After a blockbuster opening weekend, Six Nations returns for its second round of fixtures this weekend.
Winners of their curtain-raisers, Ireland and holders France go toe-to-toe at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin in what could prove to be a deciding match-up in the tournament.
After their opening day defeat to Andy Farrell’s Ireland, Wales search for their first victory under new boss Warren Gatland against Scotland. Record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones has been left out of the Welsh team despite being cleared to play earlier in the week, after initially being ruled out following a head injury assessment.
It’s a similar story for England under the newly-appointed Steve Borthwick. The 43-year-old was visibly disappointed after failing to win his opening match in charge against Scotland last weekend — his side will be looking to bounce back against Italy.
Ireland v France, Saturday, 2.15pm GMT, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Ireland made one change for Saturday’s potentially pivotal Six Nations clash at home to France, with Ulster’s Rob Herring replacing Dan Sheehan after the increasingly influential young hooker was ruled out through injury.
After following up recent victories over New Zealand, South Africa and Australia with a clinical week one win over Wales, Ireland face the only team in world rugby with a better record than them as France chase a 15th win in a row.
Sheehan joins fellow first choice front row Tadhg Furlong on the sidelines and his loss will be particularly felt in the loose, where his speed and power has become an important part of Ireland’s attack and defence.
The return of fellow Leinster hooker Ronan Kelleher to the bench will help soften the blow. Kelleher has not played for Ireland since getting injured against France a year ago.
Elsewhere Conor Murray is fit to start after a reported injury scare during the week. The experienced Munster scrumhalf was called into the starting XV at the last minute in Cardiff after Jamison Gibson Park picked up an injury.
Leinster duo Andrew Porter and James Ryan are set to win their 50th caps, and will be joined in the half century club by Dave Kilcoyne if the Munster prop comes off the bench.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton (captain), Conor Murray, Andrew Porter, Rob Herring, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Ross Byrne, Bundee Aki.
France head coach Fabien Galthie insisted discipline was not one of his team’s weaknesses as the defending champions gear up for a potentially decisive Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Les Bleus were penalised 18 times in a tight 29-24 win against Italy in Rome last weekend, but Galthie explained France usually start their campaigns with a sub-par performance in that department as he named an unchanged team on Thursday.
“We are ranked as the second best disciplined team in the world, just behind Italy, with just over nine penalties per test,” Galthie told a news conference.
“But in our first games we usually get 15, 16, 17 penalties, and then that number drops down and gets divided by two. Last year, we were penalised seven times against Ireland.
“So it’s not a weak point, it’s a point we try to improve on.”
For what has already been dubbed the “Grand Slam” clash against Ireland, Galthie picked the same starting team, opting for experience.
“We’ve been working with this starting XV for three weeks. They have a collective experience in training, and at our level we don’t have much time to prepare so it’s important to create a coherent tactical and strategic structure and build confidence,” Galthie said.
“So there are no surprises in this starting team and we think it’s the best possible team for our 32nd game together.”
France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Ethan Dumortier, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (captain), Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, Paul Willemse, Thibaud Flament, Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille.
Replacements: Gaetan Barlot, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Francois Cros, Sekou Macalou, Baptiste Couilloud, Matthieu Jalibert
Scotland v Wales, Saturday, 4.45pm GMT, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Scotland have recalled Zander Fagerson to their team to take on Wales in the Six Nations Championship at Murrayfield on Saturday in the only change to the lineup that beat England last weekend.
Fagerson replaces WP Nel at tighthead in an expected switch to the front row after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Coach Gregor Townsend said last week that the 27-year-old Fagerson had been training well but was not ready for the clash at Twickenham, which Scotland won 29-23.
The coach has otherwise stuck with a winning combination as Scotland look for a second successive victory in this year’s Six Nations.
They have not won their first two matches since 1996, when the tournament was still the Five Nations.
Veteran Nel drops to the bench with Simon Berghan falling out of the matchday squad.
The limited changes mean no place again for British & Irish Lions loose forward Hamish Watson, who has been back playing club rugby since a concussion injury sustained against New Zealand in November.
Townsend kept faith with the new centre pairing of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, who recently teamed up at club level too, and played a major role in the win over England.
“We’ve only had a few games together, but the amount we’ve trained at Glasgow and now with Scotland, you get to know a player pretty well when you’re alongside them every day,” Jones said of Tuipulotu.
“I think our skill sets help each other out. I think he’s brilliant. He’s a triple threat when he has the ball – he can run, he can beat defenders, he’s got a good passing game and he’s shown he’s got a good short kicking game with some of his assists this season.
“So it’s great playing outside of him. It really helps me pick my lines and run off him. And we connect well on the other side of the ball as well, in defence.”
Jones said building momentum was key against Wales.
“We come in every year and like to think we’ve got a chance,” he said.
“But we haven’t proved that really. We’ve had some big wins but never strung them together consistently. So building momentum is key now.”
Scotland: Stuart Hogg, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, Matt Fagerson, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie (captain), Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, Zander Fagerson, George Turner, Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Jonny Gray, Jack Dempsey, George Horne, Blair Kinghorn, Chris Harris.
Experienced lock Alun Wyn Jones has been left out of the Wales match-day 23 to face Scotland in their Six Nations clash at Murrayfield on Saturday as head coach Warren Gatland said they are “looking to the future.”
Jones, the most capped international in world rugby, has been replaced in the side by debutant Dafydd Jenkins having taken a knock to the head in the 34-10 loss to Ireland last weekend. Team officials had cleared him to play this week.
Jenkins will partner Adam Beard in the second row, while prop Wyn Jones has returned from injury having missed the autumn internationals. He will pack down alongside Dillon Lewis and hooker Ken Owens.
Christ Tshiunza makes a first Six Nations start at the back of the scrum with Tommy Reffell and number Jac Morgan, who played flanker last weekend.
“We’ve made some changes but tried to keep some continuity with the same backline,” Gatland said. “Wyn has been working really hard in the last three weeks in camp and he gets an opportunity.
“Then Dafydd Jenkins comes into the second row, looking a bit to the future. Christ Tshiunza as well. We’re looking at options at eight if Toby Faletau picks up an injury who’s going to cover there, so Jac gets that chance.”
The backline stays the same with the impressive centre Joe Hawkins and wing Rio Dyer given another run.
“We thought we created opportunities last week but we weren’t clinical enough in terms of finishing off some of those chances,” Gatland said.
“We need to start better. We gave away some stupid penalties and unforced penalties when we weren’t really under a lot of pressure so that’s again been an area that we’ve spoken about.
“We’ve tried to focus on the positives and the things that we can address ourselves.”
Wales: Liam Williams, Josh Adams, George North, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer, Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams, Wyn Jones, Ken Owens (captain), Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Jac Morgan
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Carre, Leon Brown, Rhys Davies, Taulupe Faletau, Rhys Webb, Rhys Patchell, Alex Cuthbert.
England v Italy, Saturday, 3pm GMT, Twickenham, London
England: TBC
Replacements:
Italy: TBC
Replacements: