Six Nations Championship team guide 2016

Ireland begin their campaign for a third successive Six Nations title against Wales in Dublin – no team has retained the trophy more than twice since France claimed four titles in a row from 1986-89

WALES

IRB rank 4

Coach Warren Gatland NZL

Captain Sam Warburton

2015 results W L

SIX NATIONS RECORD

Titles: 26

Slams: 11

W242-L189-D25

2015: 3rd 

2014: 3rd

2013: 1st

ENGLAND

IRB rank 8

Coach Eddie Jones AUS

Captain Dylan Hartley

2015 results W L

SIX NATIONS RECORD

Titles: 26

Slams: 12

W247-L172-D39

2015: 2nd

2014: 2nd

2013: 2nd

IRELAND

IRB rank 6

Joe Schmidt NZL

Captain Rory Best

SIX NATIONS RECORD

Titles: 13

Slams: 2

W195-L238-D25

2015: 1st

2014: 1st

2013: 5th

SCOTLAND

IRB rank 9

Coach Vern Cotter NZL

Captain Greig Laidlaw

2015 results W L

SIX NATIONS RECORD 

Titles: 14

Slams: 3

W188-L248-D23

2015 6th

2014 5th

2013 3rd

FRANCE

IRB rank 7 

Coach: Guy Novès

Captain Guilhem Guirado

2015 results W L

SIX NATIONS RECORD 

Titles: 17

Slams: 9

W185 L155 D19

ITALY

IRB rank 12

Coach Jacques Brunel FRA

Captain Sergio Parisse

2015 results W L

SIX NATIONS RECORD

Titles: 0 Slams: 0

W12-L67-D1

COACHES: New coaches Guy Novès and Eddie Jones take charge of first matches for France and England respectively after both teams suffered early Rugby World Cup exits

Gatland Schmidt Novès Jones Cotter Brunel

RIVAL NATIONS: All-time head-to-head records* Win/loss/draw

England Wales Scotland Italy Ireland

France Ireland Italy Scotland Wales

Ireland retained title o points difference last year after tying with England and Wales on 8 points

George Ford England Top scorer in 2015 tournament with 75 points

Sources: IRB, Scrum.com

*Win/loss/draw reads horizontally e.g. England have 55 wins v France

Picture: Getty Images