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Twitter: #rterugby
E-mail: sportonline@rte.ie
__________________________________________
By Micil Glennon
1752 And that's it from the RTÉ.ie match tracker. Log on tomorrow for coverage of Scotland against France. Catch you then!
1748 That's the first time that Wales have won the Triple Crown in Twickenham.
1747 Wales captain Sam Warburton: “Unbelievable, we didn’t play well at all...we knew England were a quality outfit...to get the Triple Crown in unbelievable”.
1745 What a finish, couldn't have been more dramatic; Strettle made a great attempt to touch down but North and Davies held the ball up, England are stunned and Wales have WON THE TRIPLE CROWN, sights now firmly set on a Grand Slam.
84 mins NO TRY, WALES WIN!
83 mins...TMO still looking at it...
80 mins TMO is going to have a look at Strettle's effort...he was over but ref says he thinks he was held up...
79 mins Wales need to hold out, penalty England, again...
78 mins Now England attack, penalty 5m out, 2 mins to go.
76 mins That is what you call an individual try, Williams steals the ball off Lawes, kicks ahead and gathers himself before touching down, great try. Halfpenny adds the extras.
ENGLAND 12-19 WALES
75 mins TRY - WALES - S WILLIAMS
ENGLAND 12-17 WALES
72 mins PENALTY - WALES - HALFPENNY
ENGLAND 12-12 WALES
71 mins Matt Stevens - hands in the ruck, Halfpenny will have a kick to level it.
70 mins Scott Williams was almost over, got to within 3m, and had two men outside him, England clear to halfway.
67 mins Now Wales have a bit of a spring in their step, North collects a chip and Wales get a scrum inside England's half. Farrell is off, Flood is on.
64 mins Farrell's kick is agonisingly close but falls slightly to the left hand side.
63 mins Priestland misses touch with a penalty, and when he gets it back, Lawes nails him and forces the penalty, kickable.
61 mins Bit scrappy now, four turnovers in a few moments, Wales lineout on the halfway mark, players getting tired now. Courtney Lawes is on for Botha.
57 mins Ryan Jones, 27 times Wales captain, is on. Lots of screaming at the ref from both sides, don't like that. Priestland's sin bin period is up, Wales back to 15.
54 mins PENALTY - WALES - HALFPENNY
ENGLAND 12-9 WALES
53 mins Dylan Hartley off his feet and Halfpenny will have a kick to reduce the deficit.
52 mins Great play by Jonathan Davies, makes the tackle then holds off on tackling Dickson as he collects the spill, forcing the penalty.
50 mins Wales build up 22 phases but the ball is slow, eventually England turn it over and win the penalty to clear deep into the Welsh half.
46 mins PENALTY - ENGLAND - FARRELL
ENGLAND 12-6 WALES
46 mins Mouritz Botha blocks the ball down and the ref says Priestland took a man without the ball, easy penalty for England.
45 mins YELLOW CARD - WALES - PRIESTLAND
43 mins Early pressure in the second half is England's, Farrell almost away, turnover, Wales clear.
41 mins Jamie Roberts is gone off with a knee injury, Scott Williams is on.
1654 But Eoghan McLaughlin doesn’t: “Brent Pope's jacket, shirt and tie combo looks like a screen crash on a Commodore 64, as usual #RTERugby."
1652 Jason Walsh on Twitter approves of Popey's attire: "Brent pope wearing very flashy shirt and tie today!!!! #rterugby".
1650 George Hook: "There many not be enough scrums in the match to save Wales".
1647 lemachine on Twitter
"Totally can see the league player in Owen Farell can take the big hits and still have the awareness to use the ball. #rterugby good game".
40 mins And that's the half, really good contest after a slow start, this one will go to the wire.
HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 9-6 WALES
39 mins PENALTY - ENGLAND - FARRELL
38 mins Wales go off their feet at the ruck, penalty England, just 5m out.
34 mins And then England go and concede another kickable penalty, Halfpenny slots it from all of 50m.
34 mins PENALTY - WALES - HALFPENNY
ENGLAND 6-6 WALES
33 mins It's all England now and Farrell collects his own kick before getting nailed by North, great hands and they go close, turnover, Wales clear.
30 mins PENALTY - ENGLAND - FARRELL
ENGLAND 6-3 WALES
29 mins Great attack by England, Barritt made the break and Wales went offside as they scrambled, penalty England, right in front of the posts.
26 mins England concede a penalty straight from the kick-off, sealing off, Halfpenny gets it this time.
26 mins PENALTY - WALES - HALFPENNY
ENGLAND 3-3 WALES
25 mins No problems for the young Saracen, England lead against the run of play.
24 mins PENALTY - ENGLAND - FARRELL
ENGLAND 3-0 WALES
23 mins Now it's England's turn to attack, Tuilagi makes yards. Farrell, playing a penalty advantage, has a drop at goal but misses...
20 mins Wales win a penalty after England stand up in the scrum, Halfpenny has a shot but pushes it well wide, let off for England.
17 mins Wales maul and make yards, into the England 22, North again involved, Phillips makes a burst, almost a turnover, Wales scrum, 8m out.
13 mins The sides exchange Garryowens and Wales come away with it, great take from Halfpenny, then Strettle drops an intercept on the halfway line that would have led to a try.
10 mins Wales had a lineout in the England 22 but Owens couldn't find his man, England clear but Wales still have good position.
6 mins A-W Jones is too slow away from the tackle and Farrell goes down the line, throw is crooked, Wales get the chance to clear.
4 mins Great break by George North, Strettle’s tap tackle prevents a try, England on the back foot.
1 min Game on here, Steve Walsh is the man in the middle, England kick off, Wales gather.
1558 Wales, of course, are going for the Triple Crown, having already accounted for Ireland and Scotland.
1556 Welcome to the second of this afternoon's RBS 6 Nations game - the meeting of England and Wales. Teams are on the pitch...
1551 England v Wales in the RBS 6 Nations championship at Twickenham on Saturday, 25 February:
England: B Foden; C Ashton, M Tuilagi, B Barritt, D Strettle; O Farrell, L Dickson; A Corbisiero, D Hartley, D Cole, M Botha, G Parling, T Croft, C Robshaw, B Morgan
Replacements: R Webber, M Stevens, C Lawes, P Dowson, B Youngs, T Flood, M Brown
Wales: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, J Davies, J Roberts, G North; R Priestland, M Phillips; G Jenkins, K Owens, A Jones, A-W Jones, I Evans, D Lydiate, S Warburton (capt), T Faletau
Replacements: R Hibbard, P James, R Jones, J Tipuric, L Williams, J Hook, S Williams
By Tadhg Peavoy
1546 Right folks, that's that from me, I'll hand you over to my colleague Micil Glennon for today's next clash: England v Wales. See y'after.
1545 View a gallery from today's Ireland victory at the Aviva Stadium here.
1543 Hugo MacNeill and Brent Pope are debating whether Conor Murray or Eoin Reddan should start at scrum-half in Paris next Sunday. What do you think? MacNeill believes Ireland should start with Murray.
1540 Paul O'Connell: "We stuck at the task and stayed patient. We were clinical. To score five tries is excellent for us.
"When we got the opportunities we used them.
We need to play in the right parts of the pitch, we need to retain the ball to get into the right parts of the pitch. We didn't always do that in the first half.
"The intensity and the pace of the game comes from the forwards. We did a good bit more this time around."
"[Gert Smal] Does a huge amount for us. Other guys will have to take more responsibility [now that he is on sick leave]. It's a challenge for us.
"It's good to have that tough 80 minutes behind us. Paris is a difficult place to go."
1538 One of the other star peformers for Ireland today was Rob Kearney - his running from deep was simply superb and the full-back looks to be regaining his top form. Sean O'Brien had a quiet day and gave away some silly penalties.
1536 Brendan Cole at the Aviva Stadium will have a full report on Ireland's win up on the site shortly.
1534 Derek Larkin: Why doesn't Kidney adopt similar policy to Schmidt at scrum-half... i.e horses for courses, no absolute first choice? #rterugby
1532 Live text updates to come on the England v Wales match at Twickenham. Kick-off in the London venue is 4pm.
1528 Shane Horgan echoes Kidney's sentiments by saying that in the second half ruck ball does speed up and that helps a scrum-half - in this case, Reddan.
1527 Declan Kidney: "In the first half, for a lot of the game we were playing in our own half.
"A lot of the hard work was done in the first 60 minutes, there is no doubt Eoin Reddan did very well, but a lot of the hard work was done in the first 60 minutes by Conor Murray.
"D'Arcy did take a bit of a knock.
"We'll look forward to Paris. We'll give the boys bodies a couple of days to rest.
"The players are ultra professional, they're good pros.
"If we get ourselves right we can take on anyone."
1526 Bernard Jackman: 118 test caps for Ronan O'Gara! Incredible achievement and the way he is playing he could win a lot more. #rterugby #6nations
1525 Niamh Kernan: Congrats to #johnnysexton and great boost he was kept on for 80 mins. Good decision by Kidney. #sixnations @O2IrlRugby
1519 It must also be noted that when D'Arcy and Earls left the field, Sexton and Bowe played centre, with McFadden switching to the wing - these are moves that many Ireland fans and critics alike have called for recently.
1518 This was very similar to the World Cup meeting between the sides, a very close first half, followed by a second half where Ireland's pack upped the tempo and Italy could not cope. While, in the backline, Ireland simply had more class all over the park.
This was not a perfect performance with plenty of errors, but they must be comended for sticking with the task, and driving home their advantage at the end.
1517 The RTÉ studio are praising Reddan as the game changer, stating that his arrival on 55 minutes changed the course of the game. The TV panel are also praising Declan Kidney for making swift changes and substitutions when needed.
1516 Ireland defeated Italy by 30 points the World Cup, and have improved on that today with a 32-points winning margin.
1515 Jonathan Sexton is named man-of-the-match for a flawless display at outhalf.
1514 FULL-TIME: IRELAND 42-10 ITALY
79 mins TRY - IRELAND - TRIMBLE
Italy go again and up the middle with Canale. Italy try to pass it down the line and find a hole in the Ireland defence. There is no way through whatsoever and the ball is lost at the turnover.
Ireland move it quickly to the left where Trimble injects pace and breaks the Italian defence. The Ulsterman bursts at the line and leaves the Italy defenders in his wake.
The conversion is wide left and on the touchline. Very tough. Too tough as Sexton pulls it to the left. That's the last action of the match as Ireland secure their first win of the RBS 6 Nations 2012, and a 17th consecutive win against Italy.
77 mins TRY & CONVERSION - IRELAND - COURT & SEXTON
Italy are penalised and Ireland tap and go with Heaslip. They make it to within yards of the line. Ryan sets the ruck and then Court picks and drives over from a yard.
Sexton makes the conversion from right of goal on the 22.
76 mins A knock on ends the last attack as Italy set for a scrum in their own 22.
75 mins Ireland get a maul going up the right with Heaslip driving at the back. The ball is then spun wide left. Ireland go up the middle with Cronin on the crash. Ireland are camped in the Italy 22. O'Connell takes Ireland to within five metres.
73 mins Italy are trying to gain a strangehold, but can't. They collapse a scrum as Rizzo collapses.
72 mins The game is long gone as a contest now and Ireland's wholesale substitutions have changed the whole pattern of the game.
71 mins The entire bench is now on for Ireland.
70 mins O'Gara is now on for D'Arcy, with Sexton moving to number 12.
69 mins Ireland are about to empty the bench as Italy take a scrum. They win and go wide right with Masi. But Joubert brings play back for a penalty. Ryan steals the Italian lineout and Ireland spin wide left. Kearney takes at pace and makes huge ground. Following on from that Ireland go up the middle with O'Connell. Italy are penalised for killing the ball.
68 mins Paul O’Connell steals the Italy lineout and Sexton clears his lines.
65 mins Italy on the attack once more. They are running everything at this stage. They win a penalty and kick for the corner.
62 mins Burton is now on for Botes at outhalf for Italy. Italy attack down the right flank, but Kearney makes a superb tackle on Venditti. Italy try to go back inside but the ball is knocked forward. Ireland scrum.
60 mins TRY & CONVERSION - IRELAND - BOWE & SEXTON
Ireland break up the right flank, with Donnacha Ryan barging past several defenders. They spin left and Ross makes huge yards. The ruck is set again and Ireland go wide right again. Sexton makes a superb pass of 10-metres to Bowe, it's a perfect pass and Bowe crosses with ease.
Ireland 30-10 Italy
60 mins PETER O'MAHONY REPLACES SEAN O'BRIEN
57 mins PENALTY - IRELAND - SEXTON
Ireland keep the move alive and move it wide right where a ruck is formed. Barbieri is done for playing the ball on the ground. Sexton, from wide right, splits the posts with the kick. Good strike.
Ireland 23-10 Italy
56 mins Ireland lineout: Best tries to find Ferris at the tail, but the ball is stolen by Italy. Gori boxkicks long to Bowe. The winger steps inside and goes to touch. Kearney joins the line and jinks past three defenders.
55 mins Italy get their drive on and make several yards before Joubert says they were holding on at the ruck. Sexton kicks the penalty to touch.
54 mins MURRAY REPLACED BY EOIN REDDAN.
53 mins Kearney pumps the legs to bring Ireland into the Italy 10-metre area. Murray tries to grubber to touch and fails. Italy clear and then Earls finds touch with his own kick.
51 mins Kearney clears long at Italy and Italy return the kick, but Trimble is taken out in the air by Venditti and it's penalty Ireland. Sexton slices the penalty into touch.
50 mins Italy restart and Murray fields and clears long to Parisse. The No 8 feeds Masi and the ball is chipped ahead where Barbieri claims the bouncing ball. Just as Italy get up a head of steam, they are done for a knock on.
49 mins PENALTY - IRELAND - SEXTON
Sexton pops over the penalty from in front of the Italy posts.
Ireland 20-10 Italy
48 mins The scrum sets again: this time Ireland gets the shove on and Italy crumble. Joubert says penalty Ireland.
47 mins Bowe knocked on, so scrum Italy: the scrum goes down.
46 mins Ireland find Heaslip in the middle, he breaks the first tackle and goes to ground. Ross does the same. D'Arcy pops to Ferris, who steams through the Italy backline, he tries to find Bowe outside, but a last-moment tackle from Masi saves Italy from conceding again.
45 mins Botes kicks at goal, from inside the Ireland ten-metre line, in front of the posts. He misses a relatively straight forward kick is pushed wide right. Very poor miss. His fourth missed kick of the match.
44 mins Italy win the lineout and go through the phases. A chip over the Ireland pack is claimed by Murray and then Ireland kick back to Italy. Venditti carries to contact and O'Brien is done for not rolling away.
43 mins At the next ruck, O'Connell is penalised for sealing off the breakdown. Botes clears his lines.
42 mins Lineout Ireland: it goes to the back to O'Brien who pops down. O'Connell buries the head and drive hard.
41 mins Sexton restarts proceedings in the Aviva.
1426 The teams are emerging from the tunnel for the second period in Dublin.
1425 Tina Quinn on Facebook: This is a bit of a yawn fest......
1423 Bo Sca: Need to keep the head now lads #rterugby
1422 Darragh Kelly: The crowd has no right to be getting frustrated - they're just as flat as the team. #rterugby
1421 Mark Breen: And how many were outside Parisse? 6 more Italians who could have scored? #IreIta #rterugby #6Nations
1420 Michael Branagan: #rterugby has Kidney the nous to take murray off? He's brutal Shepard hook please. Faster service needed.
1417 Keith Earls crossed for Ireland's first try.
1414 HALF-TIME: IRELAND 17-10 ITALY
That's the last action of the half as Ireland go into the tunnel with a seven-point lead. In truth, this has been a very poor 40 minutes of rugby, with neither side able to develop a pattern and flow.
Ireland will be delighted to be leading at the break, considering the Italian scrum and pack has been very dominant at times. More to come.
39 mins TRY & CONVERSION - IRELAND - BOWE & SEXTON
Ireland win their lineout and spin wide to Bowe on the burst, he is hauled down a metre short of the Italy tryline. The ruck is set and Ireland go through the phases.
Murray feeds wide right to D'Arcy, he passes to Kearney, who under huge pressure, manages to feed Ferris. With a one-man overlap Ferris draws the Italy defence and pops to Bowe to cross in the corner.
Sexton adds the extras with a classy conversion from wide right.
Ireland 17-10 Italy
36 mins Ireland in possession and they reach the Italy 22. Murray takes the ball forward and then O'Brien does likewise. Italy are penalised and Sexton kicks to the corner.
35 mins TRY & CONVERSION - ITALY - PARISSE AND BOTES
Ireland's lineout goes over the top and Italy seize on it. Barbieri barges at Ireland and nearly crosses the tryline with a solo run. He is held short, but Italy recycle and go to Botes, he dummies then feeds Parisse who crosses with three men outside him.
Botes pops over the conversion.
Ireland 10-10 Italy
33 mins Italy chip ahead down the middle and Ireland concede possession, they go wide right to Sgarbi and then back into the centre with Masi. Kearney gets his hands on the ball and tries to run it out of the Ireland 22. He offloads and the ball fails to go to hand. Sgarbi seizes the loose ball and gallops at the Ireland line. A last-ditch Sexton tackle stops a certain try. Italy are then done for holding on and Sexton kicks to touch.
32 mins O'Connell wins the lineout. Best takes a wraparound run off Murray and then Ireland kick long to Italy.
31 mins Italy back in possession and go up the middle with Parisse. They recycle and feed Gori, who chips ahead to touch.
30 mins Italy recycle several times and Botes has a go at a drop goal from outside the 22. It's very poor.
29 mins Scrum Italy in the Ireland 22. Parisse picks and goes but the pass from the No 8 is poor and Ireland clear to Masi, who takes a run and goes to contact.
28 mins From wide left, on the 22-metre line, the penalty hits the post and bounces back out. Ireland secure and try to maul their way out of danger. But they concede a scrum.
26 mins Lineout Italy: Geldenhuys wins and Italy set the ruck. Parisse carries to contact. Benvenuti takes at an angle, then Heaslip steals, Murray gets caught in possession and must carry forward. O'Brien plays scrum-half and feeds Healy. Ireland set a ruck and D'Arcy tries to clean out and is penalised by Joubert for going in off his feet.
25 mins Scrum Italy: Gori puts in and Ireland are penalised for driving in at an angle. Botes finds touch with the penalty.
24 mins Sexton garryowens and Kearney nearly gets to it, but knocks on. He should have taken that one.
23 mins Scrum Italy: they win and go to Benvenuti. Italy go to contact and then Gori box kicks to Kearney. The full-back runs back to contact and is stopped.
22 mins Heaslip picks from the base of the scrum and goes at Italy. Ireland then spin wide left to Trimble who sprints onto an early Earls pass - he claims but the force of an Italy tackle knocks the ball from his hands.
22 mins Healy decides to play on and a scrum is set, not a penalty.
21 mins Healy tackled Masi to stop him there and looked like he was knocked out. Healy is very unsteady looking and Tom Court is warming up.
20 mins Botes misses touch with the penalty and Ireland boot downfield. Italy take a quick lineout and Masi runs to contact. At the breakdown Italy cannot use it and Ireland win a penalty.
19 mins Scrum Italy: Gori puts in and Italy drive well as Ireland lost the bind. Penalty Italy.
17 mins Ireland win the restart and set the ruck, Murray then boxkicks long. Italy receive and set their own ruck. The ball is going nowhere. Scrum to Italy.
15 mins TRY & CONVERSION - IRELAND - EARLS AND SEXTON
O'Connell wins the lineout and Ireland try to maul, Italy say no and the maul breaks down. The ball is popped to Cian Healy who smashes at Italy. Murray tries a half break. Ireland within five metres of the tryline. Heaslip makes a superb drive which Zanni stops. Ireland go wide to Sexton who nearly slips over the line, but is held just short, but the ball is recycled and Earls forces his way through a Botes tackle to crash over in the right corner. Try.
The conversion is wide right of the goal - superb kick.
Ireland 10-3 Italy
14 mins Ireland go wide right where Ferris bashes into the Italy defence, Italy scrum-half Gori is penalised for playing the ball on the ground at the next ruck. Sexton kicks the penalty to the corner.
13 mins Scrum Ireland: The scrum is solid and Ireland go wide to D'Arcy. He breaks the Italy line but there is no support to offload to.
11 mins Sexton will continue as the blood is not flowing and is not required to get attention.
11 mins PENALTY - IRELAND - SEXTON
No, Sexton will step up to take the place kick and O'Gara retreats to the bench. Sexton, from the ten-metre line, wide left, smacks the egg ball and makes the kick. Superb.
Ireland 3-3 Italy
10 mins It's a blood injury to Sexton's head and O'Gara will come on in his place.
10 mins Sexton is receiving attention after a knock to his head.
9 mins Ireland win the restart and counter with Kearney, no way through. Ireland kick back to Italy and the Azzurri are done for crossing.
7 mins PENALTY - ITALY - BOTES
Italy win the lineout but then lose at the ruck. Ireland go wide right but are done for holding on at the ruck.
Italy again go for goal. From the 10-metre line, left of the posts, Botes goes for goal again. The ball sneaks inside the left post.
Ireland 0-3 Italy
6 mins The ball is spilled forward in the ruck and it's scrum Ireland. Italy engage early and Heaslip takes a quick tap and go. Ireland go wide from Earls to Trimble on the wing, but the ball fails to go to hand to Kearney and goes into touch.
5 mins Some ping pong ensues as Kearney launches a high ball. Parisses gets under it and pumps the legs into contact.
4 mins Sexton takes the drop out for Ireland and Ireland win back at the breakdown. They go wide to Kearney and then back to the centre where O'Callaghan takes it up the middle.
3 mins That kick goes dead and Kearney kicks back for Ireland. Italy receive and go up the middle with Zanni, O'Brien tackles him and Ireland are penalised for not rolling away. Botes indicates he will go for the sticks with the penalty.
From inside halfway, Botes, from left of goal, pulls the effort to the left. He had the distance.
1 min Botes gets the game underway in Dublin.
1330 The teams and officials for today again:
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Tommy Bowe 13 Keith Earls 12 Gordon D'Arcy 11 Andrew Trimble 10 Jonathan Sexton 9 Conor Murray 1 Cian Healy 2 Rory Best 3 Mike Ross 4 Donncha O'Callaghan 5 Paul O'Connell 6 Stephen Ferris 7 Sean O'Brien 8 Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin 17 Tom Court 18 Donnacha Ryan 19 Peter O'Mahony 20 Eoin Reddan 21 Ronan O'Gara 22 Fergus McFadden
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi 14 Giovanbattista Venditti 13 Tommaso Benvenuti 12 Alberto Sgarbi 11 Luke McLean 10 Tobie Botes 9 Edoardo Gori 1 Michele Rizzo 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini 3 Lorenzo Cittadini 4 Quentin Geldenhuys 5 Marco Bortolami 6 Alessandro Zanni 7 Robert Barbieri 8 Sergio Parisse
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apici 17 Fabio Staibano 18 Antonio Pavanello 19 Simone Favaro 20 Fabio Semenzato 21 Kris Burton 22 Gonzalo Canale
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales), David Changleng (Scotland)
TV: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
1329 Sean Campbell: Up again early for whats going to be a cracker of a match this morning! Italy are going to be a tough today and its great for the tournament but Ireland need to open it up and get their heads up from the start! Important match and need to start to answer their critics! (notably Sexton) Ireland win but with a few nervous parts! Sean, Alice, Sinead, and Andy in Washington DC 8.15am!
1329 Graham Kavanagh: Irish forwards need to fire. Bowe, Kearney and Trimble need to cross for tries .. a big win needed.
1328 Jammed house at the Aviva.
1327 Ireland's Call is next up.
1326 Followed by Amhrán na bhFiann.
1323 The Italy national anthem Fratelli d'Italia belts out at the Aviva.
1316 President of Ireland Michael D Higgins greets the Azzurri players as he walks the red carpet in the Aviva.
1313 The referee for today is Craig Joubert of South Africa. Joubert refereed Ireland's 2011 Rugby World Cup matches against USA and Russia. Joubert also refereed Ireland v Wales in the quarter-finals of that tournament.
1309 Interestingly, from the last meeting of the teams at the Rugby World Cup, only six Italy starting players from that day start today. Ireland on the other hand are the same bar two changes. Andrew Trimble and Jonathan Sexton are in, Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara are out.
1305 What's the mood out there? Do you good folk think Ireland will romp home, or are Italy to stage a Lansdowne Road ambush? Get your thoughts in to me at the sources above.
1304 Declan Kidney is currently on RTÉ explaining that Gert Smal has passed on all his notes to the rest of the coaching team.
1301 The weather in Dublin 4 is dry and sunny. Perfect.
1300 Half an hour to kick-off in Italy.
1257 Your thoughts, comments and predictions for today's game folks, kick-off just half an hour away. Get in touch via email or Twitter #rterugby
1149 Ireland's record against Italy overall stands at 20 played, 17 wins for Ireland, three for Italy. That's an 85% victory record for Ireland, with Ireland outscoring Italy 643 to 340.
Ireland have scored 69 tries to Italy's 28.
Ireland's biggest win came in 2003, winning 61-6. Italy's biggest win was 37-22 in 1997 in Campo Arcoveggio, Bologna.
The last time Italy beat Ireland was that win in Bologna.
Since then Ireland have won 16 times. The closest Italy have come to victory since 1997 was was in last season's Six Nations match in Stadio Flaminio, Rome. Ireland only won by two points, 13-11.
1133 The team's for today's battle are:
Ireland v Italy in the RBS 6 Nations at 1.30pm on Saturday 25 February:
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Tommy Bowe 13 Keith Earls 12 Gordon D'Arcy 11 Andrew Trimble 10 Jonathan Sexton 9 Conor Murray 1 Cian Healy 2 Rory Best 3 Mike Ross 4 Donncha O'Callaghan 5 Paul O'Connell 6 Stephen Ferris 7 Sean O'Brien 8 Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin 17 Tom Court 18 Donnacha Ryan 19 Peter O'Mahony 20 Eoin Reddan 21 Ronan O'Gara 22 Fergus McFadden
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi 14 Giovanbattista Venditti 13 Tommaso Benvenuti 12 Alberto Sgarbi 11 Luke McLean 10 Tobie Botes 9 Edoardo Gori 1 Michele Rizzo 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini 3 Lorenzo Cittadini 4 Quentin Geldenhuys 5 Marco Bortolami 6 Alessandro Zanni 7 Robert Barbieri 8 Sergio Parisse
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apici 17 Fabio Staibano 18 Antonio Pavanello 19 Simone Favaro 20 Fabio Semenzato 21 Kris Burton 22 Gonzalo Canale
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales), David Changleng (Scotland)
TV: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
1119 Ireland continue their RBS 6 Nations campaign this weekend as they welcome Italy to the Aviva Stadium.
Declan Kidney's outfit are on the back of three defeats at the old Lansdowne Road - losing to France, England and Wales. A win today is imperative as the side attempt to halt this slump at their supposed fortress and kickstart a campaign which has been muddied by a defeat and a last-minute postponement.
A stylish win here would send Ireland to Stade de France next Sunday right back in the championship, a loss and the pressure on the team - and their head coach - will be potentially suffocating.
