Six Nations: Maro Itoje could be Lions captain? Wales won’t win again this year?

The 2025 Six Nations ended the way most presumed it would before the weekend’s finale. Ireland beat Italy, although they needed a Dan Sheehan hat trick to do so and England made remarkably light work of Wales as they romped to a 68-14 win, but it was France who ended with the title after an impressive second-half showing against Scotland.

After a tournament that provided some shocks and a new champion, there is plenty of food for thought, but are those reactions irrational or legitimate? ESPN’s Tom Hamilton and James Regan weigh in.

Jump to:

England | Ireland | Wales
Scotland | France | Italy

Maro Itoje has given Lions a captaincy headache

For so long it looked like Ireland’s Caelan Doris was the man set to captain the Lions, but he endured a tough couple of weeks. Meanwhile, Itoje’s stock has soared. Could the England skipper lead the Lions this summer?

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

It is now a coin-flip for who is Andy Farrell’s captain this summer.

Itoje doesn’t swear. He rarely gets rattled. His leadership icons aren’t from sport. He is an unconventional leader, but a brilliant one.

This was his first championship in charge of England, and he has done an outstanding job. Jamie George was a brilliant captain, but Itoje hasn’t skipped a beat as leader of the team. While for some the honour weighs heavily on their shoulders and affects form, with Itoje it has had a galvanising effect.

He was monumental against Wales on Saturday, and received the backing from Steve Borthwick to captain the Lions this summer. It is rare for Borthwick to break cover like that when it comes to something out of his control, but it was a huge compliment to Itoje.

The benefit of going for Itoje over Doris is that the England man has been on two Lions tours already. Doris is more familiar to Farrell and is his go-to man to lead Ireland into this next era. It promises to be a fascinating call.– Tom Hamilton

Ireland should see this as a poor Six Nations

Ireland came into this tournament as favourites to win a third title on the bounce. Instead, France hammered them in Round 4, and they scraped past Italy in Rome on Saturday. So, was it a total failure?

Verdict: OVERREACTION

First, let’s look to the positives: Four wins from five is a decent return, with the lone defeat against the eventual winners of the tournament, a group who should’ve won the Grand Slam but for some bizarre profligacy against England.

There is no shame in losing to this France team.

It was a championship where we saw Sam Prendergast ushered forward as their fly-half for the next decade. Jack Crowley had his chance on Saturday to push his claim, but was too wayward off the tee. Elsewhere, it was a tournament where Ireland bid farewell to three astonishing warriors: Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony.

“The team has to move forward and has to produce the next Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray,” interim head coach Simon Easterby said afterwards. “That’s the challenge.”

This was a transitional tournament. With the Lions likely to feature around 15 Irish players in the group, there’s an ocean of opportunity for the fringe Irish players to push their cases on Ireland’s tour this summer. They have an outstanding group there to lead them forward, but it’s the depth which is a concern.

At times their handling was far too sloppy. Their defence was open. They lacked power. These things can be solved but what they have to do is build the next group of Irish greats. Ireland have been punching above their weight for the past decade, but they are going to have to work to stay at the top.– Hamilton

Wales’ losing streak will last all of 2025

Wales suffered their 17th straight Test defeat at the weekend. All that pre-match optimism around the Matt Sherratt rebuild was brutally shattered by England.

Their next scheduled game is against Japan in July, so this losing run isn’t going to end any time soon. But will it last a second straight calendar year?

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Sherratt and Jac Morgan looked utterly shattered after the defeat to England. Sherratt said the loss had re-opened some old wounds. The psychosis of this losing run is clearly deeply embedded in this Welsh team. You feel for them.

Personally, Morgan has had an outstanding Six Nations and doesn’t deserve this. Blair Murray is surely the unluckiest player in the championship — having his try ruled out against Scotland, another disallowed against England, and then having his ankle tapped by Luke Cowan-Dickie as he sprinted away.

As Sherratt said post-match, there are green shoots of revival in the team. You can see the young core growing. Saturday’s match was simply a step too far. One match too many. But the summer tour should give them a chance to reset where they’ll face Japan over two Tests.

Wales should have a new-look coaching team in place, and a director of rugby overseeing the entire programme. It will feel like a chance to start again.

If Morgan and Dewi Lake don’t make the Lions squad, they need to be retained as leaders of the team but the overall challenge is to build depth in key positions. The win will come, and they will surely snap the losing streak this summer. — Hamilton.

France are ready to rival Springboks, All Blacks

France were under pressure to deliver a title after a disappointing home Rugby World Cup in 2023 and just one Six Nations title to show for their golden generation. Now they can add another title to the trophy cabinet at their National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis, Paris. But did this tournament show they’re ready to rival the world’s best?

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The win over Ireland showed they can rise to the occasion when many thought it an impossible challenge, while the result against Scotland was a professional performance when pressure and expectation were at their highest.

Aside from the blip against England, which will no doubt still rankle Fabien Galthié, it has been a superb campaign from France which has got them back on track after the disappointments of 2023 and 2024.

Maybe the most impressive aspect was how good they still looked without Antoine Dupont; Les Bleus remained a class above for the most part against Ireland and Scotland.

The challenge now is regeneration. Their powerful front-row, while sill impressive, isn’t getting any younger. The hope will be there is some fresh blood coming through for the 2027 World Cup. If that’s the case, they will no doubt be able to match New Zealand and South Africa when the time comes.– James Regan

Finn Russell in doubt for Lions No. 10 jersey

This year’s Six Nations was one to forget for an injury-hit Scotland squad. There were predictable wins against Italy and Wales, but defeats to England, Ireland and France left a sour taste. Amongst that were underwhelming performances, including from fly-half Finn Russell, but will it cost him his Lions place?

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

While most of Scotland’s good against France came from Russell, who controlled his side admirably in trying circumstances, Farrell will want to see more from the mercurial talent for the rest of the domestic season.

Russell has the obvious advantage of being a world class player and his potential rivals for the jersey still quite inexperienced. Fin Smith has looked at home at fly-half for England but has only had a handful of Tests. Sam Prendergast had flashes of bright spots but was dropped for Ireland’s last match, while Steve Borthwick is still looking for the best place to put Marcus Smith. All logic still points to Russell starting in the big matches against Australia, but the door is ajar for others to prove themselves. — Regan.

Italy’s best players let them down

Italy did not come last, so there was progress. But they did lose four of their five games, with some of those familiarly dispirating.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

We saw flashes of what Italy can produce against Ireland, like Ange Capuozzo’s chip and chase for Stephen Varney’s try, but they needed a lot more of those moments. Gonzalo Quesada made a statement by ringing in the changes for their final match, but it was too little too late.

After showing good progress in 2024, this year’s campaign felt a step backwards, or at least stagnation for the Azzurri.

It was only a hapless Wales side who prevented them from picking up the wooden spoon. Italy had fewer bonus points and, if it weren’t for the blowout against England, Wales’ points difference would have been a lot closer.

Italy need much more from the likes of Capuozzo Paolo Garbisi, Tommaso Menoncello and co. to be competitive in the Six Nations. — Regan

– Tom Hamilton from Cardiff: England fall short but progress is clear
– WATCH: How England made history in Six Nations thrashing of Wales
– Six Nations and Women’s Six Nations: Full fixture list
– British & Irish Lions 2025: Australia tour fixtures

Source: espn.com