Six Nations 2025: Who are the head coaches?
The Six Nations is one of rugby’s most prestigious tournaments, with intense rivalries and high-stakes competition shaping each edition.
In this article, Sports News Blitz writer Charlie Elliot takes a closer look at the head coaches leading their teams into the 2025 tournament, examining their careers, coaching styles, and what’s at stake for them this year.
The minds behind the Six Nations
A lot is said about the players on the pitch who will ultimately decide the fate of the Six Nations, but the head coaches receive less coverage and sometimes go under the radar.
Some are household names and appear in the media, while others are quieter and much less is known about them.
From Steve Borthwick to Gonzalo Quesada, here is a rundown of all the head coaches at the tournament this year, with both their careers on and off the field.
England: Steve Borthwick
Originally, Borthwick was a player at both Bath and Saracens, making over 400 senior appearances in a 16-year career.
Included in the 400-plus appearances are his 57 Test caps for England, wearing the captain’s armband for the 2010 Six Nations.
The lock trained as a coach during his final years as a player and got his first job as a forwards coach for Japan under Eddie Jones.
In 2020, he joined Leicester Tigers as their head coach, only staying in the role for two years until England came calling.
This year's Six Nations is crucial for Borthwick, after a poor year in 2024 many are touting this as make or break for him.
A poor campaign could spell the end of his time in charge, with fans growing increasingly sceptical of his tactical approach.
Borthwick was a pioneer of ‘the blitz’ defensive tactic, but its effectiveness has worn off over time.
His reluctance to adapt has drawn criticism, though he made slight adjustments during the Autumn Tests.
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France: Fabien Galthie
Another former captain-turned-head coach, Fabien Galthie enjoyed a distinguished playing career for France.
Not only was he a standout scrum-half, but he also won the Men’s Player of the Year award in 2002 after spearheading France to a Six Nations Grand Slam.
After hanging up his boots, he took a year out before Stade Francais came calling, appointing him as head coach in 2004 to replace Nick Mallett.
A few near misses in the Top 14 and Champions Cup eventually led to domestic glory in 2007.
Four years at Montpellier between 2010-2014 followed a brief stint as a pundit but ended due to bad relations with the club.
Toulon was his next destination, but his time there was short-lived before France came calling in 2019, appointing him as Jacques Brunel’s successor.
The Grand Slam in 2022 has been his only notable accolade at Test level, with some close calls against Ireland in recent years resulting in the latter going back-to-back in the past couple of years.
Ireland: Simon Easterby
With Andy Farrell sacrificing Ireland duty to prepare for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, his right-hand man Simon Easterby takes the reigns.
Having not been a head coach since 2014, questions have been raised as to whether he is the right man for the job, but only time will tell.
The defence coach of Ireland since 2021 and involved in the setup since 2014, the argument will be that he knows the system and the players already - but this might not suffice.
Appointing an interim leaves them slightly more vulnerable than they would usually be, but as back-to-back champions, they will still fancy their chances.
A flanker by trade who made 65 appearances for his country as a player, and got two Lions caps, you can’t argue with the fact that Easterby has been there and done that.
Scotland: Gregor Townsend
From one former Lions player to another, Scotland boss Gregor Townsend has had much more experience on the coaching front than counterpart Easterby.
Played as a fly-half mainly during his career, but also available as a centre or fullback, Townsend bucks the trend of head coaches in this list traditionally being forward players.
He featured in the 1997 Lions tour to South Africa and played twice.
During the final years of a playing career which saw him play in England, France and South Africa as well as his native Scotland, he took up coaching in a player/coach role of the now-defunct Border Reivers in his homeland.
After leaving that role in 2007, he was assistant at Scotland for a few years before becoming head coach of Glasgow Warriors, where he stayed for five years.
Naturally, the progression was to his country, where he was appointed in 2017.
The only hiatus has been to assist Warren Gatland on the 2021 Lions tour.
In Scotland, Townsend is regarded as a coach who has steadily built up his squad, leaving them in a much stronger position than when he took charge.
It has certainly been a project, with its share of highs and lows, but this year presents a real opportunity for success.
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Wales: Warren Gatland
Strong arguments can be made about Warren Gatland being in the most precarious position out of the head coaches, after such a poor time for Wales recently.
Failure to compete could see the end of his memorable time spent over two spells.
Talking about every club he has coached is impossible, such is his long and storied career, but at the Test level, Wales has undoubtedly been his most successful chapter.
As a player, he played at Test level for the All Blacks as a hooker.
Being a four-time winner of the Six Nations during a first stint in Cardiff between 2007 and 2019, Gatland has brought plenty of joy to Wales fans over the years.
However, his second tenure has been far less successful, and his squad selection for this year has already raised eyebrows - most notably with the surprise omission of Max Llewellyn.
Many will also remember his eight-year tenure with the British & Irish Lions, where he cemented his status as a household name.
But now, at the place where he has achieved so much, the good times may finally be coming to an end.
Italy: Gonzalo Quesada
Possibly the least-known head coach in the Six Nations, Quesada, has done a solid job at Italy in just over a year.
Those of a certain age may remember him as the top points scorer in the 1999 World Cup and was dubbed ‘Speedy Gonzalo’ by the English media.
A player across various Top 14 teams and an Argentina international fly-half, the new job is only his second time coaching outside of France since beginning in 2008.
Last time out in the Six Nations under his stewardship, he won two games in the competition which was hailed as quite an achievement.
With Wales looking vulnerable, Italy will fancy their chances of avoiding the wooden spoon, but Quesada could be the man to take them to the next level in the years to come.
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