Six Nations Round 2 Predictions & Tips
After the thrills and spills of the opening weekend of the 2025 Six Nations, Matchday Two is fast approaching with games to look forward to in Rome, London and Edinburgh.
Both Italy and Wales will be looking to bounce back from defeats when they clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, before “Le Crunch” gets underway with England hosting France at Twickenham.
Ireland continue their Six Nations title defence on Sunday when they make the trip across the Irish Sea to Edinburgh to face Scotland at Murrayfield.
Tip 1 - Italy -6.5 handicap @ 17/20
Starting in Rome, the first game of Saturday’s double-header provides a Test match that will have a significant bearing on who will have the dreaded wooden spoon thrust upon them this season.
Wales were woeful against France on the opening night of the Six Nations, going down 43-0 at the Stade de France with barely a punch thrown by Warren Gatland’s side.
Lacking the competitive edge in the forwards and struggling for quality in the backline to break the French ranks, it was a long night for the Welsh in Paris.
Next is a trip to Rome to face an Italy side who gave Scotland a run for their money at Murrayfield without really playing much rugby themselves.
Clawing their way back to 19-19 thanks to penalties and an interception try from Juan-Ignacio Brex, the Azzurri could not push on to land a rare win in Edinburgh.
Italy will need to play much more rugby to win this weekend, but, backed by the home crowd, the Azzurri can win and cover the spread on Saturday.
Tip 2 - France -3.5 handicap @ 4/5
England gave Ireland an uncomfortable 80 minutes in Dublin last weekend, but once again Steve Borthwick’s side failed to get over the line in a tight game.
A late try from Tommy Freeman gave the Red Rose a losing bonus point, which was at least something to take from the game heading into another huge contest against France.
No side will have as tough a start to this Six Nations as England and they might well be searching for their first win of the tournament when they host Scotland on Matchday Three.
The French were superb against Wales, with their combination of creative flair and brute force there for all to witness in Saint-Denis.
France earned a 53-10 win over England on their last trip to Twickenham and, while it might not be as one-sided on Saturday, Les Bleus should fall on the right side of the -3.5 handicap here.
Tip 3 - Scotland +5.5 handicap @ 17/20
Sunday sees the conclusion of the second weekend of the 2025 Six Nations with an all-Celtic affair as Ireland take on Scotland at Murrayfield.
Scotland have not beaten Ireland since 2017, but did push the men in green in their meeting in the Six Nations last season.
Losing 17-13 at the Aviva Stadium, Gregor Townsend’s side could give the Irish another competitive battle this weekend.
Finn Russell was far from his best against Italy, and Scotland will need their fly-half to be on top form if they are to score enough points against this formidable Irish defence.
A positive start, as England made in Dublin last weekend, will be key for the Scots on Sunday and, if they can come out of the blocks quickly, the hosts look to be good value with a +5.5 handicap, even if a home victory might be a bridge too far.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation