Friday night Six Nations here to stay
April 02 2009
The Six Nations Council today announced the schedule of matches for the 2010 Six Nations Championship, which will kick-off in Dublin on Saturday, 6 February, when Ireland meet Italy.
The Championship will conclude in Paris on Saturday, 20 March, when France meet England.
After the success of the Friday night fixture in 2009 - which produced the biggest TV audience of any French game in France and the second highest average TV audience of all 15 games in the 2009 Championship - the Council have decided to host another Friday match, to be played in Cardiff on Friday, 26 February.
Since 2003, the Championship has been entirely broadcast on terrestrial TV and the audience figures have increased dramatically in all of the participating six Nations from 94m in 2003 up to 125m in 2009.
The 2010 tournament will celebrate the centenary of the first championship between the five original members.
The 2009 Six Nations Championship title was in the balance until the last match in Cardiff and it was a nail-biting spectacle which saw Ireland crowned Grand Slam winners for the first time in 61 years.
2010 Fixture Schedule - All times GMT
Saturday 6th February
14:30 - Ireland v Italy
17:00 - England v Wales
Sunday 7th February
15:00 - Scotland v France
Saturday 13th February
14:00 - Wales v Scotland
16:30 (17:30 local) - France v Ireland
Sunday 14th February
14.30 (15:30 local) - Italy v England
Friday 26th February
20:00 - Wales v France
Saturday 27th February
13:30 (14:30 local) - Italy v Scotland
16:00 - England v Ireland
Saturday 13th March
14:30 - Ireland v Wales
17:00 - Scotland v England
Sunday 14th March
14:30 (15.30 local) - France v Italy
Saturday 20th March
14:30 - Wales v Italy
17:00 - Ireland v Scotland
19:45 (20:45 local) - France v England