coach didn’t give Ireland a pass for Paris humbling, but outlined a clear disadvantage

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Two decisions in particular led to some rumblings, but official Karl Dickson was spot on with both

Championship risks becoming a two-tier affair as Ireland, Wales and Scotland all lose openers

First man from Birr RFC to play for country pays tribute to ‘great club and community' in Co Offaly

Home side take full advantage as visitors concede 19 penalties and have two players sinbinned

Ireland’s humiliation on the opening night of the Six Nations was vast

‘Italy are not the Italy of old,’ said Ireland head coach as he looked to immediately move on from France loss

Ireland do not yet look comfortable embracing a greater focus on kicking and transition attack

The Counter Ruck: The stats might have made for decent reading but France were superior in every facet of play at the Stade de France

Former hammer thrower’s physical presence could prove pivotal in Six Nations opener

Six Nations: After 36-14 nightmare defeat, are there more scares in store for Andy Farrell’s men?

Andy Farrell’s men were beaten at the breakdown and all the other little scraps in sobering Paris loss

Victory against Ireland was perfect start to the France’s Six Nations campaign, L’Équipe says

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Sports Briefing: Andy Farrell concerned by his side’s lack of intent as France shed Irish game plan from the get-go

Ireland gifted chaos to a French outfit that was already capable of finding it themselves