Ireland are today looking for something approaching a miracle when they finish their Six Nations campaign away in Italy.
Ireland had been impressively on track for a potential Grand Slam and historic third successive Six Nations crown after seeing off England and Scotland and holding off a resurgent Wales, only to then come emphatically unstuck as they were blown away by the formidable French in the second half of the biggest game of the championship on home soil in Dublin in round four.
The defending back-to-back champions only trailed 8-6 at the interval after a tense first period and appeared in the ascendancy after France lost superstar captain Antoine Dupont to torn knee ligaments that will rule him out for months after Tadhg Beirne accidentally fell on his leg at a ruck, with no further action taken against the Irish lock or prop Andrew Porter after a furious Fabien Galthie reported them both to the match’s citing commissioner.
However, they were simply destroyed thereafter, conceding 34 unanswered points to lose 42-27 and now go into the final weekend as suddenly a distant third wheel in the title battle.
Ireland are two points behind France and one adrift of England in second. They need to beat Italy with a bonus point and hope that both of their rivals lose later in the day, but finishing on the same number as France would not be enough due to Les Bleus’ vastly superior points difference.
Italy’s attentions are focused on trying to make it a second successive year without the wooden spoon after starting well against both France and England but being utterly dismantled by both thereafter, having also beaten Wales and lost to Scotland.
The Azzurri begin the weekend sitting fifth and a point better off than Wales, who got two bonus points during their defeat by Scotland at Murrayfield, but with a worse points difference.
Italy vs Ireland date, kick-off time and venue
Italy vs Ireland is the first game on the bumper Six Nations Super Saturday (today on March 15, 2025) slate, with Wales vs England and then France vs Scotland to follow.
Kick-off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome is scheduled for 2:15pm GMT.
How to watch Italy vs Ireland
TV channel: Italy vs Ireland is being televised live and free-to-air in the UK on ITV1, with coverage from 1:30pm GMT.
Live stream: Coverage is also available online via ITVX, which is free with a registration.
Live blog: You can also follow the match live with Standard Sport’s blog.
Italy vs Ireland team news
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has made seven changes to the team that shipped seven tries at Twickenham, with influential captain Michele Lamaro dropped to the bench in a shock move.
His run of 24 consecutive Six Nations starts is now over as fellow Benetton flanker Manuel Zuliani comes into the back row on the openside instead alongside number 8 Lorenzo Cannone as Ross Vintcent also makes way. Centre Juan Ignacio Brex will skipper the side this weekend.
Ange Capuozzo has shifted out back to the wing after a knee injury suffered on his Six Nations debut by Matt Gallagher, with Tommaso Allan returning at full-back. There’s also a swap at scrum-half as Stephen Varney is replaced by Martin Page-Relo.
Gianmarco Lucchesi replaces Giacomo Nicotera at hooker and Simone Ferrari is in for Marco Riccioni at tighthead prop, while in the second row Harlequins’ Dino Lamb is back fit and preferred to Niccolo Cannone.
Shock benching: Italy captain Michele Lamaro’s run of 24 consecutive Six Nations starts is now over
REUTERS
Interim Ireland coach Simon Easterby has made six changes of his own after that sobering second-half demolition by France, the most notable of which is Jack Crowley getting the nod at fly-half over Sam Prendergast.
James Lowe – lost in the warm-up last week – and Mack Hansen return on the wings in a major attacking boost as Jamie Osborne and Calvin Nash both drop out of the squad, while Bundee Aki is only on the bench as Garry Ringrose returns from suspension to partner Robbie Henshaw in the centres.
There are two changes in the pack, where James Ryan replaces Joe McCarthy in the second row and Jack Conan starts at blindside flanker in place of Peter O’Mahony, who along with Conor Murray is poised to earn his final Ireland cap off the bench this weekend. Fellow imminent retiree Cian Healy isn’t in the squad.
There’s a welcome return on the bench for star tighthead Tadhg Furlong after injury, with Jack Boyle backing up starting loosehead Porter instead of Healy. It’s actually an entirely new replacement front row with Gus McCarthy the hooker cover for Dan Sheehan instead of Rob Herring with still no Ronan Kelleher.
Italy XV: Allan; Capuozzo, Brex (c), Menoncello, Ioane; P Garbisi, Page-Relo; Fischetti, Lucchesi, Ferrari; Lamb, Ruzza; Negri, Zuliani, L Cannone
Replacements: Nicotera, Spagnolo, Zilocchi, N Cannone, Lamaro, Vintcent, Varney, Marin
Ireland XV: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Crowley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Bealham; Ryan, Beirne; Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (c)
Replacements: G McCarthy, Boyle, Furlong, J McCarthy, O’Mahony, Murray, Prendergast, Aki
Italy vs Ireland head to head (h2h) history and results
Italy have won four of the previous 37 meetings against Ireland, but three of those were in the 1990s before the Six Nations, where their only success over them was back in 2013 in Rome.
Ireland have won every other contest apart from that, a winning streak in this fixture of 15 matches across 11 years.
Italy vs Ireland prediction
Their total second-half collapse against France was a truly bitter pill to swallow for Ireland, who would have fancied their chances of going on to win and all-but secure a history-making title and Grand Slam at half-time, particularly after Dupont’s injury that has dominated so much of the post-match discourse.
But they were instead brushed aside in a manner that simply hasn’t happened to them in recent years, so it’ll be interesting to see how quickly they are able to regroup following some changes with only a slender chance of still clinching the title on the final day.
They need a huge win in Rome to stand any chance before England and France play and you’d expect them to bounce back swiftly here to get it against an Italy outfit that have shown their attacking qualities in the last couple of games but also how extremely vulnerable they remain in defence.
Consolation: Ireland have more than enough firepower to thrash Italy, but it surely won’t be enough for the title
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The Azzurri will be motivated by a strong desire to avoid going back to holding the wooden spoon and could keep it close and physical early doors and are likely to score another eye-catching try or two, but ultimately we fully expect them to once again be blown away as the contest wears on.
Ireland to win, by at least 20 points.
Italy vs Ireland match odds
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
