Six Nations Rugby 2021 News & Updates

It’s unlikely fans will be on the terraces but the 15 upcoming fixtures promise to be a treat for those watching from home. Here’s all you need to know…

When last year’s instalment of the Six Nations got underway 11 months ago the likes of Twickenham, Murrayfield and the Aviva Stadium played host to packed crowds.

Optimism was in the air, beer was flowing and there wasn’t a face mask in sight. The hangover from the 2019 Rugby World Cup was behind these six teams and it was time to start afresh and look forward to a scintillating summer.

A year on and the Six Nations landscape is very different. For a tournament that thrives on the atmosphere of chilled supporters huddled on the terraces, the echoed silence witnessed during the Autumn Nations Cup offers a bitter taste of what is to come.

The 2021 Six Nations will be severely worse off for the lack of supporters. With coronavirus rates rising across the UK and curfews implemented in both France and Italy, it seems unlikely any fans will be on the terraces for the 15 upcoming fixtures.

Fulfilling the 2021 Six Nations fixture list is also a worry. Games get underway on 6 February but French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu has sought assurances that France’s trips to England and Ireland will be Covid-safe, in the wake of Champions Cup ties being postponed.

The Women’s Six Nations and the Men’s Under-20s tournament have already been postponed due to the virus.

But outside of the turmoil surrounding the staging of the 2021 Six Nations, team preparations appear to be going well. 2021 Six Nations fixtures and TV channel

France head coach Fabien Galthie has named a strong mix of class and upcoming talent in his 37-man squad, and will hope for a repeat of their Autumn Nations Cup run, where Les Bleus remained unbeaten until the “final” against England – at which stage their best players had returned to their clubs thanks to a labour agreement with the Top 14.

No such issues should affect Galthie this time, with the coach naming just three uncapped players – Donovan Taofifenua, Georges-Henri Colombe Reazel and Julien Delbouis – in his otherwise experienced squad. A first Six Nations title since 2010 could be on its way to Paris.

Both Wayne Pivac and Eddie Jones are expected to draft in youngsters to bolster their squads for the upcoming run of international fixtures – although England’s preparations have been dinted somewhat by the suspension of Kyle Sinckler for their opening tie with Scotland.

As for Wales, captain Alun Wyn Jones is hoping to have recovered from a knee injury suffered in December in time to face Ireland on 7 February.

Sanzaar, the body which oversees Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship competitions between the South African, Australian, New Zealand and Argentinian rugby unions, is positive that the 2020 Rugby Championship tournament can still go ahead, suggesting October as a start date.

Andy Marinos, chief executive of Sanzaar, told New Zealand news site Stuff the proposed competition could run from October to December, if travel and health restrictions can support an eight-week tournament window.

Australia and New Zealand were cited by Marinos as the destinations most likely to host the games, as Covid-19 is still not fully contained in both South Africa and Argentina.

While Western Australia has previously been flagged as a possible “bubble” host for every game, Marinos said Sanzaar would look more closely at the eastern seaboard of Australia to establish a Covid-19 free quarantine hub.

“Obviously the biggest elephant, or anomaly, in the room is what sort of restrictions that could come in. So we always have to be guarded by governments and health authorities around that,” Marinos said.

Marinos also dispelled reports that Super Rugby will be revamped in 2021. “I have actually been quite bemused by it all because it is more just coming out of certain sectors within New Zealand around not wanting to play in South Africa and wanting to do their own thing,” he said.

After their success in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, New Zealand and Australia have launched domestic mini-league Super Rugby competitions. The New Zealand league has no restriction on the number of fans attending matches.

Courtesy of SportBusiness.com

(Image credit: AWS)

Rugby fans will now be able to get even closer to the action thanks to a new launch from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Ahead of the 2020 Six Nations Championship, set to kick off on February 1st in Cardiff, the tournament has announced a partnership with AWS that will bring dynamic statistics for viewers at home for the first time.

AWS will now be able to bring its analytics expertise to introduce fans to five new, real-time, rugby statistics, hopefully providing deeper insights into the key moments in the on-field action, including the excitement of scrums and tries.

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The new statistics also include heat maps, which show where the key action is taking place on the pitch, There’s also information on balls won, impactful tackles, and crucial line breaks, and data on rucking efficiency – which is often one of the most mysterious parts of the game.

This information is generated through live data from the games, streaming them into AWS to store and create analytics that can then be shared in real time for live broadcast to viewers in over 170 countries to enjoy.

The Six Nations organisers and AWS hope that the new information will help audiences understand which team has momentum at different stages of the game, how game plans evolve during a match, and areas of stress or opportunity for attack.

The new insights will be, “such a great addition to our fan experience this year”, Six Nations CEO Ben Morel declared.

“We can safely say the future of the game is very bright.”

AWS already provides such insights for Formula 1, where its predictions on pit stop windows and possible overtaking opportunities have been welcomed by fans and broadcasters alike.

“The introduction of the advanced statistics – powered by AWS – in the 2019 Guinness Six Nations Championship was just the start of how we are planning to change the game of rugby through advanced in-game analytics,” said Ben Morel, CEO, Six Nations Rugby.

“This year will see the introduction of even more engaging and informative stats that bring fans even closer to the action. With these innovations, together with AWS, we are seeking to significantly enhance the viewing experience for all rugby fans by providing them with unique data-led insights.”

“We’re proud to help Six Nations place unparalleled technological innovation at the core of the rugby experience,” said Andy Isherwood, Vice President and Managing Director EMEA, AWS. “Rugby has always led the charge and embraced technology to positively evolve the game.”

“For the first time, using advanced AWS technology, Six Nations fans will be able to see the probability of a successful conversion or penalty kick and many other game-changing insights, which will offer unprecedented understanding into the game they love. We are thrilled to continue working alongside one of the world’s most iconic sporting tournaments and to positively enhance the game for rugby fans around the world.”

The Six Nations 2020 will kick off on February 01. The first matchups between Wales and Italy will take place on February 01 at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Guinness Six Nations matches will be broadcast on television live, delayed-live and via dedicated highlights programming in countries throughout the world. Details of regular broadcasters by country will appear below soon – check listings for confirmation of timings.

NBC Sports will provide the most comprehensive U.S. coverage of the Six Nations ever when the event begins one month from today on Friday, Sept. 20. In 2017 it was announced that ITV have secured the broadcasting rights for the 2020 Six Nations. While Fox Sports will broadcast the games via a dedicated Six Nations channel, which will include match previews, daily highlights, reviews, and archives. Foxtel said the rights reinforce the pay-TV provider’s status as “the home of rugby union in Australia. For precise details of broadcaster coverage please check local listings.

Six Nations Rugby is underway with Wales, Italy, Scotland, France, England and Ireland still battling for supremacy in the rugby union tournament. This page contains all the information on how to live stream every single match of the tournament, as well as watch them on TV and listen on radio. There’s no shortage of ways to watch the epic event online.