Six Nations Tournament: Dupont, Doris, Smith, Capuozzo… the expected stars of the next edition

Antoine Dupont knows he is expected to return to the Six Nations Tournament. EPA – YOAN VALAT

Les Bleus scrum-half Antoine Dupont, his teammate Louis Bielle-Biarrey, English fly-half Marcus Smith, Irish captain Caelan Doris, Italian Ange Capuozzo: five players to watch in the 2025 Six Nations Tournament, which begins on Friday.

Antoine Dupont, the return

World rugby superstar, the scrum-half and captain of the Blues is finally back in the Six Nations Tournament, after having given up playing in the last edition, due to the Paris Olympic Games. After reaching the holy grail last summer, by winning the Olympic title in Paris in rugby sevens, Dupont was subsequently voted the best player in the world in the discipline.
Back at VX this fall, he took part in the three victories of the French XV against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina, and knows he is expected to help the Blues win the Tournament, three years after their Grand Slam.
The only trophy that “Toto” has with the French XV, an anomaly compared to his dazzling talent, at 28 he has never seemed so complete on all plans.

Caelan Doris, strength and vice

Arms of steel, a cool head and hands that drag: Irish centre third row Caelan Doris (26 years old, 47 caps) is the spearhead of the pack of the XV du Trèfle, double title holder.
The only European selected last year among the best players in the world alongside three South Africans, Doris is both an impenetrable wall in defense and a good ball player, all sprinkled with a certain science of discreet errors in the rucks.
Imperial with his province of Leinster as with Ireland, Doris took over in November from the captaincy of veteran Peter O’Mahony, the first new breath of life for an aging team. “If we don't improve, someone else will take the reins”, warns the Irishman, who knows that they will not have the right to make a mistake if they want to keep the trophy for another year.

Ange Capuozzo, the will-o'-the-wisp

Quickly propelled to the rank of star of Italian rugby, the 25-year-old winger or full-back, who very quickly revealed himself as indispensable in the selection, is having his best season with Stade Toulousain and has digested his apprenticeship and his media coverage after a mixed start in the Ville Rose.
Terrorizing opposing defenders, left with their noses in the grass by his lightning hooks, the Grenoble native, author of nine tries this season, will be one of Italy's offensive weapons. They would like to do even better than last year (two wins and a draw against France for only two defeats), will not have time to adapt, with a trip to the legendary Edinburgh stadium, Murrayfield Stadium, from the first day.

Marcus Smith, the detonator

England does not have many certainties before starting this Tournament, but one of them is its fly-half Marcus Smith, who was brilliant in November despite three defeats against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
If the second row Maro Itoje has been promoted to captain of the XV de la Rose, the leader of the English attack is the Harlequins player (25 years old, 39 caps). A formidable offensive facilitator, he seems to have established himself since the 2024 Tournament, where he had been very little used. His recovery skills and his vision of the game will be valuable weapons, in order to stand up to the Irish, at the Aviva Stadium, from the start of the tournament.

Bielle-Biarrey, the rocket

At barely 21 years old, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles winger is becoming a face of the XV de France, despite his helmet somewhat masking his still youthful features. With 10 tries in 14 selections, the “LBB” arrow is causing a stir in the statistics and is no longer the surprise guest at the 2023 World Cup.
If he has fully recovered from his dizziness, which deprived him of a Champions Cup match and delayed his arrival in Marcoussis, Bielle-Biarrey could do much better than his only try during the 2024 Tournament. After making all his opponents dizzy this autumn by bursting forward at full speed on his left wing, he is now ready to take another step forward and definitively establish himself as the starting player with the number 11 on his back.

Six Nations Tournament Schedule

Day 1

Fri. 01/31

France – Wales: 9:15 p.m.

Sat. 01/02

Scotland – Italy: 3:15 p.m.

Ireland – England: 5:45 p.m.

Day 2

Sat. 08/02

Italy – Wales: 3:15 p.m.

England – France : 5:45 p.m.

Sun. 09/02

Scotland – Ireland: 4 p.m.

Day 3

Sat. 02/22

Wales – Ireland: 3:15 p.m.

England – Scotland: 5:45 p.m.

Sun. 02/23

Italy – France : 4 p.m.

Day 4

Sat. 08/03

Ireland – France: 3:15 p.m.

Scotland – Wales: 5:45 p.m.

Sun. 09/03

England – Italy: 4 p.m.

Day 5

Sat. 03/15

Italy – Ireland: 3:15 p.m.

Wales – England: 5:45 p.m.

France – Scotland: 9 p.m.