Who is playing and when?
This year’s iteration of the Six Nations starts with a bang with the two tournament favourites clashing in Marseille. Kick-off is on Friday night at 8pm, Irish time.
Marseille sounds different?
Because it is. The Stade de France, regular home of Les Bleus, is out of action as it gets a revamp ahead of the Paris Olympics later this year.
Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, a soccer stadium which hosts Olympique Marseille, has held France rugby matches in the past. A number of recent Rugby World Cup matches were also played there, including Argentina’s quarter-final victory over Wales.
Can I watch?
You can indeed. RTÉ and Virgin Media are again splitting the television broadcasting duties over the course of this Six Nations. Virgin are first up, with their programming starting at 7pm on Virgin Media One.
The game will be available live on RTÉ radio, while The Irish Times liveblog will get under way at 6pm.
France vs Ireland preview with Gordon D'Arcy and Noel McNamara
What to look out for?
The obvious talking point for Ireland is the new outhalf. Jack Crowley will have first crack at filling the 10 jersey vacated by Johnny Sexton, particularly after recent impressive performances for Munster – the away victory over Toulon springs to mind.
Peter O’Mahony steps up as captain in Sexton’s absence. This despite the uncertainty over his future with, at the time of writing, no Ireland or Munster contract offer on the table for the skipper.
Storylines from other countries include Owen Farrell’s decision to step away from England to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing. This news was followed by the revelation that England’s now former captain is to join Racing 92 next season, thus ruling him out of contention for international selection. Have we seen the last of him in an England jersey?
Speaking of big names who are absent, Antoine Dupont misses the tournament as he prepares to line out for France’s Sevens team in the Olympics. Unlike Farrell, there is no question he will return to a blue jersey in the Six Nations in the not too distant future.
Wales have picked their youngest captain since Gareth Edwards in 1968 as Exeter lock Daffyd Jenkins, aged 21, has been given the armband by Warren Gatland.
On the topic of new leaders, Italy have a new coach in former Argentina outhalf Gonzalo Quesada, once a contemporary of Felipe Contepomi with Los Pumas.
Team news
Joe McCarthy, Jack Crowley and Calvin Nash have all been handed their first Six Nations starts in Ireland’s opening defence of their title against France in Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome on Friday (kick-off 9pm local time/8pm Irish).
The fourth change compared to the starting XV in the World Cup quarter-final defeat by New Zealand sees Robbie Henshaw restored to the midfield in the absence of Garry Ringrose, who has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Cian Healy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Ciarán Frawley have been named on an Irish bench, which has a 6-2 configuration for the first time ever.
As expected, Fabien Galthié has retained the core of the France side which suffered a distressing one-point loss in their home World Cup quarter-final to South Africa for Friday night’s match.
The five changes which the French head coach has made were all anticipated, notably the new secondrow pairing of Paul Gabrillagues and Paul Willemse, while the Bordeaux-Bègles centre Yoram Moefana starts on the wing.
Maxime Lucu has been promoted at scrumhalf in place of the Olympics-bound Antoine Dupont, while similarly Francois Cros comes into the backrow in place of his injured Toulouse team-mate Anthony Jelonch.
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (Leinster); Calvin Nash (Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jack Crowley (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster); Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Peter O’Mahony (Munster, capt), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster).
FRANCE: Thomas Ramos (Toulouse); Damian Penaud (Bordeaux-Bègles), Gael Fickou (Racing 92), Jonathan Danty (La Rochelle), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Bègles); Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Bègles), Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Bègles); Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle); Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Francais), Paul Willemse (Montpellier); Francois Cros (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle, capt).
Replacements: Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle), Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Romain Taofifenua (Lyon), Cameron Woki (Racing 92), Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle), Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Bègles).
Referee: Karl Dickson (England).
