Why Six Nations is being played on a Thursday ahead of France and Ireland showdown

Tournament organisers opted for the unusual Thursday start to prevent a scheduling conflict with Friday's opening ceremony of the Milan Winter Olympics.

The decision represents just one of several notable alterations to this year's competition, which sees the traditional format undergo significant restructuring.

The 2026 championship has been compressed into approximately five weeks, departing from the schedule that has been standard since 2003.

Players will now receive just a single rest weekend rather than the two fallow periods they have enjoyed for over two decades.

This solitary break falls between the third and fourth rounds, meaning teams must compete across three consecutive weekends before any respite.

Following Italy's inclusion in 2000, the tournament previously featured rest weeks between every round, extending the competition from early February through to April.

The tighter timetable has inevitably prompted concerns regarding player welfare, though fans have welcomed the more compact format.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell expressed his enthusiasm for the historic occasion, describing the opportunity to launch the tournament on a Thursday as something truly remarkable.

"[The Stade de France] is one of the most iconic places to play in world rugby," Farrell said.

"To be privileged enough to start off a competition, on an unprecedented Thursday night is always going to be special, so it's exciting for us."

The Paris venue holds legendary status within the sport, and the unusual scheduling has only added to the sense of occasion surrounding tonight's curtain-raiser between two of European rugby's dominant forces.

While Thursday fixtures are unprecedented in the Six Nations era, the Five Nations did witness one such occasion nearly eight decades ago.

On 1 January 1948, France and Ireland met in Paris on a Thursday, with the visitors emerging triumphant by 13 points to six.

That Irish side went on to secure a Grand Slam following their midweek victory over Les Bleus.

Farrell will undoubtedly be aware of this historical parallel as his team takes to the Stade de France pitch tonight, hoping to replicate the success of their predecessors who began their own championship-winning campaign against the same opponents on the same day of the week.