We reach the half-way stage of a thrilling 2017 RBS 6 Nations with a round which has three fascinating encounters: first up on Saturday Wales journey north to Edinburgh hoping to keep their impressive recent record against the Scotsmen, just one defeat in a decade, intact. Scotland’s home form of late has been notable though, so something has to give. Round three continues with France’s visit to Dublin, a city where Ireland have not been defeated in the RBS 6 Nations since 2013. Les Bleus will be motivated to build on their round two victory and end their run of poor results away from home in the Championship. The round wraps up on Sunday with England hosting Italy at Twickenham Stadium. The Englishmen will want to continue their pursuit of becoming the first side to win successive RBS 6 Nations grand slams. Italy on the other hand are attempting to beat England for the first time ever and emulate their coach, Conor O’Shea, who was full-back when Ireland triumphed at Twickenham in 1994. It’s once again all to play for in the race for this season’s RBS 6 Nations, rugby’s greatest Championship
Stats  & Facts
SCOTLAND v WALES Where: BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh When: Saturday 25 February 2017, kick-off 2.25pm Referee: Johnny Lacey (IRFU, 4 th RBS 6 Nations game) Assistants: JP Doyle & Matthew Carley (RFU) TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)
-Scotland’s 16-22 reversal to France in Paris in round 2 of the RBS 6 Nations ended their three game winning run in all tests.
-Scotland’s only defeat in their last five home games was by a single point to Australia at BT Murrayfield in the autumn.
-Wales’ 16-21 loss to England in Cardiff last time out ended a four game winning run in all tests.
-Wales have won their round 3 encounter in the RBS 6 Nations for the past six seasons.
-Wales have not conceded more than two tries in any Championship game since Ireland scored three against them in the opening round of 2013.
-Wales have won their last nine test matches against Scotland whilst the Scotsmen’s only victory over the Welsh since March 2003 was 21-9 at BT Murrayfield in the RBS 6 Nations in 2007.
IRELAND v FRANCE Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin When: Saturday 25 February 2017, kick-off 4.50pm Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 17th RBS 6 Nations game) Assistants: Wayne Barnes & Luke Pearce (RFU) TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)
-In round 2 of the RBS 6 Nations Ireland achieved their biggest ever victory and the most points they have ever scored in a Championship game since they contested the inaugural event in 1883.
-Ireland’s only defeat in their last six tests at Aviva Stadium was against New Zealand in the autumn, the Irishmen have not been defeated at the venue in the RBS 6 Nations since England were the visitors in round 2 of 2013.
-Ireland have won only once in round 3 in the last five seasons: over England in Dublin two years ago.
-France’s victory over Scotland in round 2 ended a three game losing run in test matches.
-France have lost their last four away games in the Championship since beating Italy 29-0 in Rome in round 4, 2015.
-France have not been victorious in a round 3 encounter since they beat Wales in Cardiff in 2010, on their way to a grand slam.
-France’s 10-9 victory over Ireland in last season’s RBS 6 Nations ended a five game winless run against the Irishmen, their worst sequence against that foe since the 1920s.
-France have recorded only one Championship victory over Ireland in Dublin since 2007: 25-22 at Aviva Stadium in 2011.
ENGLAND v ITALY Where: Twickenham Stadium, London When: Sunday 26 February 2017, kick-off 3pm Referee: Romain Poite (FFR, 12th RBS 6 Nations game) Assistants: Mathieu Raynal (FFR), Andrew Brace (SRU) TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)
England have won their last 16 test matches, their best sequence ever.
-England have won their last nine Championship matches, the all-time record is ten successive wins also achieved by England between 1882-1886 and 1922-1925.
-England have won their last twelve RBS 6 Nations matches at Twickenham since Wales beat them there in 2012.
-Italy’s most recent victory in a test match was their first ever victory over the Springboks in Florence in November.
-The Azzurri’s only victory in their last seventeen RBS 6 Nations matches was 22-19 over Scotland at BT Murrayfield in 2015.
-Round 3 is actually Italy’s most productive in their RBS 6 Nations history having gained four of their victories at that stage (all against Scotland).
-England and Italy have met on 22 previous occasions in test matches with Italy yet to record a victory, whilst England are the only opponents Italy have yet to beat in the Championship.