Six Nations 2026 in focus: Can Scotland clinch long-overdue title or will campaign spell end for Gregor Townsend?

For Scotland, 2025 produced much of the same frustrations. Great hope extinguished by inconsistent displays and costly missed chances.

Gregor Townsend's charges beat Italy and Wales comfortably (for the most part) at home in the championship, but against more difficult opposition lost their other three fixtures to finish fourth again - the fifth time they have done so in six seasons.

Ireland travelled to Murrayfield and dominated Scotland yet again, winning 32-18 for an 11th successive Test victory against the Scots, while only the men in blue will know how they failed to beat England at Twickenham in an understandably infuriating 16-15 defeat.

Their campaign finished out by providing eventual title-winners France a challenge in Paris, but not much more as Les Bleus kicked on to win.

In 2026, Scotland host England and France in Edinburgh, however, and avoid Ireland in Dublin until the final weekend. Could this finally be their year?

Here, we take a closer look at how Scotland are shaping up ahead of their opening home match of 2026 against Italy in Rome...

Having missed the 2025 Six Nations campaign due to a pectoral injury, outstanding centre Sione Tuipulotu returns to captain the side.

There are also recalls to the squad for lock Jonny Gray and hooker Dave Cherry, with both having been left out of Scotland's disappointing autumn.

Speaking of November, Scotland's best chance in a long, long time - perhaps ever - to earn a maiden Test victory over New Zealand came and went as they came from 17-0 down to level at 17-17 and then faced an All Blacks side shorn a player for 10 of the final 18 minutes.

Scotland could not score against 14, though, and instead ended up losing the game late on.

Townsend's side then also managed to suffer defeat from the jaws of victory by remarkably surrendering a 21-0 lead to lose 33-24 to Argentina at home, where the hosts were booed off.

Expected heavy wins over the USA and Tonga either side of those losses did little to garner excitement, despite the free-scoring attack involved in 85-0 and 56-0 wins.

A number of Scotland players also experienced a British and Irish Lions tour during the summer, as Andy Farrell's side claimed a 2-1 series win over Australia.

Loosehead Pierre Schoeman, lock Scott Cummings, scrum-half Ben White, fly-half Finn Russell, centres Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, wing Duhan van der Merwe and full-back Blair Kinghorn were all selected for the tour - each from the get-go bar White, who was an early call-up - while a number of other players were later added to the squad in Australia as cover.

Such representation marked a significant change from Scotland's Lions relationship of recent times where they barely saw players picked, and that can only have been positive for them.

Russell has clearly established himself as one of the best playmakers on the planet, and at 33 will view 2026 as the year he must guide Scotland to silverware.

The fly-half started all three Tests for the Lions and excelled in victory against the Wallabies, while he also led Bath to Premiership and Challenge Cup success last season.

Scotland's back division is also supremely talented. Russell, Toulouse full-back Kinghorn and Edinburgh wings Van der Merwe and Darcy Graham are fantastic players, each capable of turning Test matches Scotland's way.

Centres Jones and Tuipulotu shone for the Lions during the summer too, with both finishing the tour as Test Lion try scorers.

The schedule this year is also a big plus for the Scots.

They begin by facing Italy away, and then host England at home in what could prove a crucial Calcutta Cup as far as the championship is concerned.

Wales in Cardiff follows in Round 3, which at this stage should signal victory such are Wales' problems, before a home contest against the defending champions France in Round 4 follows a fallow week to recharge.