Prince William and Princess of Wales issue personal message ahead of Women's Six Nations

Svar Nanan-Sen
Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:55:39 +0000

Prince William and the Princess of Wales have wished competitors well as the Women's Six Nations prepares to kick off this weekend.

The couple offered their support to everyone involved in the tournament, which begins on Saturday.

The royals said in the message signed with their initials: "As the Women's Six Nations gets underway this weekend, wishing all the players and support staff the best of luck!

"Here's to an exciting start to the tournament and some unforgettable rugby. W & C".

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The Red Roses are chasing a fifth Grand Slam in succession, which occurs when a team wins all five of their matches at the tournament, having dominated the competition since their last defeat in 2018.

England will begin their campaign at Allianz Stadium against Ireland, returning to the venue where they lifted the World Cup trophy after defeating Canada last September.

Centre Meg Jones will lead the side in the absence of regular skipper Zoe Stratford, who is expecting her first child.

Under Jones's captaincy, England bring a remarkable unbeaten run into the tournament, having won 33 consecutive matches to set a new world record.

The Red Roses have not tasted defeat in the Six Nations since 2018, a dominance that has seen them claim seven straight titles.

Last year's championship concluded with a thrilling 43-42 triumph over France, securing both the title and Grand Slam with all five victories earning bonus points.

The tournament finale is already shaping up to be another showdown with Les Bleues, with England travelling to Bordeaux on 17 May for what many anticipate will decide the Grand Slam.

France have finished as runners-up in every Six Nations since their last victory over England eight years ago.

Ticket sales for England's opening fixture against Ireland have already exceeded 75,000, guaranteeing a new attendance record for a Women's Six Nations match.

The previous best of 58,498 will be comfortably surpassed when the teams take to the field at Allianz Stadium.

Record crowds are anticipated across the tournament as the sport capitalises on momentum generated by last year's World Cup.

Wales face Scotland at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, hoping to better the 21,186 spectators who attended their match against England at the venue last year.

Scotland will host England at Murrayfield on 18 April, with the fixture set to break the record of 18,555 for a standalone women's sporting event in the country.

Ireland is also expecting unprecedented numbers at the Aviva Stadium, where more than 15,000 tickets have been purchased for their clash with Scotland on 17 May.

The Irish have emerged as genuine contenders under the leadership of 22-year-old captain Erin King, with back row Aoife Wafer returning as the reigning player of the tournament.

Italy, captained by experienced number eight Elisa Giordano, are targeting improvement on their fourth-place finish from last year with a blend of seasoned internationals and fresh talent.

Scotland, guided by Sione Fukofuka in his first Six Nations as head coach, will look to build on their World Cup quarter-final appearance.

Wales, now led solely by Kate Williams following Alex Callender's ankle injury, are determined to avoid a third successive Wooden Spoon.