Each Six Nations team's biggest omission for the first round

From proven leaders to game-breaking talents, these omissions could shape the championship, with each nation forced to cope without the player they will miss most, for at least the first round.

England will be without George Martin for the Six Nations after the lock was sidelined following shoulder surgery.

The 24-year-old Leicester Tigers second row has not featured since being forced off during England’s Six Nations victory over France in February 2025. A combination of knee and shoulder issues has kept him out ever since, with surgery carried out over the summer.

Martin has now been ruled out for the first half of the Prem season, meaning he has yet to return even as Leicester enter the second phase of their campaign this weekend. As a result, even if he regains fitness soon, a rapid return to international rugby appears unlikely.

Given England’s limited depth at lock behind Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum, Martin’s continued absence may prove more damaging than injuries in other, more well-stocked positions.

Johnny Matthews remains a notable omission from Scotland’s hooker selections despite starring for one of the most in-form teams in Europe. Dave Cherry, George Turner and Ewan Ashman have all been preferred once again, continuing a pattern that has seen Matthews consistently overlooked.

The Glasgow Warriors hooker has earned just two international caps, despite regularly impressing at club level. He was first called into Scotland’s World Cup squad in September 2023 following Stuart McInally’s injury and made his debut against Romania later that month, scoring Scotland’s tenth try.

His second appearance came more than a year later as a substitute against Portugal in November 2024. Despite strong form since then, Matthews continues to find himself on the fringes under Gregor Townsend.

Mack Hansen is expected to miss the remainder of the season after Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster suggested the winger would be unlikely to return even if the province reached the Challenge Cup final in May.

The 27-year-old underwent surgery in early December to address a persistent foot injury. While the operation was successful, his recovery timeline points towards a return no earlier than the summer.

Hansen’s availability for Ireland’s inaugural Nations Championship tour later in the year remains uncertain, with matches against Australia, Japan and New Zealand scheduled for July.

The injury also ruled him out of all three British and Irish Lions Tests against Australia last summer. A recurrence of the problem occurred during his only Connacht appearance this season, against the Bulls in October.

Damian Penaud is one of the headline absentees from France’s 42-man Six Nations squad ahead of their opening fixture against Ireland on 5 February.

The omission is particularly striking given Penaud’s prolific recent form. The winger became France’s all-time leading try-scorer in November after crossing twice against South Africa to move past Serge Blanco’s record, taking his tally to 40 tries in just 59 Tests.

A first-choice starter for much of the past five years, Penaud’s grip on the No.14 jersey has loosened amid increased competition. The emergence of Pau’s Théo Attissogbe and Toulon winger Gaël Dréan has influenced Fabien Galthié’s selection calls.

At club level, Penaud enjoyed a historic Champions Cup campaign with Bordeaux. He broke the record for most tries in a single season with 14, including scores in both the quarter-final against Munster and the final win over Northampton Saints, earning Player of the Year honours.

Wales captain Jac Morgan is set to miss the opening rounds of the 2026 Six Nations after dislocating his shoulder against Argentina in November.

The recently turned 26-year-old flanker has since undergone surgery, with Ospreys head coach Mark Jones confirming a recovery period of four to five months. That timeline rules him out of Wales’ opening fixtures away to England and at home to France and Scotland.

If rehabilitation progresses smoothly, Morgan could yet feature in the final two matches against Ireland and Italy in March.

Despite the setback, Morgan’s standing remains high. He was selected for the British and Irish Lions’ 2025 tour of Australia, featuring off the bench in the final two Tests and scoring in the series decider after playing a key role in the build-up to the winning try.

Italy will begin the Six Nations without one of their most influential backs, as Ange Capuozzo misses out through injury.

The Toulouse star broke a finger in his club’s final match of 2025, a heavy win over La Rochelle, and was initially expected to be sidelined for around three weeks. While he may yet link up with the squad later, he will miss the opening training camp in Verona.

Born in France to French parents, Capuozzo chose to represent Italy through his paternal grandparents. After progressing through the U20s, he made an immediate impact on his senior debut during the 2022 Six Nations, scoring twice against Scotland.

One week later, he played a decisive role against Wales, creating the winning try that secured Italy’s first Six Nations victory since 2015. Later that year, he scored twice in a historic win over Australia and was named World Rugby Men’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Capuozzo was selected for Italy’s World Cup squad and has only improved since then, cementing his status as one of the Azzurri’s key attacking threats despite his current absence.