Italy v Ireland – Six Nations LIVE: Latest build-up and updates from Super Saturday – UK Times

Ireland head into today’s clash with a chance of lifting the trophy but it’s fair to say that they are distinct third favourites to do so today.

Defeat to France without so much as a bonus point leaves Ireland down on 14 championship points (England have 15, France have 16).

A bonus-point win in Rome is a must, then, and preferably by a significant margin to repair the damage done to their points difference by France. Five match points would take the defending champions to 19 overall and if France and England both lost, then Ireland would be champions.

They can also be crowned champions if they secure a bonus-point win over Italy, France lose to Scotland and England beat Wales but fail to secure a bonus point. In that scenario, Ireland and England would both be on 19 championship points, meaning the title would come down to points difference, with England currently just seven points ahead of the men in green on that metric.

An away victory is largely being taken for granted. Ireland have lost just one of the previous 25 Six Nations fixtures between the countries but Italy have improved significantly in recent years and demonstrated their try-scoring threat throughout the competition.

Gonzalo Quesada’s side begin the weekend a point above winless Wales as they bid to avoid the wooden spoon for the second successive year.

Quesada has made seven changes to the side beaten 47-24 by England, including dropping captain Michele Lamaro to the bench. A shock home win would leave alarm bells ringing in the Irish camp.

The Eternal City provides the backdrop for the swansongs of two Ireland greats.

Flanker Peter O’Mahony and scrum-half Conor Murray, who are among the replacements, will end their illustrious international careers following the match.

Cian Healy – Ireland’s most-capped player, with 137 appearances – has already played his final Test after being left out of the 23.

With a host of star names also expected to join permanent head coach Andy Farrell on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, Easterby’s squad for a summer series will likely have a very different feel.

Munster fly-half Jack Crowley played every minute of Ireland’s title-winning campaign in 2024 but the 25-year-old is now preparing for his first start of this year’s championship amid speculation about his club future.

Crowley has had to remain patient for an opportunity to regain the number 10 jersey from Leinster’s Sam Prendergast and will certainly be eager to prove a point.

If reports of a summer move to English club Leicester come to fruition, it may be his last international outing for the foreseeable future.

Ireland need to win – ideally with a bonus point – to stand any chance of snatching the title. They will then face a waiting game.

If Ireland successfully increase their points tally from 14 to 19, the permutations for them to lift silverware are relatively straightforward – they need second-placed England to, at most, beat Wales without a bonus point while also surrendering their current points difference advantage of seven, and then France must lose to Scotland in Paris.

What a difference a week makes. Ireland went into a mouthwatering contest with France in the championship driving seat but are now in serious danger of finishing third.

While there is no shame in losing a fixture which has ultimately decided the destination of the title in the past three years, Ireland’s performance in the 42-27 loss was alarming.

Easterby’s men must improve significantly on a shambolic second-half display to put some pressure on their title rivals.

Captain Caelan Doris insisted there is no sense of anti-climax in the Ireland camp as they fight to keep alive their scant hopes of Six Nations glory against Italy.

Simon Easterby’s side had hoped to be running out in Rome on the cusp of an unprecedented third consecutive title and a second Grand Slam in three years.

But, following last weekend’s 42-27 hammering against France, Ireland must rely on results elsewhere to snatch the championship crown and are in serious danger of finishing third.

Spare a thought for the logistics team at the Six Nations, for which this has not been an easy week.

In their pre-tournament plotting and planning, this would surely have been both a dream and nightmare scenario: a “Super Saturday” where each and every game contains a title contender and the men’s champions will not be known until the bells of Notre-Dame chime 11 times.

The smart money would be of a straightforward Stade de France lifting of the trophy after France dispatch Scotland in Paris, but things are seldom that simple in this championship.

Take care of business themselves and Ireland and England could face an anxious wait, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on hold to host a hoisting if required, while an Irish three-peat would see an “opulent palazzo” employed to give a sense of ceremony to the medal presentation.

Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s full preview of the final day:

Italy have only won four of the 37 meetings between the two sides, with their last victory coming in 2013 when they ran out 22-15 winners in Rome.

Since then Ireland have won 15 in a row and could well make it 16 today. Rugby betting sites agree with Ireland at 1/14 for the win, while you can get 9/1 on an Italy win and 50/1 on a draw.

Italy have won just one match, and that came against Wales in Rome, when the home side ran out 22-15 winners. They have lost the other three matches with an aggregate scoreline of 151-57.

Check out our prediction and best bets:

Simon Easterby has explained his team selection, with JAck Crowley coming in for Sam Prendergast at No 10 as the main change.

“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,” said the interim head coach.

“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.”