Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations breakdown by country

Today at 06:47 AM

Six Nations squads often showcase a fascinating mix of homegrown talent and foreign-born players who qualify through ancestry, residency, or other eligibility rules.

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While most players represent the nation where they were born and developed, others bring a unique blend of experiences, having honed their skills abroad before qualifying to play for their adopted countries.

This blend of talent highlights the global nature of rugby and the different pathways players take to the international stage.

The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.

ENGLAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/41 (95.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)

• Bevan Rodd (Scotland) – Parent
• Chandler Cunningham-South (England) – Born in England
• Harry Randall (England) – Born in England
• Marcus Smith (Philippines) – Parent
• Tom Roebuck (Scotland) – Parent

FRANCE

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/42 (92.8%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)

• Dany Priso (Cameroon) – Residency (2008)
• Uini Atonio (New Zealand) – Residency (2014)
• Giorgi Beria (Georgia) – Residency (2002)
• Joshua Brennan (Ireland) – Residency (2005)
• Emmanuel Meafou (New Zealand) – Residency (2023)
• Émilien Gailleton (England) – Parent

IRELAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 30/36 (83.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)

• Rob Herring (South Africa) – Grandparent
• Finlay Bealham (Australia) – Grandparent
• Cormac Izuchukwu (England) – Parent
• Joe McCarthy (USA) – Parent
• Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)
• Bundee Aki (New Zealand) – Residency (2017)
• Ciarán Frawley (Australia) – Parent
• Mack Hansen (Australia) – Parent
• James Lowe (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)

ITALY

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 21/31 (67.7%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/31 (29.0%)

• Dino Lamb-Cona (England) – Parent
• Sebastian Negri (Zimbabwe) – Parent
• Ross Vintcent (South Africa) – Grandparent
• Martin Page-Relo (France) – Grandparent
• Stephen Varney (Wales) – Parent
• Juan Ignacio Brex (Argentina) – Grandparent
• Montana Ioane (Australia) – Residency (2020)
• Ange Capuozzo (France) – Parent
• Matt Gallagher (England) – Parent

SCOTLAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 23/38 (60.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 15/38 (39.4%)

• Pierre Schoeman (South Africa) – Residency (2021)
• Ewan Ashman (Canada) – Parent
• Dylan Richardson (South Africa) – Parent
• Will Hurd (England) – Grandparent
• Marshall Sykes (England) – Grandparent
• Josh Bayliss (England) – Grandparent
• Jack Dempsey (Australia) – Grandparent
• Ben White (England) – Grandparent
• Fergus Burke (New Zealand) – Grandparent
• Tom Jordan (New Zealand) – Residency (2024)
• Rory Hutchinson (England) – Grandparent
• Sione Tuipulotu (Australia) – Grandparent
• Arron Reed (England) – Parent
• Kyle Rowe (England) – Cumulative Residency
• Duhan van der Merwe (South Africa) – Residency (2020)

WALES

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 26/34 (76.4%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 10/34 (29.4%)

• WillGriff John (England) – Parent
• Henry Thomas (England) – Parent
• Will Rowlands (England) – Parent
• Freddie Thomas (England) – Grandparent
• Christ Tshiunza (DR Congo) – Residency (2015)
• James Botham (Wales) – Born in Wales
• Taulupe Faletau (Tonga) – Residency (2001)
• Ellis Bevan (England) – Parent
• Nick Tompkins (England) – Grandparent
• Blair Murray (New Zealand) – Parent
• Ellis Mee (England) – Parent

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QUIZ: Can you name the top 10 Men’s Six Nations point scorers of all-time?

Three minutes on the clock, 10 players to guess.

Welcome to our rugby trivia challenge! In this quiz, we’ll test your knowledge of the Six Nations tournament by challenging you to name the top 10 point scorers of all time.

These rugby legends have left their mark on the competition with their exceptional skills and precision on the field. Do you think you have what it takes to recall the leading point-scorers in Six Nations history?

Lace up your virtual boots, sharpen your memory, and let’s see if you can kick your way to a perfect score in this exciting quiz!

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