What’s happening?
Ireland get their 2025 Guinness Six Nations campaign under way on Saturday against England in the last of the tournament’s opening round fixtures.
Where & When?
Ireland have hosting duties this time around, Steve Borthwick’s side travelling to the Aviva Stadium for a 4.45pm kick-off.
Where can I catch the game?
Ireland v England will be televised live on Virgin Media One, with coverage starting at 4pm. In the UK, it is broadcast on UTV/ITV1.
We’ll have live updates throughout the day on our live blog, as well as the full report after the game and all the post-match reaction and analysis.
Before then, the tournament opener on Friday night between France and Wales (KO 8.15pm Irish time) will also be shown live on Virgin Media One, and Saturday’s 2.15pm start between Scotland and Italy will be live on RTÉ2.
Who will start at 10 for Ireland during the Six Nations?
Last time out
Ireland last met England at Twickenham in the penultimate round of the 2024 Six Nations. A late drop goal from Marcus Smith earned the home side a 23-22 win, ending Ireland’s pursuit of back-to-back Grand Slams.
Last five meetings
2024 Six Nations – England 23 Ireland 22
2023 World Cup warm-up – Ireland 29 England 10
2023 Six Nations – Ireland 29 England 16
2022 Six Nations – England 15 Ireland 32
2021 Six Nations – Ireland 32 England 18
Have we any team news yet?
The teams for Saturday’s game will be announced on Thursday.
It’s been largely good news from the Irish camp. Dan Sheehan and James Lowe, who featured for Leinster again the Stormers at the weekend, have recovered from respective injuries in time for Saturday’s game, and were joined on a late plane to Ireland’s training camp in Portugal by Jack Boyle, followed by Caolin Blade who arrived on Monday.
But there is one absentee for the England game – Tadhg Furlong will not be available due to a calf strain recurrence while training in Quinta do Lago. The 32-year-old tighthead left Portugal on Saturday, with Connacht’s Jack Aungier called up to the squad in his place.
[ How the Irish rugby team are preparing for the Six Nations in PortugalOpens in new window ]
England find themselves in a stickier position injury-wise. Hooker Jamie George has been ruled out alongside Alex Coles, Alex Dombrandt and Jack van Poortvliet, but concerns around Alex Mitchell appear to be easing.
We’ll update when the teams are confirmed but until then, here are the two full squads:
IRELAND
Forwards: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster)*, Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Jack Aungier (Connacht), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster).
Development players: Hugh Cooney (Leinster)*, Cathal Forde (Connacht)*, James McNabney (Ulster)*, Ben Murphy (Connacht)*.
ENGLAND
Forwards: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Ted Hill (Bath Rugby), Maro Itoje (Saracens, capt), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Tom Willis (Saracens).
Backs: Oscar Beard (Harlequins)*, Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins)*, Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers).
*Uncapped players
What to watch out for?
Three in a row?
Ireland are out to claim an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title.
There was an element of wound-licking to last season, the squad looking to right the wrongs and dull the ache left by another World Cup quarter-final exit a few months earlier. Now the focus is back to the business of settling old scores with the neighbours.
Easterby subs in
With Andy Farrell taking time out to focus on his Lions duties ahead of this summer’s tour to Australia, Simon Easterby takes the reins for Ireland.
Continuity within the squad will help him along, but the expectation that comes with being the second-top ranked side in the world is a heavy weight to bear. Do a good job and who knows what opportunities lie ahead for Easterby.
Battle of the 10s
Has enough already been penned about who will wear 10 for Ireland? Probably, but when did that ever stop us.
After Johnny Sexton sailed off into his hard-earned retirement, Munster’s Jack Crowley commendably filled the void over the kicking tee in the Six Nations last season.
But now Leinster’s Sam Prendergast has entered the frame and when provincial loyalties are set aside the question as to who should be the starting pick does not come with a straightforward answer.
Tickets
Ireland v England at the Aviva on the opening weekend of the Six Nations, and on a bank holiday weekend to boot ... need you even ask?
As normal, tickets did not go on general sale, instead being distributed through clubs and provinces.
Earlier this month, Gerry Thornley reported that tickets for Ireland’s two home fixtures (v England this weekend and France on March 8th) were being resold for “vastly inflated prices” on resale websites.
[ Ireland v England Six Nations tickets selling for up to €2,480 on resale websitesOpens in new window ]
“One website is selling more than 600 tickets for prices ranging from €700 for seats in the upper tiers to €2,481 each for lower tier seats. These tickets also range in batches from four to 20 for the Ireland v England game at the Aviva Stadium,” Thornley wrote.
Under the Sale of Tickets Act 2021, reselling tickets for a “relevant event” at a “designated venue” (translation: a Six Nations match at the Aviva) for more than face value is a big no-no, so the IRFU said it is liaising with gardaí on the matter.
What’s the weather looking like?
Saturday is expected to be cloudy throughout the day with moderate southerly winds and temperatures hovering around 10 degrees.
