Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Ireland v Italy

Ireland return to the Aviva Stadium for their first home match in six months, with Caelan Doris stepping up as captain, as Italy stand between them and their second win of the 2024 Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

2024 GUINNESS MEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP:

Sunday, February 11 –

IRELAND (2nd) v ITALY (6th), Aviva Stadium, 3pm (live Virgin Media One/ITV 1/Sky Sport Italia/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds/BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra/IRFU Live Blog)

Team News: Andy Farrell’s men opened their Championship campaign with a record-breaking bonus point win away in France last weekend, and return to a sold-out Aviva Stadium for their first home fixture of 2024 against the Azzurri.

Mayo-born back rower Caelan Doris will captain the reigning Six Nations champions for the first time, becoming the 110th player to lead the Ireland Men’s team in Test rugby.

There are six personnel changes from the 38-17 victory in Marseille, with calf injuries ruling out skipper Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Furlong, and Bundee Aki rested this week due to a knee issue.

Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey joins Robbie Henshaw in the centre, while Jack Crowley, fresh from an impressive first Six Nations start at out-half, will have his Munster colleague, fellow 24-year-old Craig Casey, alongside him at half-back.

Calvin Nash, who enjoyed a try-scoring Six Nations debut against France, continues in an unchanged back-three alongside Hugo Keenan and James Lowe. Nash won his first cap when Italy visited Dublin for last August’s Bank of Ireland Nations Series clash.

Connacht’s Finlay Bealham, whose wife Sarah gave birth to their first child, Joaquin, earlier this week, replaced Furlong at tighthead prop. The tight five is completed by Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, and Joe McCarthy, the player-of-the-match from round one.

A rejigged back row sees Jack Conan packing down at number 8, Doris switches to openside flanker where he started against Italy last August, and blindside Ryan Baird makes it an all-Leinster trio, coming in for his third Six Nations start.

Jeremy Loughman and Harry Byrne are standing by to make their Championship bows off the bench. Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, and Josh van der Flier are the other reinforcements for the pack.

Jamison Gibson-Park and the returning Jordan Larmour, who last played for Ireland against Japan in July 2021, complete the matchday 23.

Speaking about the team selection, Farrell said: “Giving people another chance obviously, the lads who took the field last week to build on that, but also keeping competition in the right places. Like I always say, selection, it takes all sorts…all sorts of different permutations go through your mind.

“When you lose a couple of leaders, do you replace them with a leader or someone that deserves a chance? Iain Henderson coming onto the bench will help Caelan, I’ve no doubt, and making sure the changing room feels the way it should be with Pete and Tadhg not being there.

“James Ryan champing at the bit to show his worth and start, and big Joe’s ready to compete again, and then obviously Calvin Nash and Jack (Crowley) get another shot at it.

“Ryan Baird has been playing outstandingly well to start the game. He’s obviously been very good for us off the bench, but to start the game is a different challenge for him.

“Craig Casey’s been jumping out of his skin and been playing well and deserves a start as well. For me, it’s a hell of a pack and a good team at that. It excites me being able to be in that type of position.”

Meanwhile, Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has been forced into two changes up front, with key back rowers Sebastian Negri (rib) and Lorenzo Cannone (leg) both suffering injuries during last week’s 27-24 home defeat to England.

Captain Michele Lamaro shifts across to the number 8 position, and he is joined in the loose forwards by his Benetton Rugby club-mates, Manuel Zuliani and Alessandro Izekor. It will be Izekor’s second cap after making his debut off the bench in Rome last time out.

The fit-again Ange Capuozzo returns at full-back in place of the benched Tommaso Allan, while Gloucester’s Stephen Varney slots in at scrum half, taking over from Alessandro Garbisi, the younger brother of out-half Paolo.

Like his Ireland counterpart Farrell, Quesada reverts to a five-three split on the bench and is poised to give a debut to 21-year-old South African-born back rower Ross Vintcent, who has played for Zebre Parma and Exeter Chiefs.

Quesada, the former Argentinian international commented: “In Dublin our focus will be on our performance and trying to take another step in our growth against one of the strongest teams in the world.

“We are missing two key forwards from the last game, but we have a young group looking to break through. We expect a tough game and it will be crucial that we stay switched-on for the full 80 minutes.”

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Fixtures/Results

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

ITALY: Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain); Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma), Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby), Monty Ioane (Lyon); Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier), Stephen Varney (Gloucester); Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton Rugby), Pietro Ceccarelli (Perpignan), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby) (capt).

Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera (Benetton Rugby), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby), Giosuè Zilocchi (Benetton Rugby), Andrea Zambonin (Zebre Parma), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Federico Mori (Bayonne).

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal, Luc Ramos (both France)
Television Match Official: Eric Gauzins (France)

Pre-Match Quotes: Caelan Doris (Ireland) –

The two most noticeable (areas for improvement) were our discipline, I think we conceded 14 penalties (against France). Quite a few in the second half as well, so that’s probably a more obvious one.

“And then our scrum didn’t fire as well as we would have liked. We see it as a weapon with the individuals we have in the front row. We want that to be a point of difference and a strength of ours.

“The challenge this week is to back up last week with an even better performance this week across all areas. It’s a pretty exciting prospect and challenge to try and do that.

“I think it’s a pretty exciting team, a few new combinations. I think lads have been putting their hands up. There’s enough experience there and older heads, but there’s excitement over the younger guys too.”

Paolo Garbisi (Italy) –

Of course we were pretty proud of our performance (against England). But we know that this week is going to be probably twice as hard. We know what’s coming and I think we’re ready.

“I think it’s the most difficult match in world rugby right now. We play one of the best sides at their place. It’s the first time they’re playing at home in this Six Nations, the reigning champions, so it’s probably the most difficult challenge in rugby currently.

“It’s quite a difference because the leadership that (Jonathan) Sexton could provide to their team was amazing. I think it was a different team when he was playing and when he was not.

“Crowley is a very good number 10 and he’s quite young – I think he’s my age – so I think he has a very, very bright future to lead Ireland forward.”

Pre-Match Links –

Ireland v Italy – Coming To The Match?

Opta Facts: Ireland v Italy

‘Italy Caused England Some Serious Problems’ – Catt

Conan: You Need To Be On It When You Get Your Opportunity

‘It’s Such A Good Group To Be Leading’ – Doris

‘It’s A Hell Of A Pack And A Good Team At That’ – Farrell

In Pics: Captain’s Run At Aviva Stadium Ahead Of Italy Match

Recent Meetings –

2021: Guinness Six Nations: Italy 10 Ireland 38, Stadio Olimpico

2022: Guinness Six Nations: Ireland 57 Italy 6, Aviva Stadium

2023: Guinness Six Nations: Italy 20 Ireland 34, Stadio Olimpico; Bank of Ireland Nations Series: Ireland 33 Italy 17, Aviva Stadium

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