How to watch Six Nations Online in 2023

Rugby Union is back for 2023, beginning with the annual Six Nations. And it’s available to watch on a number of streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, Peacock TV, and Stan Sport. However, each of these streaming services is geo-blocked, which means they’re not available to watch everywhere.

But there’s no need to lose hope because there’s an easy way to unblock Six Nations matches and watch from anywhere. All you need to do is download a reliable VPN and use it to connect to a server in a location where the matches are being streamed.

To make this even easier for you, we’ve put together this guide to explain exactly how to do this and which VPNs are recommended. Let’s kick off!

How to watch Six Nations online with a VPN

1. Find a VPN with a range of international servers. We recommend NordVPN, now 68% OFF!
2. Download and install the software.
3. Connect to a server in a location where Six Nations is available, such as the UK.
4. Head to the streaming service you want to access and sign in or create an account. We’d recommend using BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK.
5. Start cheering on your favorite rugby team!

Why should you use a VPN to watch Six Nations online?

The Six Nations rugby tournament is incredibly popular, where France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Italy compete to win the Six Nations trophy. But, despite its global appeal, the matches aren’t available to watch everywhere, thanks to complex distribution rights, copyright laws, and licensing agreements.

Although it’s available on a wide range of streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Peacock TV, you might not be able to access it from where you are. And if you attempt to watch restricted content, such as the Six Nations rugby, in a location where it’s not available, you’ll be blocked from entering the site by an error message, like this one: BBC iPlayer only works in the UK.

Still, there is an easy workaround for this problem: simply sign up for a reputable VPN and use it to connect to a server in a location where the matches are available, such as the UK. You’ll then be issued with a fresh IP address from that region, which will allow you to bypass region restrictions, so you can watch all the matches from wherever you are in the world.

Best VPNs to watch Six Nations online in 2023

1. NordVPN – best VPN for watching the Six Nations
2. Surfshark – fast speeds for streaming international content
3. PureVPN – strong security features with low monthly costs

It’s very straightforward to use a VPN to watch the Six Nations rugby from anywhere. But the only part that may present some difficulties is choosing the right VPN for the job. This is where we can help.

We’ve put dozens of VPNs to the test and have selected three that can consistently unblock the Six Nations rugby on a number of international streaming services. And on top of this, each of our recommended providers delivers fast speeds for streaming, solid encryption and the ability to access geo-blocked content.

1. NordVPN – best VPN for watching the Six Nations from anywhere

Visit NordVPN

If you want to use a VPN to watch the Six Nations from anywhere in the world, you won’t do better than NordVPN. It boasts a fleet of more than 5,800 secure servers in 60 countries. This means it can unblock the rugby tournament on a range of streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Stand Sport.

It also has the strongest security features we’ve found on a VPN. And it uses its own NordLynx protocol to deliver fast speeds for streaming.

Plans start from $3.19 per month. And you can use one of our exclusive NordVPN coupons for money off.

For more information, see our detailed NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – reliable VPN for streaming international content

Visit Surfshark

If you want a great-value VPN that won’t slow you down while you’re streaming the rugby, Surfshark could be the ideal option for you. It has over 3,200 strong servers in 100 countries. Therefore, it can give you access to the Six Nations matches on streaming services in plenty of locations, including the US, the UK, and Ireland.

Better still, Surfshark is the fastest VPN we’ve used. And it has strong encryption to keep your data secure.

Prices start from just $2.30 per month. And one of our Surfshark coupon codes will guarantee you an even better price!

For more details, read our thorough Surshark VPN review.

3. PureVPN – budget-friendly yet capable VPN provider

Visit PureVPN

If you need a low-cost option that won’t break the bank. PureVPN is one of the most cost-effective solutions around. Although it costs under $2 a month, it has a huge collection of over 6,500 servers in 78 countries. This enabled us to unblock the Six Nations rugby on a range of streaming services during testing.

It also offers strong security, with top-grade encryption and independent auditing, so you know your data is as safe as it appears to be.

For all this, you’ll get an absolute bargain, as subscriptions start from just $2.08 per month.

If you want to find out more, check out our in-depth PureVPN review.

Where to stream Six Nations games

If you want to stream Six Nations games completely free, it's recommended to opt for BBC iPlayer ITVX. However, you'll need to use a VPN if you're outside the UK. That said, to make it easier to find the perfect streamer in your country, let's take a look at the Six nations broadcasters along with the countries where each is available:

Unblock streaming sites with NordVPN

How to watch Six Nations games from anywhere

Even though it’s one of the most popular sports tournaments, the Six Nations rugby matches aren’t available to watch everywhere. However, it is on streaming services in a number of countries, so you can watch the Six Nations in the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada.

And if you live in a country that doesn’t have the rights to show the games, you can get around this easily and watch all the coverage live with the help of a reliable VPN.

Watch online in Canada

If you’re in Canada, you’ll be able to watch all the Six Nations matches on DAZN, which has exclusive rights to the tournament. At the time of writing, a DAZN subscription costs CA $24.99 a month or $199.99 a year.

If that’s too expensive for you, or you prefer to watch the UK coverage, we’d recommend signing up for a reasonably-priced VPN, such as NordVPN, and using it to connect to a server in the UK. You’ll then be able to access all the games for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Watch online in the US

If you want to watch the Six Nations rugby in the US, you’ll be able to find every single match of this year’s tournament on Peacock TV and CNBC. Prices for Peacock TV start at $4.99 a month for the ad-supported version or $9.99 a month for the ad-free tier.

Alternatively, you could watch the matches on CNBC. And if you don’t have cable TV, you can access CNBC, along with loads of other great TV channels, by signing up for SlingTV for $40 a month, or fuboTV for $69.99 a month.

If this is too pricey for you, it’ll work out cheaper to sign up for a reliable VPN, such as NordVPN, and use it to unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK, so you can stream for free.

Watch online in Australia

Australian rugby fans will be able to stream every Six Nations match live on Stan Sport. A subscription to this ad-free streaming platform costs $10 a month on top of the $10 Stan membership fee. However, there is a free seven-day trial, so you can stream for a week before you start paying anything.

Watch online in Europe

Given that all of the countries competing in the Six Nations tournament are European, it makes sense that there are plenty of options to stream all the matches live throughout the continent.

For example, in Ireland, you can watch all the action live on either RTÉ Player or Virgin Media Player. It’s also available on FR2, Sky Italia, and Eurosport, which is widely available in European countries.

However, our favorite option remains streaming in the UK because the platforms that show the matches are free to watch. This year, the rights to show the games in the UK are split between BBC iPlayer and ITVX, neither of which costs anything to watch. Although you can pay a subscription fee to watch ITVX without ads.

How to watch Six Nations with a free VPN

The Six Nations Rugby League tournament is available to stream for free in the UK on BBC iPlayer and ITVX. So if you want to stream the matches for free, your best bet would be to use a VPN to connect to a UK server.

However, the vast majority of free VPNs aren’t strong enough to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming platforms, such as iPlayer. And even if you find one that can, free VPNs should be avoided because they are usually detrimental to customers’ security, as they often make money by selling user data to third parties.

However, if you’ve decided to use a free VPN, you’d be much better off using a freemium, which is a basic version of a paid provider that doesn’t have any subscription fees. Although they’re a lot more limited than paid options, we can recommend ProtonVPN or AtlasVPN because they offer reasonably strong security and unlimited data.

Alternatively, if you just want to use a VPN for the remainder of the tournament, you might be able to get away with a free trial of a paid VPN. Each of the VPNs we’ve recommended in this guide offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Once the free trial has expired, here’s how much a subscription will cost:

• NordVPN – a huge fleet of strong international servers and the strongest security you can find. After the 30-day money-back guarantee has finished, prices start from just $3.19 a month.
• Surfshark – unbeatable speeds and great-value plans. From just $2.30 per month after the trial period ends.
• PureVPN – low-cost option to watch rugby. Plans start from just $2.30 a month.

Try NordVPN for free

Why is my VPN not working while trying to watch the Six Nations?

If you’re trying to use a VPN to unblock the Six Nations tournament but you’re still getting an error message, it’s probably because your VPN has been detected and blocked by the streaming service you’re trying to access.

But to rule out other problems, here are some troubleshooting suggestions:

• You’re not connected to a server in the right location
• Your true IP address could be leaking
• Your cookies might be giving away your actual location
• Your device settings could need updating

To fix these issues, you should try:

• Double-checking that you’ve connected to a secure server in the right location
• Enabling IP leak protection on your VPN
• Connecting to a different browser
• Using a different server
• Checking if your device has been updated
• Clearing your cookies and cache
• Contacting your VPN’s customer support team

Watch Six Nations Rugby with NordVPN

NordVPN is perfect for streaming Six Nations Rugby. It easily bypasses geo-blocks and ensures buffer-free streaming for the best experience.

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4.9 /5

• Stable connections
• Excellent for streaming
• Great value for money

Try NordVPN

If all else fails, take a look at our complete guide on how to use a VPN. And if you’re still having no luck, it may be time to think about upgrading to a more security-focused VPN.

Six Nations 2023 matches

The Six Nations Championship is a men’s annual rugby tournament that is made up of the teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy. France is the current champion, having won the tournament in 2022.

The favorites to win this year are Ireland, who have won more games in the run-up to the Six Nations. But France has won nearly as many and is the defending champion, so it’s shaping up to be an exciting tournament.

To help you plan your viewing, here are all the fixtures and where you can watch them for free:

Stream every game with NordVPN

If you want to keep up to date with all the latest news, we’d suggest following the Six Nations on Twitter and Facebook.

Conclusion

Rugby fans all over the world will no doubt want to watch all the matches of the Six Nations Championship. But, although it’s on several streaming services, it’s not available to watch everywhere, thanks to geo-blocks.

Luckily, there’s a simple solution to this problem: simply download a secure VPN, such as NordVPN, and use it to connect to a server in a location that has the rights to show all the live coverage. We’d recommend opting for the UK, so you can watch for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Aside from this, a VPN is an essential security tool because it encrypts your data while you’re online, thereby protecting you from hackers and other third parties.

We hope this guide has answered all your questions about using a VPN to unblock the Six Nations matches from anywhere. If not, please get in touch using the comments box at the bottom of the page!

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