Six Nations Week 1 team news: Wales’ North out; Crowley named Ireland fly-half

The 2024 Six Nations begins this weekend and Wales begin their campaign against Scotland on Saturday without experienced George North, who is out with a shoulder injury.

The winger is the most capped member of Wales' 34-man squad and the match against Scotland would have marked his 50th Six Nations appearance. Wales will have a hint of inexperience, however, with Warren Gatland opting to hand uncapped Cameron Winnett his international debut.

Meanwhile, holders Ireland will have a new look at flyhalf with Jack Crowley named as No.10 to fill the void of Johnny Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

England coach Steve Borthwick has named uncapped Fraser Dingwall and Ethan Roots in his starting line-up for Saturday's clash with Italy, while uncapped trio Chandler Cunningham-South, Fin Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is part of the bench.

Here's all the team news and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend.

France vs Ireland, Friday 8 p.m. GMT, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille

Antoine Dupont will be absent at scrum-half as he skips this year's tournament to prepare for the Paris Olympics with the national sevens team, forcing head coach Fabien Galthie to appoint Maxime Lucu in his place for the highly anticipated opening match.

Blues and Ireland will play in Marseille on Friday for their first test since they were both eliminated by South Africa and New Zealand respectively in the quarter-finals of the World Cup last year.

Lucu replaced Dupont at the World Cup when the captain missed time after fracturing his cheekbone. He will team up with Matthieu Jalibert while fly-half Romain Ntamack is still recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered before the World Cup.

“It's good for Antoine that he's stepping out of the box a little. It gives opportunities to other players. Maxime Lucu has always been good, even very good. Now it's up to him to take responsibility,” said coach Fabien Galthie. said at a press conference.

He added: “Even without [retired] Johnny Sexton, we don't worry about them [Ireland’s] ability to perform. We also want to pay tribute to the fantastic player he was.

Sexton retired with 119 caps after Ireland's heartbreaking semi-final defeat to New Zealand, and Crowley will be thrown in at the deep end as Ireland are set to open the tournament against France on Friday night.

Crowley will start at fly-half for an Irish team captained by Peter O'Mahony. Center Garry Ringrose was ruled out of the tournament opener with a shoulder injury. Ireland hope Ringrose will be available for their second match against Italy on February 11. His absence means Robbie Henshaw will partner Bundee Aki in midfield.

France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana, Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu, Gregory Alldritt (captain), Charles Ollivon, François Cros, Paul Willemse, Paul Gabrillagues, Uini Atonio, Peato Mauvaka, Cyril Baille.

Substitutes: Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki, Paul Boudehent, Nolann Le Garrec, Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter .

Substitutes: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley.

Italy v England, Saturday 2:15 p.m. GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Northampton's Dingwall will start at England's inside center in Rome while Exeter's Roots will be on the blindside.

Following Marcus Smith's calf injury which ruled him out of the opening match of the tournament, George Ford will start at fly-half while Alex Mitchell has been declared fit to start at scrum-half.

In the peloton, Jamie George leads the team in the front row with Joe Marler and Will Stuart while Ollie Chessum and Maro Itoje are the locks. Roots is joined in the back row with Sam Underhill and Ben Earl.

For Italy, Alessandro Garbisi takes over at scrum-half and Tommaso Allan gets the nod at full-back.

Garbisi is included ahead of Stephen Varney who started three of Italy's four games at last year's World Cup, as new head coach Gonzalo Quesada named his first squad since taking over Kieran Crowley.

Quesada named Allan at fullback, making his 80th appearance for Italy, with Garbisi's other brother, Paolo, chosen at flyhalf.

Tommaso Menoncello makes a welcome return at centre, after missing the World Cup through injury and lock Federico Ruzza will win his 50th cap.

Italy: Tommaso Allan, Ange Capuozzo, Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Garbisi, Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro, Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannone, Pietro Ceccarelli, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti.

Substitutes: Giacomo Nicotera, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Edoardo Iachizzi, Manuel Zuliani, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Pani.

England: Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Joe Marler, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Ethan Roots, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.

Substitutes: Theo Dan, Ellis Genge, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Chandler Cunningham-Smith, Danny Care, Fin Smith, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Wales v Scotland, Saturday 4:45 p.m. GMT, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Cameron Winnett will make his debut at full-back and Sam Costelow has been preferred at fly-half for the Welsh side to face Scotland.

Josh Adams and Rio Dyer are on the wings, with Louis Rees-Zammit having left rugby to pursue a career in the NFL, while Nick Tompkins and Owen Watkin form the central duo. Gareth Davies gets the scrum-half title in a line-up which includes Wales' second-youngest captain, 21-year-old Dafydd Jenkins, with only Gareth Edwards ahead of him on the list.

Jenkins is in the second row with Adam Beard, and in front of them are props Corey Domachowski and Leon Brown, with Ryan Elias at hooker. The back row consists of number 8 Aaron Wainwright and flankers James Botham and Tommy Reffell.

Flyhalf Finn Russell will lead Scotland in their first Six Nations match with co-captain Rory Darge out through injury, although the flanker will return for the visit of France on February 10 .

Russell forms a half-back duo with No.9 Ben White, while Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are united in midfield and there are three wing-backs in Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn, with Kyle Rowe at the rear.

The front row of the scrum features hooker George Turner, with props Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson alongside him.

Wales: Cameron Winnett, Josh Adams, Owen Watkin, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias, Leon Brown, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, James Botham, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.

Substitutes: Elliot Dee, Kemsley Mathias, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Tomos Williams, Ioan Lloyd, Mason Grady.

Scotland: Kyle Rowe, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Scott Cummings, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie, Matt Fagerson.

Substitutes: Ewan Ashman, Alec Hepburn, Elliot Millar-Mills, Sam Skinner, Jack Dempsey, George Horne, Ben Healy, Cameron Redpath.