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In a final weekend packed with drama and decisive moments, the 2025 Six Nations threw scripts out the window and delivered rugby at its unpredictable best.
Italy rattled Ireland to their core in Rome, pushing the visitors to the limit before a tight finish fell the way of the men in green.
Meanwhile, Cardiff bore witness to an English demolition job as records tumbled against a shell-shocked Welsh side.
The curtain then closed in Paris, where France’s ruthless precision dismantled Scottish dreams and crowned Les Bleus as worthy champions.
Here’s how an exhilarating trio of matches shaped the closing chapter of this year’s competition.
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Italy vs Ireland (17-22)
The Stadio Olimpico crackled with anticipation, and Italy fed off the energy, launching into Ireland with the belief that an upset was possible. The opening minutes were played at a blistering pace, with the Azzurri pressing high and keeping Ireland on their heels.
Italy Strike First, Ireland Answer Back
Just 12 minutes in, Paolo Garbisi delivered a moment of magic. His perfectly weighted grubber kick split the Irish defensive line, allowing Monty Ioane to pounce and touch down in the corner. As the crowd erupted, Garbisi’s conversion sailed through, giving Italy a well-earned 7-0 lead.
Ireland, stunned but unshaken, responded in kind. Their relentless phase play eventually found a crack in the Italian defence, and on 24 minutes, Hugo Keenan sliced through the line with effortless precision. Jack Crowley’s conversion levelled the scores at 7-7, setting the tone for a tense battle.
Ireland thought they had taken control before halftime, but Keenan saw two tries ruled out—one for a knock-on by Caelan Doris and another for a contentious foot-in-touch decision against James Lowe. Italy capitalised on their reprieve, regaining the lead via a long-range Garbisi penalty after an Irish infringement at the breakdown.
But Ireland struck back decisively just before halftime; Dan Sheehan crashed over following an impressive maul, and Crowley’s conversion ensured Ireland held a 14-10 lead at the interval.
Second Half: Sheehan Runs the Show
Ireland turned to their pack for control, and Sheehan answered. The Leinster hooker struck again in the 47th minute, peeling off the back of a surging maul to power over the whitewash. Though Crowley’s conversion drifted wide, Ireland’s lead grew to 17-10.
The visitors continued to impose themselves, and in the 58th minute, Sheehan struck again. Another dominant maul, another clinical finish—the Leinster hooker powered over to complete his hat-trick. Crowley couldn’t add the extras, but Ireland had stretched their advantage to 22-10.
Italy, however, refused to fade. In the 63rd minute, Ange Capuozzo found a sliver of space and threaded a clever offload to Stephen Varney, who darted beneath the posts. Tommaso Allan made no mistake with the conversion, cutting Ireland’s lead to just five points at 22-17.
With the clock winding down, the Azzurri threw everything at the Irish defence, but their hopes were dashed in the final moments. Tadhg Beirne’s textbook turnover at the breakdown snuffed out Italy’s last attacking wave, sealing a hard-fought victory for Ireland.
Standout Performers
- Dan Sheehan (Ireland) – A monumental display, bagging a hat-trick and driving Ireland forward in key moments.
- Hugo Keenan (Ireland) – A livewire in attack, his early try set the tone and he played a crucial role in Ireland’s structured defence.
- Ange Capuozzo (Italy) – Electric with ball in hand, his assist for Varney’s try was pure class.
- Stephen Varney (Italy) – Brought Italy back into the game with a clinical finish under the posts.
The match also marked the final Six Nations appearances for Irish stalwarts Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray, both receiving a standing ovation from the travelling supporters.
Despite the victory, Ireland’s performance was scrutinised for missed opportunities and lapses in discipline, but they head home with another win in the books.
Wales vs England (14-68)
The Principality Stadium has seen its fair share of famous battles, but this was an English onslaught of historic proportions. Steve Borthwick’s men dismantled Wales with deadly efficiency, racking up ten tries in a record-breaking display of attacking rugby.
First Half: Early Dominance Sets the Scene
England immediately took control. Within three minutes, captain Maro Itoje scored from a smoothly executed lineout move, putting England ahead early.
Shortly afterward, Tom Roebuck marked his first international start impressively, finishing precisely in the corner to extend the lead to 14-0.
Wales offered a spirited response through Ben Thomas, whose powerful run resulted in a try beneath the posts, bringing the score to 14-7 and briefly energising the home crowd. England, however, quickly regained their composure.
Tommy Freeman continued his exceptional form, becoming the first English player to score in every round of a Six Nations tournament.
Chandler Cunningham-South also crossed for a try, and Will Stuart celebrated his 50th international appearance with another, significantly widening the gap to 33-7 at halftime.
Second Half: An Unstoppable Surge
After the break, England sustained their pressure. Alex Mitchell cleverly exploited gaps in the Welsh defence to score early in the half. Henry Pollock, making his international debut, made a significant impression with two well-taken tries, highlighting his promise on the Test stage.
Joe Heyes added another score, and Cunningham-South completed a brace to further inflate the scoreline.
Wales managed a late second try through Ben Thomas, whose determination provided some consolation.
Yet England’s intensity remained consistent throughout, resulting in a record-setting victory that emphasised their progress under head coach Steve Borthwick.
Standout Performers
- Henry Pollock (England) – The young flanker’s sensational debut, punctuated by two outstanding tries, highlighted his extraordinary athleticism and boundless energy.
- Tommy Freeman (England) – Continuing his remarkable Six Nations run, Freeman became the first English player to score in every round of a single campaign, solidifying his status as a key attacking weapon.
- Fin Smith (England) – The dynamic fly-half masterminded England’s relentless attacking rhythm, dictating the pace with pinpoint passing and exceptional vision.
- Ben Thomas (Wales) – Amidst a difficult day for the hosts, Thomas stood tall, crossing twice to provide the Welsh crowd moments of cheer.
France vs Scotland (35-16)
The Stade de France has seen plenty of unforgettable rugby evenings, but France’s emphatic 35-16 win over Scotland in the decisive match of the 2025 Six Nations was special. Les Bleus demoinstrated an irresistible mix of tactical sharpness, aggression, and creativity to claim the title convincingly.
For the entire eighty minutes, France maintained intensity and flawless execution, repeatedly exposing gaps in Scotland’s defence. An early burst set a fierce tempo, and a ruthless second-half performance secured a memorable finish to their Six Nations journey.
Scotland arrived in Paris hoping to spoil French celebrations but left with a stark illustration of the standards required to lift the trophy.
First Half: Scotland Resist, France Find Their Edge
France started strongly, immediately pushing Scotland back into their own half through pinpoint kicking and relentless pressure at the breakdown. An early Thomas Ramos penalty provided the ideal start (3-0, 4 mins), settling French nerves and establishing early momentum.
Yet Scotland were determined to compete physically, matching intensity in tackles and gradually finding rhythm through Finn Russell’s inventive distribution.
Despite the visitors’ resistance, France struck decisively. In the 17th minute, Gaël Fickou sliced open Scotland’s midfield before deftly passing to Yoram Moefana, who powered over for the opening try. Ramos added the conversion for a 10-0 lead.
Scotland rallied impressively, monopolising territory midway through the half. Their hard work paid off when Russell threaded an incisive pass to Darcy Graham, who darted past defenders to score beneath the posts (13-10, 29 mins). With Russell’s conversion, momentum shifted Scotland’s way.
A crucial moment followed. Tom Jordan thought he’d given Scotland the lead, but a TMO review showed Blair Kinghorn had narrowly brushed the touchline in the build-up, denying the visitors a potential turning point.
France preserved their narrow advantage into halftime—a moment of small details, but significant impact.
Second Half: France Deliver Championship-Calibre Performance
The second half saw France step up their intensity and accuracy, quickly pulling away.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey, the tournament’s top try-scorer, demonstrated superb anticipation to intercept a loose Scottish pass and sprint clear from 60 metres out (23-13, 43 mins). His interception was pivotal, tilting the match firmly in France’s favour.
With fresh forwards—the so-called ‘Bomb Squad’—entering play, France tightened their grip on the match. Their set-piece supremacy became undeniable, winning every scrum and maul, continually forcing Scotland into retreat.
In the 57th minute, Ramos exploited a gap, gliding effortlessly through Scotland’s defence to cross the line.
When Moefana barrelled over again five minutes later, France had effectively ended the contest as a competitive fixture.
Scotland battled bravely but struggled to sustain possession and tempo. By full-time, France’s clinical finishing and controlled pace had dictated terms. As the final whistle sounded, the celebrations in Paris reflected the team’s authoritative display.
Key Performers
- Yoram Moefana excelled with two well-taken tries, consistently breaking Scotland’s defensive line.
- Louis Bielle-Biarrey continued his remarkable form, securing his eighth try of the tournament—a new Six Nations record.
- Thomas Ramos produced another flawless kicking performance alongside his try, becoming France’s all-time leading points scorer.
For Scotland, Darcy Graham stood out with moments of brilliance, notably his sharp try, yet it was ultimately France’s day—indeed, France’s championship.
The Six Nations trophy returns deservedly to Paris. France have set the benchmark heading into the global rugby calendar.
The Final Standings
As another Six Nations Championship comes to a close, the final scores are in! With France back to their best, could they carry this momentum into next year and reclaim the title?
Only time will tell. That’s all from us here at The Full 80!
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