Rugby fans around the globe are bracing themselves for one of the sport’s most storied rivalries, as England and Wales square off in the opening round of the 2026 Six Nations Championship. The much-anticipated clash takes center stage at Twickenham Stadium on February 7, with kickoff set for 4:40 p.m. GMT (11:40 a.m. ET). With both teams eager to set the tone for their campaigns, early momentum and national pride are very much on the line.
This fixture, the 144th meeting between the two sides, rarely needs extra hype. But there’s a certain edge to this year’s contest, with England coming in on the back of impressive wins in the 2025 Autumn Internationals against Australia and New Zealand. Head coach Steve Borthwick’s men are looking to build on that recent success, while Wales, under new leadership, are desperate to reverse a worrying slide in form.
England’s lineup is packed with familiar faces and a few notable returns. Jamie George will captain the side, stepping in for regular skipper Maro Itoje, who starts on the bench as he continues to process the recent loss of his mother. George, reflecting on the emotional intensity of this rivalry, said, "It's hostile, there's confrontation, they are tough games. You feel it in the stadiums that you play at – at the Principality, at Allianz – there's a different energy in the crowd." The hooker’s leadership will be crucial, especially as England fields Henry Arundell for his first start since the 2023 World Cup. Arundell’s Test comeback has been eagerly awaited by fans, and expectations are high for the 23-year-old Bath winger.
The rest of the England starting XV features Freddie Steward at fullback, Tom Roebuck and Tommy Freeman on the wings, Fraser Dingwall and Henry Arundell in the centers, George Ford at fly-half, and Alex Mitchell at scrum-half. Up front, Ellis Genge, George, and Joe Heyes form the front row, with Alex Coles and Ollie Chessum at lock. Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, and Ben Earl round out a dynamic back row. On the bench, England boasts depth with the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, and the returning Maro Itoje, alongside Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, and Marcus Smith.
Wales, meanwhile, arrive at Twickenham with a point to prove. The team is led by new head coach Steve Tandy, who took the reins in September 2025. Tandy, known for building suffocating defenses with Scotland, the British and Irish Lions, and Leicester, faces the daunting task of arresting a steep decline. Wales have lost 11 straight Six Nations matches, finishing last in both 2024 and 2025, a far cry from their world number one ranking in 2019 and championship glory in 2021.
The Welsh starting lineup features Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (captain), and Archie Griffin in the front row, Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard at lock, and a back row of Alex Mann, Josh MacLeod, and Aaron Wainwright. Tomos Williams and Dan Edwards form the half-back pairing, with a backline of Josh Adams, Ben Thomas, Eddie James, Ellis Mee, and the electric Louis Rees-Zammit at fullback. The bench includes Liam Belcher, Rhys Carre, Tomas Francis, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, Harri Deaves, Kieran Hardy, and Mason Grady.
While form guides and recent history seem to favor England, who have won the last three meetings, the Six Nations is notorious for its unpredictability. The last five encounters between these two at Twickenham have been decided by razor-thin margins—two, four, three, six, and four points respectively—though last year’s 68-point demolition by England in Cardiff stands as a glaring outlier. Reflecting on that unprecedented victory, England’s senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth remarked, "There's not many Test matches you get to sit in late and smile, enjoy and take in without thinking of a message, a decision, or a substitution that might be needed." Bookmakers, perhaps influenced by that rout, have tipped England as heavy favorites, predicting a winning margin of 30 points—a spread not seen in the rivalry for two decades.
Yet, rivalry games have a way of defying expectations. As Jamie George put it, "I don't think it'll be a problem. I think Wales are going to be a good team moving forward. I think they're going to be a good team on Saturday." For Wales, the challenge is immense. Robin McBryde, a former Wales player and coach, offered a sobering assessment last year: "It seems rugby has lost its soul in Wales. I don't think anyone is enjoying themselves, there's not a lot of people watching the game. It's just very sad." With thousands of tickets unsold at Principality Stadium and Welsh public belief at a low ebb—43% of respondents to a BBC Sport poll predict another Six Nations whitewash—Tandy’s side enters Twickenham with little external pressure but plenty to prove internally.
Borthwick, for his part, is preparing for a tactical battle, expecting up to 50 contestable kicks from Wales as Tandy seeks to level the playing field. "All the coaches who have worked with him as well, speak highly of him – he's a good coach," Wigglesworth said of Tandy. The aerial contest will be fierce, with England’s back three bracing for a relentless barrage. If Wales can win enough of those 50-50 balls, an upset could be on the cards, but it would rank as one of the biggest shocks in the 145-year history of the fixture.
Fans eager to catch the action can do so via a variety of broadcasters: ITV and BBC in the UK, S4C in Wales, Virgin Media in Ireland, and Peacock in the USA. For those outside the UK, streaming the match for free is possible through ITVX, accessible globally with a VPN such as ExpressVPN. The VPN service, currently offering a two-year plan at 81% off, allows viewers to connect to a UK server and enjoy the live stream from anywhere in the world—a handy tip for international rugby enthusiasts.
As the match draws near, both teams are keenly aware of the stakes. England, with title aspirations and home advantage, will look to pile on the pressure early. Wales, battered but not bowed, must summon all their resolve to keep the contest alive and perhaps, just perhaps, reignite the soul of Welsh rugby. With the opening whistle imminent, the rugby world waits to see if this latest chapter in the England-Wales saga will produce another unforgettable twist.
For now, the action is about to unfold at Twickenham, and with so much history and pride at stake, anything can happen when these two giants collide.