WEEKEND SPORTS PREVIEW
NEWS IN BRIEF
Six Nations begins with France statement
France launched their Six Nations title defence with authority, defeating Ireland 36-14 in Paris on Thursday night. The bonus-point victory at Stade de France sets the tone for the tournament as England prepare to host Wales at Twickenham on Saturday evening in the opening round’s headline fixture.
Fulham’s January window ends with Bobb arrival
Fulham’s pursuit of striker Ricardo Pepi ended in deadline-day disappointment after PSV Eindhoven pulled the plug on the agreed £32 million deal. The Dutch club failed to secure a replacement before Monday’s 7pm deadline, leaving Oscar Bobb as the Cottagers’ sole January signing. The 22-year-old Norwegian winger joined from Manchester City for £27 million and provides Marco Silva with additional attacking width following Adama Traore’s departure to West Ham.
Harlequins Women eye PWR top-four push
Harlequins Women face crucial home fixture against Exeter Chiefs on Sunday as they look to consolidate their position in the Premiership Women’s Rugby playoff places. The Stoop clash could prove pivotal in the race for semi-final qualification as the season reaches its business end.
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND
Saturday, 7 February:
Fulham vs Everton – Premier League, 3pm (Craven Cottage)
Wolves vs 
Chelsea – Premier League, 3pm (Molineux)
Saracens vs Harlequins – Premiership Rugby Cup, 2:30pm (StoneX Stadium)
England vs Wales – Six Nations, 4:40pm (Twickenham)
Sunday, 8 February:
Fulham Women vs Norwich City – FA WNL Division One South-East, 2pm (The Nest, Norwich)
Tottenham vs Chelsea Women – WSL, 2:25pm (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
Harlequins Women vs Exeter Chiefs – PWR, 3pm (Twickenham Stoop)
LEAGUE TABLES
As of Thursday, 6 February 2026
Premier League
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | W | D | L | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 24 | 53 | 16 | 5 | 3 | +29 | WDDLW |
| 2 | Man City | 24 | 47 | 14 | 5 | 5 | +26 | DDLWD |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 24 | 46 | 14 | 4 | 6 | +9 | WDLWL |
| 4 | Man United | 24 | 41 | 11 | 8 | 5 | +8 | DDWWW |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 5 | Chelsea | 24 | 40 | 11 | 7 | 6 | +15 | DDLWW |
| 6 | Liverpool | 24 | 39 | 11 | 6 | 7 | +6 | DDDLW |
| 7 | Brentford | 24 | 36 | 11 | 3 | 10 | +4 | WWLWW |
| 8 | Sunderland | 24 | 36 | 9 | 9 | 6 | +1 | DLWLW |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 9 | Fulham | 24 | 34 | 10 | 4 | 10 | -1 | DWLWL |
| 10 | Everton | 24 | 34 | 9 | 7 | 8 | -1 | LDWDD |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 18 | West Ham | 24 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 14 | -19 | LLWWL |
| 19 | Burnley | 24 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 15 | -22 | LDDDD |
| 20 | Wolves | 24 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 18 | -30 | WDDDL |
FA Women’s National League Division One South-East
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | W | D | L | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich City | 14 | 37 | 12 | 1 | 1 | +31 | WWWWW |
| 2 | Fulham | 13 | 35 | 11 | 2 | 0 | +31 | WWWWW |
| 3 | London Bees | 14 | 26 | 8 | 2 | 4 | +15 | LWWWL |
| 4 | Chatham Town | 13 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 4 | +20 | WWLWW |
| 5 | Queens Park Rangers | 14 | 22 | 6 | 4 | 4 | +12 | DWWDL |
| 6 | Actonians | 14 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 6 | -3 | LLWWL |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 12 | Chesham United | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | -51 | LLLLL |
WHAT TO WATCH
Fulham Women’s promotion showdown steals the spotlight as the unbeaten Cottagers travel to Norwich on Sunday for a genuine top-of-the-table six-pointer. Just two points separate first from second, and Fulham hold a game in hand that could see them leapfrog the Canaries with victory. Both teams arrive on five-game winning streaks in a clash that will likely determine which side leads the promotion race heading into the season’s final stretch.
England’s Six Nations opener against Wales at Twickenham (4:40pm Saturday) provides the weekend’s marquee fixture, with Steve Borthwick’s side riding an 11-match winning streak as they bid to go one better than last year’s runner-up finish. The historic rivalry needs no extra motivation, but England will be without captain Maro Itoje, who starts on the bench following his mother’s funeral in Nigeria, with Jamie George resuming the armband.
In the Premier League, Fulham host Everton in a mid-table clash between sides locked on 34 points, while Chelsea travel to bottom-placed Wolves seeking to close the gap on fourth-placed Manchester United. The Blues sit just one point behind the Champions League places but face a Wolves side desperate for points in their relegation battle.
Chelsea Women’s bid to reignite their title challenge takes them to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (2:25pm Sunday) after back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Manchester City left them trailing the Citizens by seven points. Harlequins Women host Exeter Chiefs in a crucial PWR fixture as both sides battle for playoff positions, while Harlequins Men face Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup at StoneX Stadium (2:30pm Saturday).
