SCOTLAND will begin their Six Nations campaign next year with a home game against England.

They will then play in Wales and at home to France before finishing off with two away fixtures, against Italy and Ireland. All their matches will take place on Saturdays, with kick-off times yet to be announced.

Gregor Townsend’s team - who also began this year’s Championship with a Calcutta Cup fixture, but at Twickenham - will welcome England to Murrayfield on Saturday 5 February. Ireland will be at home to Wales on the same afternoon, while France will meet Italy in the Stade de France on Sunday 6. In all, three games will take place on a Sunday, while one - Wales’ game against France in round four - will be on a Friday.

The pattern of fixtures next year will follow a now-familiar pattern: the first two rounds are on successive weekends, as are the last two, while round three will be preceded and followed by a fallow week. Although the present state of the pandemic means it is too early to be sure how full the stadiums will be, the tournament’s organisers are hopeful that, after no spectators were allowed in this year, the 2022 Championship will see something akin to business as usual.

“We look forward to next year’s Championship with hopefully a return to normality when we can welcome fans back in stadia and bring that unrivalled Guinness Six Nations atmosphere into sitting rooms, pubs and rugby clubs all over the world," said Ben Morel, the Six Nations’ chief executive.

SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

Saturday 5 February

Ireland v Wales, Scotland v England

Sunday 6

France v Italy

Saturday 12

Wales v Scotland, France v Ireland

Sunday 13

Italy v England

Saturday 26

Scotland v France, England v Wales

Sunday 27

Ireland v Italy

Friday 11 March

Wales v France

Saturday 12

Italy v Scotland, England v Ireland

Saturday 19

Wales v Italy, Ireland v Scotland, France v England