Rugby Union
Ireland, France and England all fancied to win in Six Nations
Round Four of the 2026 Six Nations brings three intriguing fixtures, with England under real pressure in Rome.
William Hill’s latest odds make all three favourites clear, but there are angles for those hunting value.
Ireland v Wales – Friday 6 March, Dublin
Ireland are 1/40 to beat Wales, with the draw 50/1 and an away upset a distant 14/1. Andy Farrell’s side bounced back from a heavy opening defeat in Paris to beat Italy at home and then hammer England 42–21 at Twickenham, restoring confidence and attacking fluency. Wales, meanwhile, are still hunting their first Six Nations win since 2023 and have now lost 13 Championship matches in a row.
Most previews expect a comfortable home win, with Ireland tipped to cover big handicaps and dominate from start to finish. Given the matchodds price, punters may prefer Ireland -20 on the handicap or Ireland halftime/fulltime in multis.
Prediction: Ireland to win by 20+ points.
Scotland v France – Saturday 7 March, Edinburgh
At Murrayfield, Scotland are 11/4 outsiders, the draw is 25/1 and France are 2/7 to keep their title and Grand Slam push on track. Les Bleus have been outstanding so far, crushing Ireland 36–14 in Paris and adding bonuspoint wins over Wales and Italy to sit top of the table. Their power up front and ruthlessness in the red zone have made them rightful tournament favourites.
Scotland come in buoyed by backtoback wins over England and Wales but remain inconsistent, often fading after strong first halves. Home advantage, a confident backline and a solid recent record against France at Murrayfield mean they are far from a writeoff, yet most punters will still lean strongly to the visitors.
Prediction: France to win by 8-15 points, with “France to score first” a popular side play given their fast starts.
Italy v England – Saturday 7 March, Rome
The weekend closes with a fixture that suddenly looks far less straightforward for England than the odds suggest. William Hill go 9/4 Italy, 22/1 the draw and 4/11 England after Steve Borthwick’s side were dismantled 42–21 at home by Ireland. A raft of changes is expected, with media speculation about a “drastic overhaul” as England try to salvage their campaign.
Italy, by contrast, have been competitive in every round, pushing Ireland hard in Dublin and beating Wales recently, which has fuelled talk of a historic first home win over England.
Bookmakers still side firmly with England’s greater depth and setpiece, but the gap is closing. Handicaps are tighter than in previous years, and Italy +8 or +10 has attracted interest from punters who see Rome as a banana skin fixture.
Prediction: England to edge a nervy contest by a single score, with Italy on the handicap the more attractive betting play.
Latest William Hill Match Odds – Round Four
*Odds correct at time of writing.
