With the 2026 Six Nations upon us, the rugby world is set for a Championship which is likely to see several new stars come to the fore. A combination of injuries, big selection calls and a need for teams to evolve their squads ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia means there are some faces taking to the field who might be unfamiliar to rugby fans for what is the highlight of European rugby. Here, Daily Mail Sport’s ALEX BYWATER takes you through 10 shooting stars to watch out for…
Guy Pepper
Age 22, Country England, Club Bath, Position Flanker
Made his England debut last summer and then started all four autumn Tests, reflecting how highly he is rated by his national head coach Steve Borthwick. Pepper is again in the England side for their Six Nations opener with Wales on Saturday.
An all action back-row, he can play on both sides of the flank and also brings a line-out jumping option. Pepper looks set to be a mainstay of the England side for years to come despite being diagnosed with arthritis as a child. This is his first Six Nations. He’s a coming force and last season helped Bath to a treble of trophies.
An all action back-row, Guy Pepper can play on both sides of the flank and also brings a line-out jumping option. Pepper looks set to be a mainstay of the England side for years to come
Théo Attissogbe
Age 21, Country France, Club Pau, Position Wing and full-back
The decision of France head coach Fabien Galthie to drop his country’s record try-scorer Damian Penaud from his squad altogether has been the biggest selection call of this Six Nations.
While sources in France have indicated it is down to form and perhaps mindset reasons, another part of the move is because Galthie has plenty of other options. He is a huge fan of Pau flyer Attissogbe, who has just returned from three months out.
The 21-year-old proved his talent in the 2025 Championship, scoring a brace against Wales and once in Italy. He could go to another level this year and starts against Ireland on Thursday. He was so good on a summer tour to New Zealand that the Kiwi press likened him to French great Serge Blanco.
Théo Attissogbe was so good on a summer tour to New Zealand that the Kiwi press likened him to French great Serge Blanco
Gael Drean
Age 25, Country France, Club Toulon, Position Wing
Another scintillating French wing who has been in remarkable form this season for his club Toulon, scoring 12 tries in 14 matches.
Attissogbe starts on the other wing to Louis Bielle-Biarrey when defending champions France open up the 2026 Championship at home to Ireland on Thursday. Drean is uncapped and is biding his time for now, but it seems he will soon get his shot. He is a classic Galthie winger in many ways with electric feet and pace to burn.
Gael Drean is a classic Fabien Galthie winger in many ways with electric feet and pace to burn
Dan Edwards
Age 22, Country Wales, Club Ospreys, Position Fly-half
These are dark days for fans of Welsh rugby, but in young No 10 Edwards there is a player of promise.
His club the Ospreys are at risk of falling out of existence, but he has re-signed there for now on the basis of a guaranteed contract for the next 18 months. The other reason for doing so and turning down interest from Leicester Tigers was to stay as Wales’ playmaker.
He showed moments of promise in the autumn, particularly when orchestrating his team to scoring four tries against the All Blacks.
These are dark days for fans of Welsh rugby, but in young No 10 Dan Edwards there is a player of promise
Edoardo Todaro
Age 19, Country Italy, Club Northampton Saints, Position Wing
The teenage wing at Prem Rugby leaders Northampton has been rewarded for his prolific breakthrough campaign with a place in Italy’s Six Nations squad. The 19-year-old, who won his only cap to date off the bench in the Azzurri’s 34-19 win over Chile in November, is part of a 33-strong group who will prepare to take on Scotland in Rome on February 7.
Todaro has been electric for Saints this term, scoring nine tries in 12 games since making his first-team debut in September.
He was voted the Prem’s player of the month for October and will be looking to translate that form to the international stage with an Italian team without key men due to injury.
Edoardo Todaro has been electric for Saints this term, scoring nine tries in 12 games since making his first-team debut in September
Vilikesa ‘Billy’ Sela
Age 20, Country England, Club Bath, Position Tighthead prop
Injuries to some of England’s props has been overblown as a crisis. Other teams are in way worse positions on the fitness front.
But the absence of Bath’s Will Stuart has given a chance to his club team-mate Sela. He’s not in the squad for the opener with Wales, but is likely to get a chance to show his worth off the bench at some point in the Championship.
Bulldozer Sela has learned from Stuart and South African juggernaut Thomas du Toit at Bath and has been a key figure for all of England’s age group teams. This Six Nations could be the start of him emerging from their shadows into being a star of his own.
Vilikesa Sela of Bath could well emerge from the shadows and become an England star during this Six Nations
Andrea Zambonin
Age 25, Country Italy, Club Exeter Chiefs, Position Lock
Zambonin actually made his Italian debut in the 2022 Six Nations, but only has 14 caps.
He has impressed with Exeter Chiefs in his first season in English club rugby this term after a summer move from Zebre. At 6ft 8in, he is a formidable line-out presence and he has been a big part of Exeter’s resurgence this season. Second row forwards tend to get better the older they get, so Zambonin is coming into his peak years.
At 6ft 8in, Andrea Zambonin will be a formidable presence for Italy
Kalvin Gourgues
Age 20, Country France, Club Toulouse, Position Centre
Yes, another Frenchman! But their depth and production line of talent is so good it’s impossible to ignore.
Gourgues is on the bench for France against Ireland, but he served notice of his talent when making his debut as a replacement in the November win over Australia. Within minutes of coming on, Gourgues made a sensational line break, raced into space and threw a wonderful long pass to Bielle-Biarrey who scored.
There is plenty more of that to come from a wonderful talent. Gourgues has already been tried at No 10 by Toulouse, but his best position is in midfield. He is now impressing at the highest level after undergoing surgery last year to replace an artery in his foot. Had that not taken place, Gourgues was at risk of blood clotting that could have seen his leg amputated.
Kalvin Gourgues served notice of his talent when making his debut as a replacement in the November win over Australia for France. He made a sensational line break, raced into space and threw a wonderful long pass to Bielle-Biarrey to score
Freddy Douglas
Age 20, Country Scotland, Club Edinburgh, Position Flanker
Douglas was described as ‘world class already’ before even playing a game for club or country by Scotland assistant coach John Dalziel.
He made his international debut before he had played a competitive club game for Edinburgh and became the youngest Scotland debutant in more than 60 years when he came off the bench against Portugal. Douglas subsequently followed that with an Edinburgh bow and has signed a two-year deal with the Scottish capital side. Bristol badly wanted Douglas, but he turned them down.
For too long, Scotland’s development pathway systems have struggled to produce enough top-quality players, forcing the country’s senior head coach Gregor Townsend to bring in Scottish-qualified players from abroad. To that end, it is great to see someone like Douglas coming through. Expect to see him involved in the Six Nations.
Freddy Douglas was described as ‘world class already’ before even playing a game for club or country by Scotland assistant coach John Dalziel
Edwin Edogbo
Age 23, Country Ireland, Club Munster, Position Lock
Munster’s giant uncapped lock has impressed on Ireland’s pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal.
He would probably have already made a Test debut by now were it not for two serious Achilles injuries suffered in his early years. But they haven’t stopped him already winning the United Rugby Championship with his province.
Edogbo isn’t in Ireland’s 23 for France, but his time will come. He has a brother, Sean, who also plays for Munster. Edogbo was born in Cork, but his parents moved to Ireland from Nigeria. He didn’t play rugby at all until he was 13, but has progressed quickly in the decade since.
Ireland have a number of injury absentees for this Six Nations, though coach Andy Farrell and assistant Paul O’Connell are big fans of Edogbo’s power game. He is also very good over the ball.