2026 Six Nations betting tips: Bielle-Biarrey to star as France secure back-to-back titles

Hopes are high that England can deliver a first Six Nations title in six years after a recent strong run of form, but betting sites are leaning towards France finishing rugby’s most hotly contested tournament as champions once more.

The French won four out of five games to win their seventh 6N title last year and are odds-on to retain that crown with three home games to come, including one against England in the final round of the tournament.

The latest series of Autumn Internationals at the back end of 2025 offers the best evidence of which nations are in decent form ahead of the tournament, with England’s Six Nations odds shortened to 5/2 after a dramatic win over the All Blacks and a narrow victory against Argentina.

Ireland are perennial contenders in this competition but they had a less successful 2025 – losing to South Africa and New Zealand in the autumn – while Scotland will hope to cause upsets despite last winning this tournament when it was still the Five Nations in 1999.

And at the other end of the scale, Wales and Italy look to once again be contending to avoid the wooden spoon, with both nations struggling in their autumn campaigns and the Welsh having finished bottom in both 2024 and 2025 amidst a period of turmoil.

Fabien Galthie’s France side showed equal measures of flair and determination to win last year’s Six Nations, overcoming an early loss to England and an injury to stay scrum-half Antoine Dupont to claim glory.

Les Bleus ended the 2025 tournament with 30 tries - the most in a single Six Nations campaign – as they won four and lost just one of their matches (ending with a points difference of +125), emphasising their attacking talent and star quality with notable performances from Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Antoine Dupont.

While the French obviously have some of the best players on the continent in their starting XV, the fact they lost Dupont to an ACL injury during last year’s competition but still beat both Scotland and Ireland shows that there is plenty of depth in the squad too, and the gap in quality between their starters and subs in most positions is often less than their rivals.

In terms of the schedule, Les Blues have home matches against their two nearest rivals, Ireland and England, and they kick off their campaign against an injury-hit Ireland side on Thursday, meaning even the timing of their matches might have played into their hands.

France’s sole defeat was to England last year, meaning this year’s final match already feels like it’ll be pivotal, but Les Bleus already have the upper hand, considering it’ll be played at the Stade de France this time round.

If Galthie can once again get a tune out of Dupont and Bielle-Biarrey as well as a talented supporting cast including Matthieu Jalibert and Thomas Ramos, then the French should be able to secure back-to-back titles, and with a favourable schedule and injuries elsewhere, a Grand Slam might even be within reach at 6/4 on rugby betting sites.

Six Nations prediction 1: France to win 2026 Six Nations - 8/11 BetMGM

As mentioned above, France set a new tournament record for tries scored in 2025, managing to cross the whitewash 30 times.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey has become a key part of that France attack and he scored eight of those 30 tries, himself breaking the record for most tries for an individual in a single Six Nations campaign.

The 22-year-old has taken that form into the new season too, scoring 17 tries in 16 matches this term, including 11 in his last eight matches for club and country, with two of those coming in his last international appearance against Australia in November.

Bielle-Biarrey remains the most dangerous weapon in an attack that is expected to top-score and win the tournament, and if he gets close to replicating his form from last season’s tournament, he should finish as top scorer once more.

Six Nations prediction 2: Louis Bielle-Biarrey to finish as top tryscorer - 2/1 Ladbrokes

Fly-half George Ford has experienced something of a renaissance in his England career, with the 32-year-old named in the starting XV for the tournament opener against Wales despite featuring as a sub in just one of the matches in the 2025 edition.

Ford was the back-up to both Fin and Marcus Smith this time last year but he started three of England’s four matches in the autumn, with those matches yielding wins over Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.

Ford was particularly impressive in the win over the All Blacks, with the Sale fly-half scoring two drop goals and a penalty as well as slotting two conversions in the 33-19 victory, and he seems to have built up a solid partnership with scrum-half Alex Mitchell.

While France are deserving favourites as the competition begins, the Red Rose certainly seems to be the biggest threat to Les Bleus’ title hopes.

And Ford will be a key player if England are to win the tournament, with Steve Borthwick needing more of what was on show in the winter from his trusted fly-half, when Ford scored 12 points against the Wallabies and 13 against New Zealand in those final two matches.

Thankfully, Ford seems to have continued his run of scoring, with the Sale man currently ranking third in points scored in the Gallagher Prem with 78 so far this term.

While France’s Thomas Ramos is a 4/7 favourite to be the top points scorer in this year’s Six Nations, if Ford can continue to be as influential with his boot, he could well lead an England title charge and claim the honour as top points scorer to go with it.

Six Nations prediction 3: George Ford to finish as top points scorer - 7/2 Bet365

Bettors who fancy England to go all the way in this year’s Six Nations can get enhanced odds of 50/1 on Borthwick’s men lifting the trophy with Parimatch.

The offer is only open to new customers who sign up to Parimatch using the link above, opt in to the promotion and make a first deposit of £5 or more.

Next, bettors will need to wager a maximum of £1 on England to win the Six Nations at the normal odds before 3.40pm on Saturday, February 7. Cashed out bets will not qualify for the enhanced odds boost.

If England win the tournament, Parimatch will pay out on the £1 bet in cash at the normal odds, before crediting the remaining amount to bettors in free bets to equal a payout at 50/1.

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