7.40pm: Why are we even doing all of this on a Thursday night, you may be wondering? Friday night kickoffs had become part of the Six Nations programme in recent times but with the 2026 Winter Olympics kicking off with an opening ceremony in Milan tomorrow night, rugby’s powers that be have played friendly neighbours and avoided a clash.Â
We know the Parisiens put on one hell of a party. The pre-match pageantry in St. Denis seems to kick up a notch or two with every new season. Tonight they’ve broken out a giant mirrorball and a disco dancefloor tunnel to welcome the players. Magnifique!
Serious party vibe at the Stade de France before this Six Nations opener
Don’t think many are expecting Ireland to spoil the mood pic.twitter.com/mMQcSdNP1P
— Brendan O’Brien (@byBrendanOBrien) February 5, 2026
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We’re just about 40 minutes away from our 8.10pm kick-off so there’s still time to ease nerves or perhaps fray them even more with some pre-match reading. The Examiner’s always essential Donal Lenihan has teed up the task at hand for Farrell and his team with a focus on the injuries and absences which will test the scrum, lineout and Ireland’s backline resilience.Â
It’s Joe Callaghan here on the desk but the Examiner’s dynamic duo, Simon Lewis and Brendan O’Brien, are in situ in the northern suburbs of Paris. The weather hasn’t been all that pleasant there either but has improved a little as kickoff approaches. The boys have caught up for a last-minute chat on what to expect from an opening night with many questions:
The first sign of spring? Listen, after what feels like a solid month of Status Yellow, Orange and Red, we’ll take anything that looks even remotely like a change in the seasons. So, for better or worse, bring on Status Bleus.
An unorthodox Thursday night kickoff of the 2026 edition of the Six Nations will do just fine as a distraction but it’s shaping to be one hell of an opening examination for Andy Farrell’s men. Ireland have arrived in the French capital minus fitness, form, fortune and, perhaps understandably, much in the way of wider confidence across the country.
Yet the championship which sees itself as rugby’s greatest is rarely short on a surprise or two. Can this year’s edition kick off with one?
Stay with us here over the next few hours as we keep you up to date with everything that’s happening at the Stade de France where the No.4 and No.5 team in the world try to get us off to a flying start…
