Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Aviva Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Thumbing through the match programme, I noticed an error.

Cormac Izuchukwu is down as having one Ireland cap. It's actually three. His appearances in last summer's tour against Georgia and Portugal have seemingly been overlooked.

Regardless, it is exciting to see Ulster forward starting. It's a Six Nations debut for him and Ulster team-mate Robert Baloucoune, about whom Farrell waxed lyrical after selecting him on the right wing on Thursday.

And looking through the team, it's hard not to think about Craig Casey. He's been ever-present in the squad for five years and captained last year's summer tour, but he's always played second fiddle to Jamison Gibson-Park.

Gibson-Park has long been a standout performer under Andy Farrell but didn't have his greatest game against France, and with a trip to Twickenham next week, this is another chance for Casey to stake his claim for the nine jersey.

Rory Best
Former Ireland captain on ITV

The three guys that stand out to me are Rob Baloucoune on the wing, Cormac Izuchukwu in the back row, not just because they're from Ulster, and then Edwin Edogbo on the bench. Ireland are lacking a bit of x-factor and these three guys in their own right can provide it.

Ireland Rugby

Andy Farrell has made six changes after that heavy defeat by France.

James Lowe is recalled on the wing, while Robert Baloucoune and Craig Casey have also been handed opporunities by Farrell.

In the pack, James Ryan has been promoted from the bench while Cormac Izuchukwu and Jack Conan are named to start.

From last week's team, Jamison Gibson-Park and Tadhg Beirne drop to the bench, while Jacob Stockdale, Tommy O'Brien, Josh van der Flier and Cian Prendergast all drop out of the matchday 23.

Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; S Prendergast, Casey; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson; McCarthy, Ryan; Izuchukwu, Doris (capt), Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, O'Toole, Furlong, Edogbo, Beirne, Timoney, Gibson-Park, Crowley.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The fans are bringing the colour to Dublin today.

Italy Rugby

Italy have recalled Lorenzo Pani for Saturday's game against Ireland. He will make his first Test start in almost two years as he comes in for Juan Ignacio Brex.

Leonardo Marin moves from full-back to outside centre to cover Brex's absence with Pani given the 15 shirt.

Ange Capuozzo is not included despite returning to the squad after a finger injury earlier this week.

Italy: Pani; Lynagh, Marin, Menoncello, Ioane; P Garbisi, Fusco; Cannone, Zuliani, Lamaro (capt); Zambonin, Cannone; Ferrari, Nicotera, Fischetti.

Replacements: Di Bartolomeo, Spagnolo, Hasa, Ruzza, Favretto, Odiase, A Garbisi, Odogwu.

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Ireland have won their past five home Six Nations games against Italy by at least 30 points and held the Azzurri scoreless in 2024, but few are expecting a cakewalk this weekend.

Italy have travelled to Dublin with their chests puffed out after beating Scotland in Rome last week.

It was an impressive performance from Gonzalo Quesada's side in appalling conditions; they dominated Scotland at the set-piece and held firm in the closing stages to win 18-15.

In contrast, "honesty", "nobody holding back" and "teething issues" have been some of the soundbites emerging from a downbeat Irish camp after last week's return to Paris ended with their biggest Six Nations loss in 16 years.

Ireland's deeply disappointing first-half display against France irked head coach Andy Farrell.

He criticised his side's "lack of intent" and wielded the axe for Italy's visit to Dublin, with Josh van der Flier, Jacob Stockdale, Tommy O'Brien and Cian Prendergast all excluded having started last week.

Farrell has since said Ireland had a clear-the-air squad meeting in which they tried to "simplify things" and "understand what we stand for as a team".

Ireland Rugby Social
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Former Ireland flanker Sean O'Brien believes there is a "big gap" between Andy Farrell's Test squad and his untested options.

After Ireland were thumped by France to start their 2026 Six Nations last week, there have been calls for a dramatic overhaul of the side who were ranked number one in the world as recently as 2024.

Questions over the quality of Ireland's depth have been asked anew, however, after an Ireland XV outfit and the side's under-20s were heavily beaten by their England and France counterparts respectively over the weekend.

O'Brien was on the former's coaching ticket for the game at Thomond Park and believes what was ostensibly an Ireland second string are a "long way off" the level required to bolster the Test panel for today's hosting of Italy.

"Let's call a spade, a spade," he told BBC Sport NI's Ireland Rugby Social podcast.

"There's no point in saying the gap is not that far away. It is, they're a long way off.

"There's a big gap between that team we had and the first team obviously, still. How do those lads that we were in control of last week close that gap to get there?

"There's a lot of work to be done still. Those lads need to really hone in on getting better and do everything they can do to get better."

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Ireland back row Jack Conan says the side are "still hurting" after their opening game loss in the Six Nations ahead of today's second match against Italy.

Andy Farrell's side's Six Nations campaign began in dispiriting fashion as they were defeated by France.

On Saturday, they face an Italian side in positive form after their opening-weekend win over Scotland in Rome.

"There are too many good players in the squad for it to be a systemic thing and we have a great chance to bounce back [against Italy]," Conan said.

"It is disappointing the way we performed and no matter what happens we will look back and think what happened then.

"There is still an abundance of quality in every position even with lads being injured and not in the environment. Everyone is hurting, the starting players, the substitutes and the coaching staff."

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Aviva Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland held off a spirited Italy to secure a bonus-point win in Rome, but their hopes of winning a third consecutive Six Nations title were ended by England's win over Wales.

Hugo Keenan's first-half score and Dan Sheehan's hat-trick ensured a win that took Ireland to 19 points in the table, temporarily three clear of France and four ahead of England.

But England's thumping win in Cardiff moved Steve Borthwick's side above Ireland and put pressure on France, who beat Scotland to secure the title.

Italy scored tries through Monty Ioane and Stephen Varney, but paid the price for ill discipline, with Michele Lamaro sin-binned just before the break and Ross Vintcent shown red in the second half for a high hit on Keenan.

After Sheehan's hat-trick score put the visitors 22-10 up, Stephen Varney's try raised Italy hopes of a rare win over Ireland, but the home side's late pressure failed to yield a winning moment.

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The venue for today's date.

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It's a biiiiig weekend of Six Nations action.

First up, we're in Dublin as Ireland look to bounce back from last week's defeat by France against Italy, who are flying high after their win over Scotland.

Then, all attentions turn to the Calcutta Cup as Scotland take on England. Kick-off in Edinburgh is at 16:40 GMT.

Tomorrow, Wales will look to upset the odds against France. You can keep across all three games on the BBC Sport website and app.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

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On an earlier than usual Six Nations opening night, Ireland fluffed their lines in Paris on Thursday, beginning their 2026 campaign with a resounding 36-14 defeat by France that was as bruising to the ego as it was the body.

These sides may have won the past four titles in this competition between them but, for the second season in a row, there was only one winner when they went head-to-head.

An Ireland performance that was described by their head coach Andy Farrell as lacking "intent" continued a number of worrying trends from both the autumn and prior.

Coming into the game as considerable underdogs, the head coach had tried to reframe the changing narrative as his side now being the hunter rather than hunted.

For much of the 80 minutes in Paris, they looked like easy prey for superior opposition.

"It's coming again next week [against Italy]," former Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan told BBC Sport.

"This Irish team are on the ropes and everyone is coming after them - they might be the hunted again. They have to find the answers because Six Nations rugby is ruthless and they need to stop the rot."

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Ireland second row Joe McCarthy insists the squad retain "a lot of belief" despite last week's crushing Six Nations loss to France.

Andy Farrell's side's hopes of reclaiming the title were significantly dented after leaving Stade de France empty-handed following the 36-14 defeat by the holders.

With the pressure to deliver having intensified before Italy's visit to Dublin, McCarthy says Ireland are determined to issue an emphatic response to last week's misery in Paris.

"When you get a big enough loss like that you definitely haven't done a few things right," said the Leinster forward, who admitted Ireland were guilty of "compounding errors".

"It was a tough pill to swallow and it was a big opportunity to start the Six Nations, but you don't get a second chance.

"It was a tough review but we are focused on getting better. There is still a lot of belief in the group."

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It's early days but here's a look a how things stand.

Scotland are facing a washout of a Six Nations campaign after suffering a dispiriting opening loss to Italy in rain-soaked Rome.

Having come from 12 points behind to stun the Scots in 2024, this time the Italians raced into a 12-point lead.

The gap was down to three by the final whistle but Scotland did not do enough as the hosts made the most of their rapid start, superior set-piece and solid discipline.

Italy scored from their first attack as Louis Lynagh slid in to finish off a lovely grubber kick from Juan Ignacio Brex.

The Scottish defence was exposed again soon after, with Jamie Dobie beaten to a high ball and Tommaso Menoncello speeding down the left flank to score with ease.

Amid a torrential downpour, Jack Dempsey powered through from close range to reduce the deficit.

But Paolo Garbisi popped over a penalty after an astonishing drop-goal miss from right in front of the posts to give Italy an eight-point advantage at the interval.

Then, almost out of nowhere, substitute scrum-half George Horne slithered into the corner, although Russell could not add the extras.

A three-point game going into the final 10 minutes, Italy held their nerve and did the simple things better to see out a deserved victory.

Will Ireland get back to winning ways? Can Italy get that first Six Nations win in Dublin?

Let us know what you think using Get Involved and we'll feature your entries here.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Aviva Stadium

Ruthless France inflicted more pain on Ireland as the Six Nations holders opened their title defence with a bonus-point victory at a buoyant Stade de France.

Having crushed Ireland's title hopes in emphatic fashion in Dublin last year, Les Bleus - with returning captain Antoine Dupont pulling the strings - roared into a 22-0 half-time lead following a one-sided first half that was not without controversy.

France's first try was scored by the electric Louis Bielle-Biarrey, but only after what appeared to be a forward pass in the build-up.

Matthieu Jalibert and Charles Ollivon also crossed in the first half, before 2025 top try-scorer Bielle-Biarrey's stylish second secured France's bonus point seven minutes after the interval.

At that point, France looked poised to surpass the 42 points they managed in Dublin last year, but Ireland refused to give in and narrowed the deficit with tries from replacement forwards Nick Timoney and Michael Milne.

The hosts, however, had the final word when Theo Attissogbe capped a thoroughly satisfying evening for the tournament favourites.

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Roses are red,

Italy wear blue,

Ireland lost last week,

Will it be two out of two?

It's the second round of the Six Nations and a big day starts with Ireland against Italy in Dublin.

We'll have all the build-up and live updates right here, and you can also listen on BBC Sounds, Radio Ulster and 5Live Sports Extra 2.

Let's go.