The fixtures for the 2023 U20 Six Nations have been announced, with Ireland looking to back up last year’s Grand Slam.

Their title defence begins with a trip to Wales on Friday 3^rd February, while England begin at home on the same day against Scotland, who earned the wooden spoon last year, and Italy, who won three of five games last year, host last year’s runners up, France.

All games will take place on Friday evenings through rounds 1 to 4, while Round 5 will mirror the Senior Men’s Six Nations’ Super Saturday, with an U20 Six Nations Super Sunday on Sunday 19^th March with Scotland hosting Italy at 2pm, Ireland welcoming England at 5pm, and France hosting Wales at 8pm.

Last year was a bumper year at U20 level as, in addition to the U20 Six Nations, there was also an U20 Six Nations Summer Series, with Georgia and South Africa invited to join the usual six. In the absence, once again, of the World Rugby U20 Championships due to covid difficulties.

South Africa won that, beating Wales 47-27 in the Final, while Italy finished in third place after backing up their 6-0 U20 Six Nations win over England with a 38-31 victory over the same opposition in the 3^rd place play off. Italy are a team very much one the rise at this level.

Ireland slipped from Grand Slam winners in March to 7^th place in the Summer Series, beating Scotland in that 7^th place play off to condemn Scotland to two wooden spoons in the calendar year, however the team that Ireland sent to the Summer Series was largely an U19 one and will be all the more competitive once again come the 2023 U20 Six Nations for that experience.

Ireland are therefore expected to be competitive, France are seemingly always competitive at this level, Italy are looking very much a top end of the table contender these days, while Wales will be buoyed by their achievement in reaching the Summer Series final. Throw in a seriously determined Scotland after last year’s difficulties, and an England side more able to be as competitive as we expect now that the U20 players are actually getting some Premiership Cup game time this year (last year few in the England squad played more than five times all season), and we have a championship that is looking seriously competitive!

2023 U20 Six Nations Fixtures:

All games broadcast on BBC/S4C (UK), RTE/Virgin Media (Ireland), L’Equipe (France), and Sky Italia (Italy)

Round 1

Wales v Ireland – 7pm, 3^rd February

England v Scotland – 7pm, 3^rd February

Italy v France – 8pm, 3^rd February

Round 2

England v Italy – 7pm, 10^th February

Scotland v Wales – 7.15pm, 10^th February

Ireland v France – 8pm, 10^th February

Round 3

Italy v Ireland – 7.15pm, 24^th February

Wales v England – 7.15pm, 24^th February

France v Scotland – 8pm, 24^th February

Round 4

Italy v Wales – 7.15pm, 10^th March

Scotland v Ireland – 7.15pm, 10^th March

England v France – 8pm, 10^th March

Round 5

Scotland v Italy – 2pm, 19^th March

Ireland v England – 5pm, 19^th March

France v Wales – 8pm, 19^th March