Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

The Independent UK

Sport

Harry Latham-Coyle

Women’s Six Nations 2025 fixtures revealed — and key Red Roses players could miss opening round

John Mitchell Six Nations France the Red Roses England Ireland Italy Rugby Scotland Wales

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

The Red Roses will return to the renamed Allianz Stadium, Twickenham as England again take on France in a likely grand slam decider on the final weekend of the 2025 Women’s Six Nations.

John Mitchell’s side beat their closest rivals in Bordeaux in April to secure a sixth successive competition crown and continue their dominance of the tournament.

A record crowd for a women’s rugby fixture of 58,498 had attended last year’s clash between the pair at the home of English rugby, while nearly 50,000 watched the thrashing of Ireland on their way to a grand slam earlier this year.

England take on New Zealand’s Black Ferns in Twickenham this weekend in the first fixture since the stadium’s renaming. Ticket sales for the game are approaching 40,000 with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) hoping to sell out the venue for next September’s World Cup final.

The Red Roses’ encounter with France is one of three home fixtures during the 2025 Six Nations, with their Round 1 clash with Italy set to be held at the York Community Stadium before a meeting with Scotland at Leicester’s Welford Road in Round 4.

The clash between the tournament’s top two will serve as the denouement to “Super Saturday” on 26 April, with Scotland taking on Ireland and Italy hosting Wales on the final day.

England beat France to secure another Six Nations grand slam earlier this year (Getty Images)

“The opportunity to take women’s rugby to new heights next year cannot be overstated,” Julie Paterson, chief of rugby at the Six Nations, said. “Having the spotlight on women’s rugby in 2025 can benefit the entire game, its players, and the fans. For the Guinness Women’s Six Nations to kick off such a significant stage in the trajectory of the women’s game feels both fitting and exciting in equal measure.”

The tournament gets underway on 22 March, a week after the conclusion of the men’s tournament and just six days after the final of Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR).

The English domestic league has shifted its season to conclude ahead of the Women’s Six Nations, though figures within the club game have privately expressed concerns over player workloads and management as national sides gear up for next summer’s World Cup.

England coach Mitchell suggested recently that those involved in the final from his squad were unlikely to feature in Round 1.

“Six Nations preparation next year will be even shorter,” Mitchell cautioned. “[We’ll] probably have to prepare two teams for the early start of Six Nations, because the [PWR] finalists will be playing just before we kick off. I think everyone will be given a good break after the Six Nations.”

(Getty Images)

Those involved in WXV will miss the start of the new PWR season as women’s rugby grapples with problems of a congested calendar like those seen more regularly in the men’s game.