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Ireland Will Kick Off 2020 Six Nations With Back-To-Back Home Games

Winger Jacob Stockdale breaks clear to score a try during Ireland's 22-13 victory over Scotland at BT Murrayfield last month ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Andy Farrell’s tenure as Ireland head coach will begin with back-to-back home matches against Scotland and newly-crowned Grand Slam champions Wales next February, following today’s announcement of the fixtures for the 2020 and 2021 Guinness Six Nations Championships.

Current defence coach Farrell, who takes over from the departing Joe Schmidt after the Rugby World Cup later this year, will coach Ireland for the first time against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, February 1 (kick-off 4.45pm). Wales are the visitors the following Saturday for a 2.15pm kick-off.

Ireland’s 2020 Six Nations campaign continues on Sunday, February 23 with a trip to Twickenham to take on England (kick-off 3pm), and they return home to play Italy on Saturday, March 7 (kick-off 2.15pm) before wrapping up the tournament in the final match of ‘Super Saturday’, away to France on March 14 (kick-off 9pm local time/8pm Irish time).

Click here for the full fixtures for the 2020 and 2021 Guinness Six Nations Championships.

Ireland and Wales are the final two teams in action on the opening weekend of the 2021 Six Nations, clashing at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday, February 7 (kick-off 3pm). A week later, France come to town for a St. Valentine’s Day encounter at the Aviva Stadium with the same kick-off time.

There are down weeks before Ireland’s away clashes with Italy and Scotland on the afternoons of Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, March 14 respectively, and the middle game of ‘Super Saturday’ on March 20 is the mouth-watering meeting of Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 4.45pm).

Commenting on the announcement, Six Nations CEO Ben Morel said: “We’ve got exciting plans for the future of the Guinness Six Nations, and this announcement is a key building block. As Super Saturday 2019 proved, the drama and spectacle a Six Nations tournament creates is unique in the sporting world.

“Other unforgettable occasions this Championship season such as the clash of Ireland and England in round one and Wales v England in round three will also live long in the memory. The 2019 Championship gave us a stunning finale with three teams competing for the title on the final weekend, a brilliant Grand Slam winner, and a unique Calcutta Cup match to finish the Championship off.

“We look forward to developing the Championship in partnership with our Unions, sponsors and most importantly of all our fans over the coming years, and to the next two years of the Guinness Six Nations Championship generating even more excitement than the 2019 edition.”