Ireland head into this year’s Six Nations with a target on their back as tournament favourites, the world’s No 1-ranked side and a real chance of clinching a grand slam.
They completed the first step on that journey by brushing Wales aside 34-10 in Cardiff in Round 1 as Andy Farrell’s men continued a stellar 2022 that included an historic first-ever series victory in New Zealand over the summer and a clean sweep in the autumn, including victories against South Africa and Australia.
In fact, their only real blemish last year was a hard-fought 30-24 defeat in Paris that helped France secure a memorable grand slam and the Round 2 encounter between those sides in Dublin on February 11 could go a long way to deciding this year’s champions, where victory for the hosts would see them take a giant step towards following in Les Bleus’ footsteps.
It’s now five years since Ireland won the Six Nations, that 2018 championship seeing them sweep all aside en route to the grand slam, but Farrell has created a clinical, efficient team, led by the ageless Johnny Sexton as captain, that deservedly top the world rankings and it’s not hard to envisage the English coach lifting the trophy aloft, having beaten the country of his birth at the Aviva Stadium on March 18.
Here are Ireland’s fixtures for the tournament:
What are Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures?
Round 1
Saturday 4 February
Round 2
Saturday 11 February
Ireland vs France, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (ITV)
Round 3
Saturday 25 February
Italy vs Ireland, 2.15pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome (ITV)
Round 4
Sunday 12 March
Scotland vs Ireland, 3pm, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (BBC & S4C)
Round 5
Saturday 18 March
Ireland vs England, 5pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (ITV)
