Not long go to until the teams emerge onto the pitch in Dublin.

The coaches are delivering their final words of wisdom in the changing rooms.

Former England wing Ugo Monye, speaking to BBC Sport: "If England go to Ireland and do a job then I think they can win the whole thing, a loss then it is France at home next weekend.

"The last few campaigns England haven't been the fastest starters, meaning they must buck that trend to hit the ground running.

"The opening round is pivotal for both sides."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Inpho

England can "shock" Ireland and set themselves up for a run at the Six Nations title, says three-time winner Danny Care.

Harlequins scrum-half Care won more than 100 caps in an England career spanning 16 years and believes the Red Rose can get a victory in Dublin that could set them on course to win the trophy for the first time since 2020.

"If you go to Dublin and [just] try and stay in the game you could get blown away - but if England really go after Ireland and put their game on the park, I think they could cause them some trouble," the 39-year-old told BBC Sport London.

"Steve [Borthwick] will be saying 'let's shock a few people, let's get out of the blocks fast' and momentum is massive in this tournament, like no other. If you can get going and start building momentum, something just happens.

"I found it in the three years I've managed to get my hands on the trophy. If England can get off to a good one then watch this space."

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI

Image source, Inpho

Ken Owens can still remember one of his first encounters with Simon Easterby.

Long before he was Wales captain and a starting British and Irish Lions hooker, Owens was a fresh-faced graduate from the Scarlets academy in 2005.

By then, Easterby was already club captain, an established Ireland international and a starting Lions back row. No better man, then, to introduce Owens to the intensity of the senior game.

"One of my first contact sessions, I was jackalling in a ruck and I got cleaned out as if it were a World Cup final," recalls Owens.

"He was competitive in everything he did; diligent, professional. It rubbed off on me. He was the go-to man.

"He always had a presence about him. He led by example and was the figurehead at the club at that time. When I went on to become a captain later in my career, I took a lot from the way he captained the side as well."

You can read Simon Easterby's story on the BBC Sport website and app.

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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says handing the reins to Simon Easterby while he temporarily steps aside to focus on the British and Irish Lions will be a "seamless" process.

With Farrell set to lead the Lions for the first time in next summer's tour to Australia, defence coach Easterby will step up for Ireland's Six Nations defence and a summer tour.

Farrell will sign off against Joe Schmidt's Australia on Saturday but is comfortable leaving Ireland in Easterby's "unbelievably diligent" hands.

"We've been working together long enough now to agree on how this team needs to be driven forward with us all involved," said Farrell.

"All our ideas over the years, that will continue. Simon is unbelievably diligent and the right man for the role as far as leading from the front.

"We've had the experience there and we've seen the credentials there and we know it's going to be a seamless one."

Just 15 minutes to go until kick-off.

Who's excited for this one?

If you need a hand telling the Curry twins apart this afternoon, Ben is wearing orange boots, while Tom is rocking a black pair.

That's very considerate of them.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Twins Tom and Ben Curry will become the first twin brothers to play for England together after being named as the starting flankers.

Ben is set to win his seventh cap and Tom his 57th when they both run out together at Aviva Stadium.

Still only 18, it looked like this moment was set to happen much earlier, but injury prevented Ben from making an appearance on England's tour of Argentina in 2017.

Subsequent injuries, form and selection have then made the brother wait for another opportunity, which came in November, but Ben ended up replacing Tom in the closing stages of England's defeat by New Zealand.

"There were definitely some dark times when you had to think, 'What do I want to get out of rugby?'" Ben told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"My two things are that I want to win the Premiership and I want to play for England with Tom. They were the two things, and it is just great I still have those.

"Being an identical twin, you get compared a lot, so it is not easy. Other people may just not get selected, and that is it, but there can be constant comparisons for us.

"It can be like the thief of joy. You play a game 'Ah, not as good as Tom.' It was nuts sometimes. I am in a place where I am really enjoying it, playing how I want to play and doing it for myself."

Harlequins wing Cadan Murley starts for England in Dublin to mark his first cap after nine international camps.

The 25-year-old, who scored two tries for England A against Australia A in November, has had to be patient for his opportunity, having been regularly around the squad since 2023.

"Coming into this environment is so special; I absolutely love it in here," Murley told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"Whether I am playing or not, because I haven't been to another club, it makes me more grateful, as stepping into a different environment is unbelievable.

"It is an environment with unbelievable standards where you can pick the brains of unbelievable rugby players. Every time I am in, I use it as an opportunity to develop myself."

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sounds

You've a choice of listening this afternoon as England travel to Dublin.

You can tune in to BBC Radio 5 Live as Chris Jones is joined by England World Cup winner Matt Dawson and former Ireland wing Tommy Bowe.

They'll be on 5 Live Sports Extra from 16:25 GMT and then on 5 Live for 16:45.

Alternatively, you can listen on BBC Radio Ulster former Ireland flanker Chris Henry is on commentary alongside Jim Neilly from 16:30 GMT.

Both are available on BBC Sounds and, if you can't listen in, we'll have updates as they happen right here so you can still stay on top of everything.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Aviva Stadium

Image source, Inpho

England's team selection, confirmed early in the week, certainly threw the cat among the pigeons.

In starting Ben and Tom Curry, the first pair of twins to start for England, and Ben Earl, Steve Borthwick essentially has opted for a trio open-sides in his back row.

The message is clear - we're coming for your breakdown.

In contrast, with Ryan Baird at six and Tadhg Beirne in the second row, Ireland have picked a pack to boost their efforts in the line-out.

The battle between the contrasting back five forwards figures to be fascinating.

Image source, Getty Images

Tom and Ben Curry will become the first twin brothers to start for England after being picked as flankers.

In the front row, Luke Cowan-Dickie starts at hooker after Jamie George was ruled out with a hamstring issue.

Uncapped wing Cadan Murley is preferred on the left wing to Ollie Sleightholme in the absence of the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Alex Mitchell has recovered from a knee problem to start at scrum-half, while Freddie Steward is at full-back in the absence of the injured George Furbank.

England: 15-Steward, 14-Freeman, 13-Lawrence, 12-Slade, 11-Murley, 10-Smith, 9-Mitchell; 1- Genge, 2-Cowan-Dickie, 3-Stuart, 4-Itoje (capt), 5-Martin, 6-Curry, 7-Curry, 8-Earl

Replacements: 16-Dan, 17-Baxter, 18-Heyes, 19-Chessum, 20-Cunningham-South, 21-Willis, 22-Randall, 23-Smith

Eddie Jones
Former England head coach Eddie Jones on ITV

Never believe that is written!

I am sure Maro Itoje will lead by example. He must set the tone and put England on the front foot as it is a young pack.

It is what he does on the pitch.

In a 2021 book, Jones questioned whether Itoje was suited to captaincy, writing that the second row was "very inward-looking" and did not "usually influence people off the field" - a view Itoje later denied.

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Henson
BBC Sport at Aviva Stadium

Marcus Smith and Fin Smith, England's first-choice fly-half and understudy respectively, stride out on the emerald green turf and go through some studied visualisation exercises; picking grass, staring into the stands, shuffling feet and imagining kicks sailing between the sticks.

Elsewhere scrum-half Alex Mitchell had a warm embrace with Aled Walters, the fitness guru who left England's camp to take up a role with Ireland last year.

Ex-England head coach Eddie Jones is in the house to watch this one.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at Aviva Stadium

You can always tell it's a big game when Lansdowne Road is teeming with rugby fans hours before kick-off.

We reached Dublin 4 shortly after 13:00 GMT and the sheer number of green and white jerseys narrowly manoeuvring around the car was remarkable.

In terms of recent games, the All Blacks visiting in November was a standout for pre-match hubbub.

But this is next level.

The start of the tournament. Two sets of expectant fans.

The Aviva Stadium's atmosphere is often criticised in Irish rugby circles. I can't see it being an issue today.

Former Ireland wing Shane Horgan, speaking to BBC Sport on Sam Prendergast: "He burst onto the scene in the autumn and has unseated Jack Crowley, who has had a decent couple of months.

"That was a call that Andy Farrell would have been part of or at least had some input.

"You don’t get a bigger opening game than England and then travelling to Scotland who will fancy their chances as they always do.

"A blockbuster start for Ireland and Prendergast to see how he manages it."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland's Sam Prendergast keeps his place in the starting XV at fly-half ahead of Jack Crowley, who played every minute of last year's tournament.

Prendergast, 21, only made his debut in the autumn and has overcome a dead leg to start.

In the pack, Joe McCarthy has been ruled out so Ryan Baird is recalled to the back row and Tadhg Beirne switches to lock.

Finlay Bealham starts in place of the injured prop Tadhg Furlong, while hooker Dan Sheehan is on the bench after a long-term knee injury.

Ireland: 15-Keenan, 14-Hansen, 13-Ringrose, 12-Aki, 11-Lowe, 10-Prendergast, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Kelleher, 3-Bealham, 4-Ryan, 5-Beirne, 6-Baird, 7-van der Flier, 8-Doris (capt)

Replacements: 16-Sheehan, 17-Healy, 18-Clarkson, 19-Henderson, 20-Conan, 21-Murray, 22-Crowley, 23-Henshaw

The captains of the Six Nations teams take on BBC Sport's reactions challenge, with some faring much better than others.

Who will come out in top this year?

It's been a good start for France and Scotland, but who will join them in making a winning start?

Image source, BBC Sport