The BBC and ITV will broadcast live coverage of all 15 matches of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations, in what possibly may turn out to the final year in which ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship’ is broadcast in its entirety on free-to-air television.
The current partnership between the UK’s two main terrestrial broadcasters to share live Six Nations matches is in its sixth and final year, with no confirmation at this stage as to which broadcasters will be covering the championship from 2022 onwards.
As ever, the BBC will be showing live coverage of all Wales, Scotland and France home matches and ITV will broadcast every England, Ireland Italy home game live, while S4C will show live Welsh language coverage of all Wales matches.
Although the crowds may not be in the stadiums this year, the passion and fierce competition will surely be felt from afar as the Six Nations battle it out to take home the much coveted silverware.
Last year’s championship was put on hold in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but England eventually triumphed to win the delayed 2020 Six Nations on points difference from France in the autumn.
Scroll down for full details of when and where to watch every match from 2021 Guinness Six Nations across the BBC, ITV and S4C, including full details of each broadcaster’s live coverage and Six Nations programming.
For more information about this year’s championship, visit the official website – sixnationsrugby.com.
For a full list of all forthcoming major rugby union matches on the box, visit SOTB’s dedicated rugby union on TV listings page.
BBC Sport will broadcast live coverage of seven 2021 Six Nations matches on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online via the BBC Sport website.
Starting on Sunday, 7 February with Wales against Ireland, the BBC will show Wales, Scotland and France home games.
Other unmissable matches on the BBC include Wales v England, plus two games on Super Saturday with Scotland v Italy and France v Wales rounding off the tournament on the BBC.
John Inverdale and Gabby Logan will present the BBC’s live TV coverage. Joining them will be some of the biggest stars who will be on hand to offer their expert analysis, including former French international Benjamin Kayser.
He will join Sam Warburton, who returns to the team this year, as well as England’s World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson, Jamie Heaslip, John Barclay, Jeremy Guscott, Jonathan Davies, Chris Paterson, Thomas Castaignede, Andy Nicol and Brian Moore.
Match commentary will be provided by Eddie Butler, Andrew Cotter and Sara Orchard. Sonja McLaughlan and Lee McKenzie will also be pitchside at every game, bringing viewers all of the action as it happens on and off the field.
On the second weekend of the Championship, there will be a one-hour Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC Two on 14 February, rounding up the weekend’s action, presented by John Inverdale.
Complimenting the live TV coverage, there will be live text commentary, reports and video highlights of every match on the BBC Sport website and app, plus in-play highlights of the BBC’s live games.
Alongside the BBC’s network coverage, viewers in Wales will be able to watch Scrum V’s Six Nations specials on BBC Two Wales on Sunday evenings.
Presented by Catrin Heledd, guests include Scott Quinnell, former Wales international Nathan Brew and Philippa Tuttiett and the programmes will feature highlights and analysis of all the weekend’s action.
On BBC One Wales, Gabby Logan and Gareth Thomas will return with a new series of Six Nations Sin Bin, aimed to enthuse, excite and build up the hype ahead of each Six Nations weekend, while Eddie Butler looks forward to the new campaign in ‘Eddie Butler’s Six Nations’ on BBC One Wales on 2 February, which will be repeated nationwide on BBC One at 1.15pm on Saturday, 6 February.
All BBC Sport and BBC Wales Six Nations programming will be available to watch across the UK via BBC iPlayer.
ITV Sport will broadcast live coverage of eight matches from the 2021 Six Nations matches on ITV and STV, as well as online via the ITV Hub.
A star-studded line-up of on-screen talent and key matches feature in ITV’s live coverage, which starts with a double-header including the Calcutta Cup between England and Scotland at Twickenham.
The channel will show eight matches throughout the six weeks of the tournament, including England v France on the penultimate weekend, Ireland v France, England v Italy, Italy v Wales and Ireland v England on the final weekend.
Leading ITV’s live coverage will be presenters Mark Pougatch and Jill Douglas. They will joined by studio guests including Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Sir Clive Woodward, Brian O’Driscoll, Gareth Thomas, Sir Ian McGeechan, Maggie Alphonsi, Ugo Monye, Jamie Roberts and Jim Hamilton.
New regular recruits to the ITV punditry team this year includ Rory Best, Michele Campagnaro and Serge Betsen.
Martin Bayfield will combine presenting duties with his role as reporter, alongside reporter Gabriel Clarke, while match commentary will come from Nick Mullins, Miles Harrison and Martin Gillingham, plus co-commentators Shane Williams, Gordon D’Arcy, Geordan Murphy, Ben Kay, Scott Hastings, David Flatman and Danielle Waterman.
Every match will be simulcast live on the ITV Hub, on web and app, for viewers to watch online, and ITV’s dedicated Six Nations site – itv.com/sixnations – will have all the latest news and highlights of all games.
ITV will also broadcast Sunday night highlights of four of the five rounds of matches, with the first showing on ITV4 at 8pm followed by a later repeat on ITV.
S4C will show live Welsh language coverage of every Wales game during this year’s Championship, starting with Wales against Ireland on Sunday, 7 February at the Principality Stadium.
Nigel Owens will be a part of S4C’s Clwb Rygbi Rhyngwladol team for the 2021 championship, with the 2015 Rugby World Cup final referee having recently announcing his retirement from officiating the international game, so for this year’s Six Nations, he will be on hand to share his knowledge and insight with S4C viewers.
He joins presenter Gareth Rhys Owen and reporter Catrin Heledd, with current and former Wales internationals Jamie Roberts, Rhys Patchell, Lloyd Williams, Sioned Harries, Nathan Brew, Andrew Coombs and Nicky Robinson all part of the team.
Former Wales captains Gwyn Jones and Jonathan Davies will be joining Cennydd Davies in the commentary box.
All of S4C’s coverage will be available to watch online via S4C Clic or on BBC iPlayer.
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SATURDAY 6th FEBRUARY
Italy v France
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14:15 |
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England v Scotland
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16:45 |
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SUNDAY 7th FEBRUARY
Wales v Ireland
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15:00 |
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SATURDAY 13th FEBRUARY
England v Italy
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14:15 |
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Scotland v Wales
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16:45 |
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SUNDAY 14th FEBRUARY
Ireland v France
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15:00 |
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SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY
Italy v Ireland
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14:15 |
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Wales v England
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16:45 |
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SUNDAY 28th FEBRUARY
France P-P Scotland
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15:00 |
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SATURDAY 13th MARCH
Italy v Wales
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14:15 |
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England v France
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16:45 |
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SUNDAY 14th MARCH
Scotland v Ireland
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15:00 |
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SATURDAY 20th MARCH
Scotland v Italy
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14:15 |
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Ireland v England
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16:45 |
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France v Wales
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20:00 |
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FRIDAY 26th MARCH
France v Scotland
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15:00 |
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