Why is the Six Nations starting on Thursday?

The Six Nations is the most eagerly anticipated rugby competition in the northern hemisphere each year.

Fans this season, though, will have their wait reduced by 24 hours with the competition unusually starting on a Thursday evening when Ireland are the visitors to Paris to take on France (20:10 GMT).

Friday night fixtures have become the norm in the championship – dating back to France’s hosting of Wales in February 2009 – but this year’s Thursday start is because of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

While a first in the Six Nations era, the Stade de France fixture is not the only time a game in the championship has been staged on a Thursday.

The last time, back when the competition was the Five Nations, came in 1948 and Irish fans hoping for a good omen will note that was the year their side went on to win the first of their four Grand Slams.

Back then, it was again Ireland against France in Paris that was staged on a Thursday, although at that stage the competition began in January and the game was held on New Year’s Day.

While a February start and mid-March finish for the competition is now well established, that window has only been the norm since 2005. Prior to that, January starts and April finishes were both common.

Ireland have played on a Thursday more recently than 1948 however, beating Russia 35-0 in Kobe during the 2019 World Cup.

France, where second-tier Pro D2 fixtures are regularly staged on the day for television purposes, twice played on a Thursday at their own World Cup in 2023, beating Uruguay 27-12 and Namibia 96-0 in the pool stages.