Welcome to ESPN India Edition
The Six Nations was full of drama last week as Italy beat Scotland 31-29 in Rome and England beat Ireland, whose hopes of winning back-to-back Grand Slams ended with a 23-22 defeat at Twickenham.
There is even more suffering for Wales, who remain winless and at the bottom of the table after a 45-23 defeat to France.
The effects mean it’s all over in the final round, as Wales face a wooden spoon war against Italy, who will be full of confidence after two promising performances, having also secured a draw against France in Week 3.
England technically have an incredibly narrow chance of winning the title, but manager Steve Borthwick will be up there with his side at Twickenham last week.
Ireland only wants two parties opposed to Scotland in Dublin to retain its crown.
Here you will find all the team news and everything you want to know before the last weekend.
Wales manager Warren Gatland opted to place George North and Nick Tompkins in midfield after they were eliminated by the attack against France.
This will be North’s last game for Wales after the 31-year-old announced his retirement from rugby on Wednesday.
Captain Dafydd Jenkins will return to the second row after starting at wing last week, while Alex Mann enters the starting XV. Prop Dillon Lewis will make his first start in this year’s championship.
With one game remaining, Gatland highlighted how much was at stake on Saturday as both groups looked to avoid the wooden spoon.
“It’s a vital game for us. We don’t need to finish last and the team is hungry to win,” Gatland said.
“Italy have quality players in their squad and they have been able to take advantage of the opportunities they have been given to go up the scoreboard.
“We know that external tension and expectations come with foreign rugby. It’s about accepting that, continuing the hard work and being in education to get through and be accurate and disciplined on Saturday. “
Italy suffered a major blow with full-back Ange Capuozzo injured for Wales after fracturing a finger in the win over Scotland. Lorenzo Pani replaces him in the number 15 shirt.
Stephen Varney will start as a scrum-half, with Martin Page-Relo on the bench, while Lorenzo Cannone will start at No. 8 in Ross Vincent’s position.
Wales: Cameron Winnett, Josh Adams, George North, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Tomos Williams, Gareth Thomas, Elliot Dee, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Alex Mann, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Harri O’Connor, Will Rowlands, Mackenzie Martin, Kieran Hardy, Ioan Lloyd, Mason Grady.
Italy: Lorenzo Pani, Louis Lynagh, Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Martin Page-Relo, Leonardo Marin.
Scotland manager Gregor Townsend has resisted the temptation to make radical adjustments to the squad that stunned in Rome last week. Stafford McDowall, named to start in midfield alongside Huw Jones, is expected to make his debut.
Ben White returned to scrum-half play while George Horn was benched. There’s a lot of attacking risk with the three defenders Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Steyn and Duhan Van De Merwe keeping their places.
The complex group hasn’t changed, but Townsend expects a bigger defensive effort than the one that lost 31 points to Italy.
Ireland retain the same XV lost to England as they look to clinch their second successive Six Nations title.
Garry Ringrose returns to the team as an option from the bench, replacing Iain Henderson, while Cieran Frawley also leaves the team. He replaced him through Harry Byrne.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose.
Scotland: Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Duhan Van Der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, Pierre Schoemann, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Andy Christie, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Elliot Millar-Mills, Sam Skinner, Matt Fagerson, George Horne, Cameron Redpath, Kyle Rowe.
France have named an unchanged squad after the one that beat Wales last week. Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, 21, inspired by his team’s tension and still feeling the hole left by Antoine Dupont, who turned his attention to the Olympic Sevens striker. .
Le Garrec will have another chance in his partnership with fly-half Thomas Ramos, who was once called upon to advise the team over injuries to Matthieu Jalibert and Romain Ntamack.
Coach Fabien Galthié kept Emmanuel Meafou, centre Nicolas Depoortere and full-back Léo Barre, who made their Cardiff debuts last week.
England also stayed true to what worked last week, with only one forced replacement when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was sent off after concussion symptoms appeared after last week’s game.
Elliot Daly arrives to start on the left wing, with George Furbank maintaining his position at full-back ahead of Freddie Steward.
Manu Tuilagi has been called up for the first time since last year’s World Cup, taking the 23rd spot off the bench.
France: Léo Barré, Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Nicolas Depoortère, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Thomas Ramos, Nolann Le Garrec, Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, François Cros, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Uini Atonio, Julian Marchand, Cyril Baille.
Substitutes: Peato Mauvaka, Sébastien Taofifénua, Georges-Henri Colombe, Romain Taofifénua, Alexandre Roumat, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana.
England: George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Ethan Roots, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Manu Tuilagi