Dan Biggar identifies Six Nations change that will have a huge impact

Dan Biggar, who is part of ITV’s team of pundits for the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations, has identified the reduction in fallow weeks, from two to one, as potentially game-changing for the championship.

Now, the northern hemisphere’s crown jewel tournament will be played in one block of three fixtures in February followed by a block of two in March.

Writing from the viewpoint as a former player, the Wales and Lions fly-half took to LinkedIn to explain exactly why that break  is so important.

“The Six Nations is one of rugby’s most traditional tournaments – so any change to it always feels a bit alien, he said in the post.

“This year’s reduced fallow weeks is a good example. From the outside, it makes complete sense. More continuity. More momentum. Better for broadcasters, sponsors and fans who just want rugby, rugby and more rugby.

“And from a commercial and media point of view, it’s a clear win. But from an elite performance and player perspective, it’s more nuanced.

“Two or three weeks of back-to-back Test rugby is brutal. In autumn campaigns there’s usually a Tier 2 game where squads rotate and bodies get managed. In the Six Nations, every game is for points – meaning your best players are expected to go again, and again.

“That extra fallow week used to matter. It allowed: genuine recovery after knocks and bangs; space for analysis and tactical planning; time for coaches to actually coach; and just as importantly, the window for a small mental time out.

“Those down weeks weren’t “easy” weeks. We’d often train harder than Test weeks to keep intensity in the body – just without the collision load of a game. They also created a different atmosphere: themed food nights, quizzes, golf simulators, bonding time. Small things that matter over a long season. Take that away and the pressure ramps up quickly.”

Biggar believes that a condensed Six Nations will tip the balance in favour of sides with the greatest strength in depth.

He continued: “There are upsides, of course. Less releasing players in and out of camp is a big plus. But squad depth will be crucial, bigger groups will cope better. France, with two or three world-class players in most positions, are well set up.

“So yes for broadcasters, it’s brilliant. For fans, the continuity is exciting. But inside camp, those breaks have always been a release valve physically and mentally.

“From the outside, you want more rugby, a tighter narrative, more immediate gratification. From the inside though, those pauses are often what allow players to perform at their best when it really counts.

“You can’t please everyone all of the time and in professional sport, that tensioto be broadcast by the commercial channel. n never really goes away. What’s best for the players isn’t always the same as what’s best for the product, and the challenge is getting that balance right.”

Biggar is part of ITV’s star-studded punditry team for the 2026 Six Nations, also featuring Ronan O’Gara, Jonny Wilkinson and Brian O’Driscoll, with Mark Pougatch and Jill Douglas leading coverage.

ITV are the principal broadcast partner in the UK, showing 10 of the 15 games.