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When people think of the Six Nations, they often picture the roar of the crowd at the Aviva Stadium, the shared anticipation in a packed Dublin pub, and the incredible history etched into every tournament. What many visitors and international supporters don’t fully realise is that an international rugby tour is so much more than the 80 minutes played on the pitch.

The 2027 Guinness Men’s Six Nations is shaping up to be an absolute thriller, starting with a blockbuster opening night showdown in Dublin that sets the tone for a tournament of incredibly high stakes and electric atmosphere. For travelling fans, youth sides, and senior touring teams alike, this iconic Championship offers the perfect opportunity to combine world-class rugby with the legendary warmth, history, and culture of Ireland.

If you are already looking ahead to the tournament, discovering the magic of the Emerald Isle has never been easier with our dedicated options for rugby travel to Ireland.

 

irish-rugby-tours-aviva-stadium-fan-ai Beyond the 80 Minutes

The Six Nations isn’t simply a tournament or a collection of fixtures—it’s an unforgettable adventure that takes over entire cities.

Every match weekend tells its own unique story, beginning long before the opening whistle blows. From the raw tension of a Friday night opener to the heart-stopping drama of Super Saturday, these weekends are about more than just the numbers on the scoreboard. Whether you are traveling with your local club to play exhibition matches against Irish sides, organizing a school group on a developmental tour, or just heading over with a group of friends chasing the tournament across Europe, the Six Nations provides the ultimate backdrop to immerse yourself in the global rugby family.

Planning a 2027 Six Nations trip for your club? Get a free, tailored quote from our team today.

When you travel with a purpose, every match weekend becomes a gateway to new lifelong connections—meeting local clubs, sharing a post-match pint with opposing fans, and experiencing the unique, deep-seated traditions of each host city.

The 2027 Fixtures: Dublin Under the Lights

The 2027 schedule puts Ireland at the heart of the action from day one. Here is how the campaign looks:

RoundDateMatchupVenue
Round 1Friday, Feb 5Ireland v EnglandAviva Stadium, Dublin
Round 2Saturday, Feb 13Italy v IrelandStadio Olimpico, Rome
Round 3Saturday, Feb 20Wales v IrelandPrincipality Stadium, Cardiff
Round 4Friday, Mar 5Scotland v IrelandMurrayfield, Edinburgh
Round 5Saturday, Mar 13Ireland v FranceAviva Stadium, Dublin

The Rugby Connection

Rugby is woven into the very fabric of local communities all across the island of Ireland.

From grassroots junior clubs welcoming visiting international teams with open arms to the intense provincial rivalries and the unmatched passion of the Aviva Stadium, you’ll find rugby conversations happening on every street corner. For touring teams, combining a trip to watch a Six Nations test match with a few days of competitive local fixtures, intensive training sessions, or shared club meals creates a unique, career-defining travel experience that bonds players together.

At Irish Rugby Tours, we specialise in helping visiting clubs and schools bridge the gap between spectator and active participant. We build custom itineraries that seamlessly balance the excitement of the international elite game with authentic, competitive local experiences on our bespoke rugby tours to Ireland.

Food, Music and Irish Hospitality

One of the greatest joys of any rugby tour is stepping away from the training field and meeting the locals.

Stop into a cosy pub near the stadium hours before kickoff, and you’ll likely find a friendly mix of visiting supporters, local club legends, and the sound of live traditional Irish music warming up the pre-match atmosphere. It’s in these unforgettable moments—the shared songs, the respectful post-match analysis with strangers-turned-friends, and the hearty local food—that the true, authentic spirit of the Six Nations is found.

irish-rugby-tours-ireland-match-tackle-ai

Why Rugby Fans Love the Six Nations Along the Emerald Isle

  • Unmatched Stadium Atmosphere: Witnessing high-stakes international competition in Europe’s most iconic and historic sporting grounds.

  • Deep-Rooted Historic Rivalries: Experience the unmatched energy and intensity of legendary fixtures like Ireland v England.

  • Authentic Culture and Heritage: Exploring everything from the bustling, historic streets of Dublin to the hidden gems of our coastal rugby towns.

  • A Welcoming Sporting Community: Endless opportunities to train alongside, play against, and socialise with local Irish rugby clubs.

  • The Ultimate Blueprint for Tours: A perfect combination of elite spectator events and active, on-field match participation for your own team.

    Frequently Asked Questions About the 2027 Six Nations

    When is the 2027 Six Nations tournament?

    The 2027 Guinness Men’s Six Nations tournament runs from February 5th to March 13th, 2027. The competition kicks off with a massive Friday night clash between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

    Can you arrange Six Nations match tickets and travel for a club?

    Yes! At Irish Rugby Tours, we specialize in organizing comprehensive itineraries for clubs, schools, and supporter groups. We combine accommodation, transport, local club fixture bookings, and matchday travel logistics into one seamless package.

    How do I organize a rugby tour to Ireland during the tournament?

    Because Six Nations weekends are highly sought after, it’s best to plan early. You can reach out to our team directly through our contact page to start tailoring a custom itinerary that fits your squad’s budget and competitive level.

Start Your Rugby Adventure

Whether you’re travelling with a senior rugby club, bringing a youth school team for a development tour, or looking to organise the ultimate fan experience for a large group of friends, the 2027 Six Nations is the perfect catalyst for an unforgettable journey.

At Irish Rugby Tours, we specialise in creating custom experiences that combine the very best of international rugby, rich local culture, and sightseeing adventure. We handle the logistical heavy lifting, the club connections, and the local insights so you can focus entirely on enjoying the game and the journey.

Ready to get started?

Click here to contact Irish Rugby Tours today and let us help you plan your ultimate 2027 rugby and cultural experience.

📞 +353 1 685 6277 ✉️ info@irishrugbytours.com

At Irish Rugby Tours we know that Easter is a great time to hop on a plane and spend some time with the people you love most. That’s right – YOUR RUGBY TEAM!

There is a colourful array of  Easter rugby festivals and tournaments taking place right across Europe over the coming break and each of them have their own unique characteristics and surprises.

Irish Rugby Tours offers tours to great venues in fabulous cities right across Europe. These festivals book out quickly. So if you’re thinking of taking your team abroad, here are few suggestions for you. Let us know, when you need our help.

Portugal Rugby Festival – Lisbon

Portugal Rugby Festival in sunny Lisbon takes place this year from April 13th – 14th. It is a whirlwind cracking weekend of rugby fun across fifty pitches and gives you and your team the opportunity to meet rugby fans from other parts of Europe. It is a trip you are unlikely to forget in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Players at last year’s event in Lisbon

Find out more & feel free get in touch

Find out more about rugby in Portugal

Tournoi de Cornouaille – Brittany

It’s selling out fast but there are still a few places left at this year’s Tournoi de Cornouaille in Quimper in Brittany. The tournament itself takes place over two days at Easter. Included in this great value package are hot lunches, player snacks and an end of festival party for those who took part. And it’s all happening right in the heart of the beautiful town of Quimper.

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

The beautiful town of Quimper has some excellent local restaurants.

Ghent Rugby Festival – Ghent

When you think of rugby, Belgium may not be the first place that springs to mind yet they have a strong tradition of playing the game in their part of the world. Indeed one of rugby’s longest running festivals takes place in the beautiful city of Ghent. The Ghent Easter Rugby Festival is now in its 31st year and each year it gets bigger and better with more teams, more food stalls and more entertainment. Ghent itself is a stunning city to walk around and enjoy some much needed downtime.  

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

Hilversum Rugby Festival – Amsterdam

If there were prizes going for inclusivity and family friendliness then surely this delightful festival one at Hilversum would be up there. This one day event takes place at Hilversum Rugby Club, a thirty-five minute drive from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and just forty minutes from central Amsterdam.

A wonderful one day festival that encourages rugby from children as young as eight up to sixteen, the festival will, this year, take place on April 21st.

After a hard day on the pitch, Amsterdam is the perfect city to visit to wind down. Its canals, cobbled streets and exceptional galleries are true jewels of Europe as are the people themselves.

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

Half-time talk at Hilversum.

International SQY Festival – Paris

If you fancy springtime in Paris then maybe the International SQY Rugby Festival is the very trip you have been looking for. This year’s event takes place on 19th – 21st April 2019 and includes an awards ceremony and gala dinner for team managers. The tour also includes a transfer to Paris for a boat trip down the Seine and there is the chance of taking in some Top 14 rugby while there.

It is a a fully immersive rugby weekend for ages 10 -14 and might just be the very trip that builds dreams of being an international star!

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

 

 

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle off Dame Street, was until 1922 the seat of the United Kingdom government’s administration in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex.  A guided tour is highly recommended in order to get a comprehensive  tour and a wonderful, memorable and invaluable experience, from guides on a Irish Rugby Tours tour.

The Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed public park of any capital city in Europe.
It was originally formed as a Royal hunting park in the 1660s and opened to the public in 1747. A large herd of fallow deer still remain to this day. The Park is also home to the Zoological Gardens, Áras an Uachtaráin,(the President of Ireland’s residence) Farmleigh House and the official Residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland, plus the Visitors Centre and  Victorian flower gardens. The Phoenix Park is only a mile and a half from O’Connell Street. Both passive and active recreational pursuits may be viewed or pursued such as walking, running, polo, cricket, hurling, and many more all on a Irish Rugby Tours tour.

 

Farmleigh House

Farmleigh House

Farmleigh House is a stunningly beautiful historic house, which is the Irish State’s official guest house for visiting dignitaries and royalty.  It has a fully restored interior showcasing it’s  many  important collections, an art gallery, a spectacular library, and a complete working farm. It’s open 7 days a week all year round. It was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness family…. shame it’s not Irish Rugby Tours HQ.

 

Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as the new County Gaol for Dublin. It closed its doors in 1924.
Today the building symbolises the tradition of militant and constitutional nationalism from the rebellion of 1798 to the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. Leaders of the many rebellions , including those of 1798,1916 were detained and in some cases executed here. Many members of the Irish Republican movement during the Anglo-Irish War (1919-21) were also detained in Kilmainham Gaol, guarded by British troops , and you can get the full experience this on a Irish Rugby Tours tour. 

 

National Stud

Irish National Stud

The Irish National Stud belongs to the people of Ireland but prides itself on being enjoyed and appreciated by visitors from all parts of the globe and those on a Irish Rugby Tours tour . Nowhere better symbolises all that is great about County Kildare, the beating heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred industry, than the stud, a unique attraction of outstanding natural beauty that is home to some of the most magnificent horses.

 

Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens

Created between 1906 and 1910 the Japanese Gardens were devised by Colonel William Hall Walker, a wealthy Scotsman from a famous brewing family, the gardens were laid out by Japanese master horticulturist Tassa Eida and his son Minoru.  This can be visited while at the National Stud – one of our Irish Rugby Tours Tour.

 

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny Castle was built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several route ways, this splendid castle is full of tapestries , with no expense spared by its former owners, with the gold leaf that can be seen everywhere.It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade but this won’t keep out a Irish Rugby Tours Tour.

 

Jameson Distillery

Jameson Distillery

Step through the doors and step back in time : Take a distillery tour to the home of Irelands’s most famous whiskey makers, the Jameson Distillery. It’s a journey through history when you see the old kilns, mills and malting houses , the water wheel and the old warehouses. Visitors can take part in tasting panels, and be rewarded with a much coveted ‘ Irish Whiskey Taster Certificate’, all while enjoying the delights of this amazing experience with Irish Rugby Tours.

 

Rock Of Cashel

Rock Of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick’s Rock, is a historic site located at Cashel, County Tipperary.  The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion of 1169. In 1101, the King of Munster, Muirchertach Ua Briain, donated his fortress on the Rock to the Church. The picturesque complex has a character of its own and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe and also on a Irish Rugby Tours tour.

 

Glendalough

Glendalough

Irish Rugby Tours will take you to Glendalough an ancient monastic settlement, a remarkable place that will still your mind, inspire your heart and fill your soul.  For thousands of years people have been drawn to ‘the valley of the two lakes‘ for its spectacular scenery, rich history, archaeology and abundant wildlife.