Four OMs set to play the 2023 Six Nations Championship

Between 4 February and 18 March 2023, four OMs will be representing their respective countries at the annual rugby union competition, Six Nations! 

This year will be the 24th Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.  

Josh Bayliss (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Rhys Davies (Wales) and Mako Vunipola (England) will be taking part in the games and will compete in fierce competition across five weeks. The opening match will see Wales take on Ireland, followed by England vs Scotland later in the day. 

In 2016, Huw made his Scotland debut coming off the bench against Japan, and then a few months later got his first start against Australia - scoring two tries during the game. A further brace followed in the famous 25-13 victory over England in the 2018 Six Nations, his efforts helping Scotland to a first Calcutta Cup win in a decade. In the summer of 2022, Huw returned to Scotstoun, re-joining Glasgow Warriors after a year at Harlequins. 

When speaking to Huw about the upcoming tournament, he said, “I’m very happy to be named in the squad and looking forward to contributing however I can to help the team.”  

Josh, who will be representing the Scotland side alongside Huw, is a Scotland international rugby union player playing for Bath Rugby in the premiership. He debuted for Scotland in the 2021 Autumn Nations Cup against Australia, earning a crucial turnover towards the end, helping claim Scotland’s victory. He made his first start for his country a week later and earned great reviews for his display against Japan. 

Mako is no stranger to the rugby world, and as a member of an established Tongan rugby dynasty, he has made his own mark on the game in a Saracens, England and British & Irish Lions shirt. He made his test debut against Fiji in November 2012 after making only 15 Premiership appearances, went on to win four Premiership titles at Saracens, three European Rugby Champions Cups, won the 2016 Six Nations Grand Slam with England and was part of the squad that reached the 2019 Rugby World Cup final. 

Rhys Davies, who will be representing Wales, is a Welsh rugby union player, currently playing for Ospreys. If Rhys represents the Welsh side during any of the matches, this will be his first international cap. 

Millfield Rugby provides an opportunity for elite rugby players to develop and uncover their potential alongside their academic studies. In close tandem with this pathway, the desire to encourage and enhance an enjoyment and passion for the game of rugby union is key, comparable to the core values the Six Nations is guided by; courage, solidarity, inclusion, integrity, and creativity. 

Millfield’s Head of Rugby and former Bath and England prop, John Mallett, said, “The six nations is an exciting time at Millfield. Our current students and staff take great pride in supporting their teams with the added interest of watching Old Millfieldians in action. The individual journeys of our four participants this year will doubtless and adds to the spice of the special tournament.”