GUINNESS SIX NATIONS
Ireland v Wales, Aviva Stadium, 2.15pm
TV
The match is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with coverage starting at 1pm.
ONLINE
We'll have a live match tracker with analysis and match clips on rte.ie/sport, RTÉ Rugby Twitter and RTÉ Sport Facebook.
RADIO
The game is live on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
WEATHER
There is rain forecast for tomorrow afternoon in Dublin, Temperature around 8C with a wind of around 38km/h.
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
And so, it begins.
Six Nations rugby returns to Dublin with a live audience for the first time since February 2020.
It's been a long two years.
And there’s rarely been such a sense of anticipation surrounding a campaign as there is for this one. But that’s actually not so much down to the possibility of silverware as much as for what a new-look Ireland can offer in the battles that lie ahead.
It may have taken some time but Andy Farrell, who took over at the back end of 2019, has stamped his own identity of the team and the performances against England last March, and against New Zealand in the autumn have got the juices flowing.
Ireland are not playing with reckless abandon but certainly without the fear of getting torn to shreds if an offload goes astray. With the skillset of the squad now much improved, they have been reaping benefits from expanding their game.
Mack Hansen has been lighting it up for @connachtrugby - now he's about to get his chance with Ireland. @treacyj reports #RTErugby #SixNations pic.twitter.com/X0v9WsXoUb
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) February 3, 2022
It’s hard to think of an Ireland team that had some many footballers across its ranks and playing to their strengths has become the mark of the team.
The campaign gets under way against an understrength Welsh outfit who are missing the likes of captain Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau.
It’s a hefty casualty list for a team that has lost their last four championship games in Dublin, while on the other hand, Ireland are without Keith Earls, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring and Robbie Henshaw, who would probably be the only definite starter.
Ireland, who have won 27 of their last 29 games at Lansdowne Road, have never beaten Wales five times on the bounce but are 1/10 favourites to change that.
As long as no one in Wales, who are the current champions one might easily forget, gets wind of those odds then things should work out just fine.
TEAM NEWS
Farrell has made two changes to the team that started in the 29-20 win over New Zealand, with Tadhg Beirne at lock and Mack Hansen making a debut on the left wing, the Australian-born Connacht man surprisingly getting the nod for the shirt left vacant by the injured James Lowe.
Wayne Pivac can still afford to name six Lions in Wales' starting XV. Liam Williams at full-back and Louis Rees-Zammit on the wing can cause all sorts of trouble for Ireland if given the space. Out-half Dan Biggar is the captain.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Andy Farrell: "Wales are a fantastic side, look at the history, it tells it all. It's all about us, our preparation and our performance. We want to keep pushing the boundary as far as that's concerned."
Wayne Pivac: "Ireland are moving a bit more ball than they probably have in the past which makes them a bit more dangerous. They've obviously got a power game they can use, but there's a bit more width in their game now. The defence has to be on their toes."
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Andrew Conway, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, James Hume.
Wales: Liam Williams; Johnny McNicholl, Josh Adams, Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit; Dan Biggar (capt), Tomos Williams; Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis; Will Rowlands, Adam Beard; Ellis Jenkins, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Owen Watkin.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
AR1: Mathieu Raynal (FRA)
AR2: Angus Gardner (RA)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Elsewhere, Scotland host England in the Calcutta Cup in Murrayfield at 4.45pm, while Stade de France is the venue for France v Italy, which kicks off at 3pm on Sunday.
FULL LIST OF FIXTURES, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
