Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Italy v Ireland

Ireland are in Rome for the ‘Super Saturday’ curtain-raiser, eager to close out their 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign with a strong performance and result against a resilient Italy team.

2025 GUINNESS MEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 5:

Saturday, March 15 –

ITALY (5th) v IRELAND (3rd), Stadio Olimpico, 3.15pm local time/2.15pm Irish time (live RTÉ 2/RTÉ Player/ITV1/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Sounds/BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra/IRFU Live Blog)

Opta Facts: Men’s Six Nations – Italy v Ireland

Team News: Interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby has made six changes to the team, welcoming back both James Lowe and Mack Hansen from injury, and Garry Ringrose from suspension, while Jack Crowley will start at out-half.

James Ryan and Jack Conan return to the starting pack, the fit-again Tadhg Furlong is poised to feature off the bench, and Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray are both included in the matchday squad for what will be their final appearances in green.

Fresh from earning his 50th cap in the home defeat to France, Caelan Doris captains the side from number 8, and Josh van der Flier and Conan, who replaces the retiring O’Mahony at blindside flanker, complete the back row.

Ryan joins Tadhg Beirne in the engine room, behind an unchanged front row of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Finlay Bealham. Sheehan’s 10th Six Nations try last Saturday saw him become the first forward to reach double figures in Championship history.

Munster’s Crowley comes in at half-back for his first start since the November win over Argentina. He is partnered by Jamison Gibson-Park, with Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw teaming up in the centre, and Lowe and Hansen reunited with Hugo Keenan in the back-three.

Leinster prop Furlong has recovered from hamstring and calf issues to take his place among the replacements. O’Mahony, Joe McCarthy, Gus McCarthy, and recent debutant Jack Boyle provide the rest of the cover for the forwards.

Murray, who is set to bow out with his 125th appearance for his country, Sam Prendergast, and Bundee Aki are the back-line options, as Ireland, who sit two points behind leaders France, aim for a quick return to winning ways.

The 2023 and 2024 champions still have an outside chance of retaining the Six Nations title, but need to take care of business at the Stadio Olimpico, and hope that England and France lose their final games against Wales and Scotland respectively.

With the squad striving to put that disappointing 42-27 loss to les Bleus behind them, Easterby said: “We have freshened things up a little this week in selection, and it’s a great boost to welcome back some players from injury, alongside others who have patiently waited in the wings for their chance to start.

“We’re aware of Italy’s many threats and we know from experience that travelling to Rome presents a serious challenge, so the squad understands its responsibilities.

“While there was disappointment with certain aspects of our performance last weekend, we are thankful for the chance to get back on the horse this week.

“We’ve shown our resilience in recent years and I have no reason to believe that the game in Rome this weekend will be any different.

“The attitude of the players has been spot on since we gathered on Sunday evening, and you can sense a determination amongst everyone to give their best performance of the campaign. That’s both the challenge and the opportunity that faces us this week.

“A lot has been made about the various permutations at play, and it certainly makes for a dramatic day of international rugby. Our primary focus is on our performance, and we’re determined to finish our campaign on a positive note.”

Meanwhile, Benetton Rugby centre Juan Ignacio Brex will lead Italy for the second time, with head coach Gonzalo Quesada making seven changes – including moving regular captain Michele Lamaro to the bench – following last Sunday’s 47-24 reversal in London.

Flanker Manuel Zuliani’s cameo performance against England earns him his first start since last year’s tussle with Ireland. Lorenzo Cannone gets the nod at number 8, taking over from Ross Vintcent, one of their try scorers at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.

Harlequins’ Dino Lamb is back to full fitness to feature alongside Federico Ruzza at lock, and Zebre Parma loosehead Danilo Fischetti, who won his 50th cap against France in round 3, is joined in the front row by Simone Ferrari and Gianmarco Lucchesi.

Ange Capuozzo reverts to a wing role, with Matt Gallagher having sustained a knee injury on his Six Nations debut last weekend. Perpignan’s Tommaso Allan takes the reins at full-back, and Monty Ioane also switches to the left wing.

Brex, who previously captained the Azzurri against New Zealand last November, has his Benetton club-mate Tommaso Menoncello alongside him in midfield. Lyon’s Martin Page-Relo is the final change at scrum half.

Quesada has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, which includes Lamaro and Vintcent, two of the starting back rowers from the loss to England. Replacement back Leonardo Marin is yet to play in this year’s Championship.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Fixtures/Results

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

ITALY: Tommaso Allan (Perpignan); Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse), Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby) (capt), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby), Monty Ioane (Lyon); Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon); Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon), Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Dino Lamb (Harlequins), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby).

Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby), Giosuè Zilocchi (Benetton Rugby), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Stephen Varney (Vannes), Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby).

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD RFC/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD RFC/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers RFC/Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD RFC/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), James Ryan (UCD RFC/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne FC/Munster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Josh van der Flier (UCD RFC/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College RFC/Leinster) (capt).

Replacements: Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster), Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Conor Murray (Garryowen FC/Munster), Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians RFC/Connacht).

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Morné Ferreira (South Afrca)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (France)

Pre-Match Quotes: Caelan Doris (Ireland) –

I don’t think you can think about that (getting a bonus point) too quickly given how Italy have gone. They got a win over here against Wales, they showed quality, they showed quality in the first half against England last week too.

“So we can’t take any result for granted but, of course, given the context and the bigger picture, we’ll be chasing a bonus point but the result is the most important thing.

“(It’s) largely it’s about us. We respect Italy massively, and we respect their attack massively. It’s been very strong for the last number of years, what they can do with ball in hand.

“We’ve seen glimpses of that this year, throughout this year and the last number of years.

“There’s that element but we want our best performance yet and (the) frustration off the back of last week, and the only way we can right that wrong is to put in a good strong performance.”

Juan Ignacio Brex (Italy) –

We worked a lot in the week on our defence because the last two rounds were not nice and not easy for us because we conceded a lot of tries. We need to be ready because Ireland play multi-phase rugby.

“I think they will try to keep the ball to try to attack us because they watched the last two games (against France and England). They are here to take five points so our job is to deny it.

“It’s never a good time to play Ireland. You need to be ready that they are going to be in the best shape possible.

“You need to be ready because they are an incredible team, maybe top three in the world. It’s not a good time or a bad time (to play them).

“Probably they will come to do five points (this weekend), that’s the reality. We know that because we are the first game of ‘Super Saturday’.”

Pre-Match Links –

Recent Meetings –

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

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

2024: Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Ireland 36 Italy 0, Aviva Stadium

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