Six Nations is the shining light of rugby and so much this year is hard to predict | Ugo Monye

Yesterday at 12:35 PM

From Ireland's shot at history to Italy's raised expectations, the 2025 championship has all the ingredients to rival past classics

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Six Nations and what strikes me on the eve of the tournament is how much of a reassuring presence on the calendar the championship has become. The World Cup is a wonderful tournament but there is debate over how many teams should feature, the Champions Cup has been tinkered with in terms of format and the Premiership has undergone changes, whether it be the number of teams or the absence of promotion and relegation. Against that backdrop, having a tournament as consistently familiar as the Six Nations is special.

Whether you're a supporter, an administrator, a player or a broadcaster, we all believe that the Six Nations is the shining light of rugby. It is the one tournament where there is a unified belief that it is still the greatest competition. In the coming weeks we'll have 10s of millions of viewers watching our sport, it is our moment in the spotlight.