The 2024 edition of the Six Nations is just around the corner and, ahead of the tournament getting underway at the start of February, the countries will be naming their squads for the opening matches. The first Six Nations after a Rugby World Cup always offers hope of a new beginning and coaches often have more willingness to experiment and inject new blood into the group, making the squad announcements even more fascinating than usual.
France will have to replace the best player in the world, Antoine Dupont, as he focuses on sevens for next summer’s Olympics, while Ireland, England and Wales have all lost their long-term, iconic fly-halves since the World Cup with Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar all either retiring or taking a break from international rugby. Throw in a new coach for Italy in the form of Gonzalo Quesada and the 2024 Six Nations promises to look very different to last year’s edition.
Wales kick off the squad announcements this afternoon, as Warren Gatland deals with both an exodus of Welsh experience through retirement (Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Liam Williams et al) and an injury crisis that means it’s currently unclear who will even captain the side with World Cup co-skippers Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake both out.
Scotland will also name their squad today and arguably have the most continuity of any of the sides, with their coaching staff and the majority of their squad from the World Cup still in place – potentially offering a golden opportunity to win the Six Nations for the first time. The talismanic Finn Russell will be pulling the strings from fly half but a disappointing group-stage exit at last year’s global showpiece in France still casts a long shadow.
Follow live coverage of the squad announcements below: