Match Thread: Ireland v Italy. 6 Nations 2026 Saturday 14 February 14:10 GMT

📅 Date: Saturday 14 February 2026

🕒 Kick-off: 14:10 GMT

📍 Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland: 15. Jamie Osborne; 14. Robert Baloucoune, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. James Lowe, 10. Sam Prendergast, 9. Craig Casey; 1. Jeremy Loughman, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Thomas Clarkson; 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. James Ryan, 6. Cormac Izuchukwu, 7. Caelan Doris (c), 8. Jack Conan

Replacements: 16. Rónan Kelleher 17. Tom O’Toole 18. Tadhg Furlong 19. Edwin Edogbo 20. Tadhg Beirne 21. Nick Timoney 22. Jamison Gibson-Park 23. Jack Crowley

Italy: 15. Lorenzo Pani; 14. Louis Lynagh, 13. Tommaso Menoncello, 12. Leonardo Marin, 11. Monty Ioane; 10. Paolo Garbisi, 9. Alessandro Fusco; 1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Simone Ferrari; 4. Niccolò Cannone, 5. Andrea Zambonin; 6 Michele Lamaro (c), 7 Manuel Zuliani, 8 Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: 16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17. Mirco Spagnolo, 18. Muhamed Hasa, 19. Federico Ruzza, 20. Riccardo Favretto, 21. David Odiase, 22. Alessandro Garbisi, 23. Paolo Odogwu

Andy Farrell finally rings the changes with a very different looking Ireland team that has the fewest caps in the starting XV of any team this weekend. Some of this will be the usual rotation against Italy - all the more important with only one rest week this 6N - but spots in the team to face England will surely be up for grabs for everyone. The back 5 of the pack has been almost completely refreshed after a less than stellar showing against France. Ryan and Conan have been rewarded for industrious performances off the bench to start here to bring some intent and aggression from the off that was lacking in Paris. Izuchukwu is finally fit for once to show what he can do on the big stage - they will certainly be hoping his athleticism can add an element of game breaking ability up front that we sorely need. All eyes will be on Edogbo for his much anticipated appearance off the bench - he has had a torrid run of injuries and has limited top level game time but his physical abilities are easy for all to see.

Italy are coming in on a high after battling past Scotland in utterly hellish weather in Rome. It looks to be a dry track today and Italy will have to be at the top of their game to threaten an Irish team they have almost never looked close to in Dublin. They will almost certainly try and attack the scrum against a very inexperienced Irish front row - while the stalwart Furlong is there to come on and settle things, O'Toole will face challenges of his own coming on to cover loosehead - a position he has only ever started once in for Ireland A last year.

The back 3 is renewed with both wings facing the axe after a poor kick chasing performance in Paris. Baloucoune, much like his compatriot in the backrow, is someone whose opportunity should have come before now but for repeated ill-timed injuries. One can only hope he and Lowe do more than spend all their time chasing high kicks as it is not a strategy that is proving productive (or easy on the eye).

Ultimate, we can not ask for a better game than this to get over the terrible loss in Paris and try to build towards Twickenham in one week. A reset is badly needed and now we see if it will happen.