The Six Nations Championship opening weekend is one of the most anticipated betting occasions in the Irish sporting calendar. Ireland typically play their first game on the opening Saturday or Sunday, often away to France or at the Aviva Stadium against a home opponent.
Six Nations Format
The Six Nations Championship runs from February to March, with five rounds of fixtures over five weeks. Each team plays five games — two home, two away, and one neutral (determined by the fixture rotation). Ireland, England, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy compete. The team that wins all five games claims the Grand Slam; winning three of the two matches against England, Scotland and Wales constitutes the Triple Crown.
Opening Weekend Betting
Week 1 of the Six Nations is one of the highest-volume rugby betting weekends of the year. Three games take place over Saturday and Sunday, covering all six nations. Outright championship winner markets that opened in January are updated after the first round. Ireland’s performance in Week 1 heavily influences their outright championship price for the remaining rounds.
Key Markets for Week 1
- Match result: No draw provision in rugby; two outcomes (home/away win)
- Handicap: Points handicap betting — especially relevant for mismatched games
- Over/under total points: Modern rugby can be high-scoring
- First try scorer: Popular market for rugby betting
- Ireland to win by [x] points: Winning margin markets
Frequently Asked Questions
Six Nations Week 1: Fixtures & Betting Markets
| Match | Typical Date | Venue | Key Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| England vs Scotland | 1st Saturday | Twickenham | Match result, first try scorer |
| Ireland vs Wales | 1st Saturday | Aviva / Millennium | Winning margin, HT/FT |
| France vs Italy | 1st Sunday | Stade de France | Match result, total points |
| All Week 1 | Round 1 | Various | Tournament outright, top try scorer |
Six Nations Betting: Outright & Match Tips
- Ireland have been Six Nations favourites in recent seasons; ante-post markets open from November
- Home advantage significant in rugby – teams win ~65% of home matches in Six Nations
- Winning margin markets offer value for strong home favourites (e.g. France vs Italy)
- Try scorer markets: prop forwards provide value in scrummage-dominant games
Six Nations Week 1 Fixtures and Betting Markets
| Match | Typical kick-off (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland vs [opponent TBC] | Saturday ~14:15 or 16:45 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin |
| England vs [opponent TBC] | Saturday ~16:45 | Twickenham, London |
| France vs [opponent TBC] | Sunday ~15:45 | Stade de France, Paris |
Week 1 Six Nations Betting Strategy
The opening weekend of the Six Nations is one of the biggest rugby betting events of the year. Teams are often rusty and lineups can be cautious — coaches tend to use tried-and-trusted combinations rather than experimenting with squad players. This means favoured nations (Ireland, France, England) generally cover handicaps when hosting weaker opposition at home in Round 1.
- Home advantage: Six Nations home sides win approximately 60–65% of matches; factor this into handicap betting even for shorter-priced home favourites
- Try scorer markets: open early on match week; popular with Irish punters for Ireland fixtures at Aviva
- Total points: Six Nations matches average around 45–50 combined points; under/over 45.5 markets are widely available
The Six Nations typically begins in the first or second weekend of February. The exact schedule is published by the Six Nations organisation in the autumn before the tournament.
Ireland's home games are at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (capacity approximately 51,000). Away fixtures rotate between Paris, Twickenham, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Rome.
Yes. Six Nations outright winner markets open in autumn and are available throughout the tournament. Ireland have been among the outright favourites in recent years alongside France and England.
The Triple Crown is awarded to the Home Nation (England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland) that beats all three of the other Home Nations in a single championship. Ireland winning the Triple Crown is a separate market offered by GRAI-licensed bookmakers.