Six Nations 2024: Title permutations, fixtures, kick-off times, standings, BBC coverage and bonus points
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2024 Guinness Six Nations on the BBC |
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Final round: Saturday 16 March |
Coverage: Watch Wales v Italy live on BBC One & BBC iPlayer; match commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live or 5 Sports Extra; live text & video clips on BBC Sport website and app; Rugby Special on BBC Two on Sunday. |
England's shock win over Ireland has ensured the Six Nations title race will be decided on 'Super Saturday'.
Ireland may not be able to claim back-to-back Grand Slams, but are still favourites to retain their title.
Andy Farrell's side will clinch the championship if they beat or draw with Scotland in Saturday's 16:45 GMT fixture at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
But if Ireland slip up, England are best placed to take advantage when they face France in Lyon at 20:00 GMT.
Bonus points or points difference could be decisive - Ireland's is +80 but England's is -3.
Perhaps controversially, Ireland could claim the title even if they win fewer games than England in the championship.
Scotland and France could still mathematically claim the title but it gets very complicated.
Meanwhile, Wales finished with the Wooden Spoon for the first time since 2003 when they were beaten 24-21 by Italy in Cardiff.
Saturday's fixtures, kick-off times and coverage
All times GMT and subject to late changes. Kick-off times in brackets.
Wales v Italy (14:15) - watch on BBC One from 13:45, listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru, follow live text on BBC Sport website and app
Ireland v Scotland (16:45) - ITV1 & BBC Radio 5 Live (coverage also available on Sports Extra from 16:30), BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Sport website and app live text
France v England (20:00) - ITV1, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport website and app live text
The race for the title
Ireland will retain the title if they win or draw against Scotland in Dublin.
If Ireland lose but secure a bonus point - for scoring four tries or finishing within seven points of Scotland - they will most likely clinch the title given their vastly superior points difference.
An Ireland defeat without a bonus point should still be enough if England win without a bonus point.
England will be crowned champions if they win with a bonus point and Ireland fail to collect a point.
Scotland need to win with a bonus point, deny Ireland a point and overturn Ireland's huge points difference advantage to have any chance. They then need France to beat England without a bonus point or with a bonus-point win by a smaller margin.
How do you earn bonus points?
A try bonus point is awarded for scoring four tries in a match.
A losing bonus point is awarded for losing by seven or fewer points.
If a team score four tries and loses by seven points or fewer, they are awarded two bonus points.
Triple Crown
Scotland will win the Triple Crown - secured by beating all three of the other 'Home Nations' in a single Championship - if they beat Ireland.
Scotland, who have already defeated Wales and England this year, have not won the Triple Crown since their 1990 Five Nations Grand Slam.
Ireland can win the Six Nations but not they Triple Crown following their loss to England.
'That would just feel wrong' - bonus points to decide the title?
Analysis - Chris Jones, BBC rugby union correspondent
It is nothing to do with England. It is to do with the fact it is nonsense if someone wins the title with three wins and someone finishes second with four. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
There was always the fear that bonus points were going to be a bad idea at some point, but there are plenty of examples where bonus points have helped teams keep playing. Ireland against Wales is a good example - teams going for a fourth try to keep the game alive.
I see why they are in but I don't think they should be in the Six Nations. Let's hope there isn't a scenario where Ireland are 10 points down and kick a penalty to lose by seven to get a losing bonus point to win the title. That would just feel wrong.
The great thing about the Six Nations is winning and losing. If you win 12-10 no one walks away thinking you should have got the bonus point.
Further BBC Sport coverage
Match highlights of every game will be available on the BBC Sport website and app as well as iPlayer shortly after full-time.
There will be highlights and analysis of every match on Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC Two and iPlayer from 18:00 GMT on Sunday, 17 March (Scrum V in Wales).
The Rugby Union Daily Podcast will provide interviews and insight every day during the Six Nations and you can find All Day Rugby, a curated podcast playlist featuring pods, clips and interviews, on BBC Sounds.
The extensive online coverage will feature live streams, text commentaries, video clips, team news and a weekly column from former England scrum-half Matt Dawson.
BBC Sport also has live coverage on its digital platforms of every match of the Under-20 Six Nations, as well as the Women's Six Nations, which begins on Saturday, 23 March.
Additional coverage across the nations
There will be further in-depth coverage across the nations from BBC Scotland, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland.
All Scotland games will be on BBC Radio Scotland, all Ireland games will be live on BBC Radio Ulster, and all Wales games will be on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru.