Hotels for Six Nations 2027: England v France

A Six Nations Sunday, and a fixture that carries more edge than most on the calendar given the two sides' history. Kick-off falls on Valentine's Day this year, which does nothing to soften the mood inside the ground or outside it in the hours before. Pubs and fan zones fill early with travelling French support easy to spot among the home crowd. Expect the usual bursts of anthems and noise, then a match that tends to turn on a handful of tight decisions rather than running rugby.

England against France — long nicknamed 'Le Crunch' — is one of the standout fixtures of the Six Nations, and in 2027 the two meet on Valentine's Day, Sunday 14 February, at Twickenham in south-west London. Now officially the Allianz Stadium under a naming deal, the ground has been the home of English rugby since it opened in 1909 and, with a capacity of around 82,000, is the largest dedicated rugby union stadium in the world.

The championship evolved from the old Five Nations, France having joined in 1910 and Italy in 2000 to complete the modern six. A big travelling French support crosses the Channel for this one, and it is always among the toughest tickets of the tournament. The stadium is reached by train from Waterloo to Twickenham and a short walk to the ground, so a match day works easily from anywhere in the capital, with London's food, museums and nightlife on either side of the game.

The home of English rugby, Twickenham is the sport's largest dedicated stadium and the thunderous backdrop to internationals and, in summer, major concerts. Its leafy southwest London setting is all Victorian streets, riverside pubs and the genteel calm of Richmond nearby. Mainline trains from Waterloo run to Twickenham station, a short walk from the ground, though matchdays bring famously heavy crowds. Booking a room locally lets you enjoy a proper pre-match pint and stroll back without battling for a rammed train.