📅 Date: Saturday 14 February 2026 🕒 Kick-off: 14:10 GMT 📍 Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin 🎟️ Tickets: Check availability via Ticketmaster.ie or IRFU 📺 Where to Watch: Live on ITV (UK) – Full broadcast info
🆚 Rivalry Snapshot
Ireland and Italy first met in 1988, and since then have faced off 38 times, with Ireland winning 34 and Italy just. Ireland have dominated the Six Nations era, winning 24 of 25 Championship meetings, including the last 11 in a row, often by wide margins.
📜 Recent Encounters
2025 (Rome): Ireland 22–17 Italy – A mighty scare for Ireland.
2024 (Dublin): Ireland 36–0 Italy – Robbie Henshaw starred in a bonus-point win.
2023 (Rome): Ireland 34–20 Italy – Ireland survived a scare to keep Grand Slam hopes alive.
🌟 Players to Watch
Ireland:
Dan Sheehan – First forward to reach 10 Six Nations tries; scored a hat-trick vs Italy in 2024, and a brace in 2025.
Jack Conan – Try-scorer in three consecutive Six Nations games in '25; dominant ball carrier.
Caelan Doris – Desperate to regain the title as captain, having also missed the Lions tour through injury.
Italy:
Sebastian Negri – 75 tackles in 2025; joint-most dominant tackles in the Championship.
Tommaso Menoncello – Most dominant tackles by a back in 2025; defensive lynchpin.
Tommaso Allan - Second-highest overall points scorer in the 2025 Championship (45).
🏟️ Venue Spotlight: Aviva Stadium
Location: Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4
Capacity: 51,700
Atmosphere: Expect a packed house as Ireland look to build momentum in Round 2.
☘️ Guide to Dublin
Heading to Dublin for the big match? Here's our handy guide to navigating the famous city.
📺 Where to Watch
Catch the match live on ITV (UK). For international broadcast details, visit the Six Nations viewing guide.
🎟️ Ticket Information
The IRFU website provides updates on tickets, with tickets for home games for the Guinness Men's Six Nations "distributed firstly through rugby clubs".