Ireland vs Wales LIVE! Six Nations match stream, latest score and ...

Ireland vs Wales LIVE!

The Six Nations returns today after the first fallow week, with round three kicking off with a huge clash in Dublin this afternoon. Ireland are back in action at fortress Aviva Stadium a fortnight after shutting out Italy in a comprehensive 36-0 thrashing at the same venue, looking to continue their ominous march towards a second successive Grand Slam triumph.

The defending champions notched up their biggest-ever win in France to send a clear message to their title rivals on the opening night and Andy Farrell’s side look well placed to achieve something that has yet to be done in the Six Nations era. They will be expected to beat Warren Gatland’s youthful Wales outfit who have run both Scotland and England close so far in 2024 so far but with nothing to show for it.

Ciaran Frawley will make his first start for the Men in Green today as Hugo Keenan misses out through injury, while the visitors’ only change sees Sam Costelow replace Scarlets team-mate Ioan Lloyd at fly-half. Follow Ireland vs Wales in the Six Nations live below!

Ireland vs Wales latest news

• TRY! Frawley scores as Irish take back control

• TRY! Wales score early in second half

• TRY! Lowe trots over to double up

• TRY! Sheehan gets Irish up and running

16:07 , Alex Young

83min: ..and that’s full-time!

TRY!

16:06 , Alex Young

80min: Beirne adds a fourth in added time! He deserves that.

16:03 , Alex Young

79min: Aki is named man of the match.

16:01 , Alex Young

77min: Another push from the penalty, attempt after attempt but... it’s held up and the move breaks down.

16:00 , Alex Young

76min: Wales are not giving up with North and Winnett lively late on as they push to the Irish line. It’s phase after phase but the Irish stand firm millimetres from conceding.

Ryan will see out the game in the sin bin after giving away three penalties amidst the mayhem.

15:55 , Alex Young

72min: Ireland look far fresher now, with the Welsh shoulder understandably starting to slump.

Story continues

TRY!

15:50 , Alex Young

68min: There it is! Frawley finds the gap from a couple of yards to dive over. The pressure finally told. His first international try in cap no3.

Crowley converts again. Irish should be much more comfortable now.

15:49 , Alex Young

63min: Winnett beats Frawley but Crowley is on hand to find space with a big boot.

Ireland need a third try.

15:44 , Alex Young

61min: This should further galvanise the Welsh. They look so up for this.

NO TRY!

15:41 , Alex Young

59min: A couple of minutes ago the Irish were on their heels to stop a second Wales try... and now they restore their 14-point lead... but do they?

Try is ruled out over a forward pass.

15:38 , Alex Young

55min: Beirne is back and immediately rampages through the middle of the maul to steal the ball.

Has the tide turned?

15:35 , Alex Young

53min: Beirne is back from the sin bin.

15:34 , Alex Young

52min: A few changes. Jack Conan and Dillon Lewis are on for Van Der Flier and Kieron Assiratti.

15:32 , Alex Young

51min: Frawley tries to make something happen for the first time this half by sending two kicks out wide, but Wales are more than a match.

The Irish look a bit concerned.

15:28 , Alex Young

49min: Wales have the ball again and gaps are appearing in the Irish defence. The game is breaking up and the visitors are making the most of it.

15:25 , Alex Young

47min: So much more confidence from Wales in this half. What a difference a Warren Gatland team talk makes.

TRY!

15:22 , Alex Young

43min: Wales are pushing for the line and look certain to score - a fantastic start to the second half - but the maul collapses.

TMO get involved and the ball has been held up. Beirne is booked and the try and conversion stand!

15:18 , Alex Young

42min: Early pause in play as Winnett needs some medical attention. He’ll be fine.

Second half

15:14 , Alex Young

41min: Back under way.

15:12 , Alex Young

Wales entered Ireland’s 22 for the first time in the 36th minute.

They will be exhausted come the hour mark if that continues.

15:04 , Alex Young

It's been one-way traffic in Dublin, as expected. Ireland in full control and force Wales into so many mistakes.

Half-time

14:58 , Alex Young

41min: There it is.

14:57 , Alex Young

39min: Another knock on from Wales means Ireland should see out this half after a scrum.

14:55 , Alex Young

37min: This time Ireland get it right and Aki screams in delight as Wales knock the ball on around 15 yards from the line. Sloppy.

14:54 , Alex Young

36min: Better from the visitors as they get the ball down and win another penalty after Aki gets his hands in the ruck. They go again.

14:53 , Alex Young

35min: Wales trying to ask question of the Ireland defence for the first time as they enter the 22 after a lineout.

TRY!

14:50 , Alex Young

32min: So, so easy. Lowe runs over after another sweeping Ireland move, touchline to touchline.

Crowley converts.

14:45 , Alex Young

27min: Wales really aren’t helping themselves as they get dinged for delaying the put-in at the scrum.

14:44 , Alex Young

26min: Ireland win another line-out after Adams is knocked into touch.

The throw is long, though and the Welsh sense an opportunity and win a scrum after a knock on.

14:41 , Alex Young

That’s four tries in three games now from Dan Sheehan. Some player.

TRY!

14:38 , Alex Young

21min: It’s been coming! A driving maul is enough after the lineout, getting over at the second time of asking through Sheehan.

Crowley converts.

14:36 , Alex Young

18min: A collectors’ item! Ireland miss their first lineout of the tournament.

14:36 , Alex Young

16min: Ireland are forcing their opponents into so many penalties but this time Wales only have themselves to blame as ill-discipline costs them at the lineout when not keeping the distance.

Ireland are stretching Wales and Crowley is enjoying himself out there.

14:34 , Alex Young

14min: How long can Wales keep this up? Ireland send the ball to the right through Frawley... but then give away a penalty of their own.

14:33 , Alex Young

12min: A brief reprieve for the visitors as the clear across the halfway line. Ireland come back and again force Wales into a penalty. To the corner again.

14:30 , Alex Young

10min: Huge cheers from the visitors as Ireland’s first push for the line is thwarted.

Ireland go again but again Wales snuff them out and hold the ball up.

14:29 , Alex Young

9min: Ireland kick for the corner and this will be a driving maul.

PENALTY!

14:25 , Alex Young

7min: First points on the board as Crowley sends the ball through the posts from 40 yards.

14:24 , Alex Young

5min: Ireland win back possession at the earliest opportunity as Aki locks himself over the ball to earn a penalty.

14:20 , Alex Young

3min: Wales defense stands firm in the face of the Irish attack, who take one to many passes and knock on. Wales penalty into touch.

14:19 , Alex Young

2min: Early pause in play as Adams comes off badly from a collision with Aki. Not the first person to suffer the same fate. He’ll be fine to continue.

Kick-off!

14:16 , Alex Young

1min: Up and running in Dublin!

14:14 , Alex Young

Minutes away.

14:11 , Alex Young

It’s lovely and sunny in Dublin and the national anthems are belted out by players and public.

14:06 , Alex Young

Here come the teams.

Man in the middle

14:04 , Alex Young

Andrea Piardi takes charge of the game today and makes history in the process as the first Italian to officiate a men's Six Nations game.

He is just 31 years old, too.

13:47 , Alex Young

The atmosphere is building.

Gatland embracing the challenge

13:29 , Alex Young

Warren Gatland wants Wales to show no fear and embrace the challenge today.

"We know how good a side they are," Wales head coach Gatland said. "They are a settled team. They are world-class. We have got to be smart and not allow them to play the game on their terms. That is when they are incredibly dangerous.

"Just one moment from them can change the momentum of the game. They have got some key individuals, but we've got to try and put them under pressure to unsettle them.

"There has been a lot said about us being underdogs, but that is not a motivation for us. The motivation is the pressure we are putting on ourselves to get better from game one and two.

"We have spoken all week about having no fear.”

Stage is set

13:11 , Alex Young

Just over an hour until kick-off.

Latest odds

13:01 , Alex Young

Here’s how the bookies see the game panning out.

• Ireland - 1/25

• Draw - 50/1

• Wales - 14/1

(Odds via Betfair.)

Tompkins: Wales not daunted by Ireland

12:52 , Alex Young

Nick Tompkins says that Wales are excited and not daunted by the challenge that awaits them today.

The odds are stacked against Wales, having not won a Six Nations game in Dublin since 2012 and facing a team marching ominously towards achieving back-to-back Grand Slams.

More than a third of Wales' match-day 23 have cap totals in single figures, while a vastly-experienced Ireland team last suffered a Six Nations defeat two years ago.

Asked if there was a more daunting test in world rugby than tackling Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Wales centre Tompkins said: "I don't know about daunting.

"Daunting makes it sounds like we are scared. We are not. We are excited.

"Realistically, we have got nothing to lose. It is a big challenge, but you need those big ones.

"There is no point in playing a mediocre side, and it is going to be good to see where we are at."

O'Mahony: Don't call Wales a 'banana skin'

12:38 , Alex Young

Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony says it would be disrespectful to regard rivals Wales as a "banana skin".

Warren Gatland's winless visitors arrive at the Aviva Stadium as major underdogs on the back of narrow championship defeats to Scotland and England amid a transitional period.

Reigning champions Ireland have not lost at home in three years and are in pole position to retain their crown following thumping bonus-point victories over France and Italy.

Munster flanker O'Mahony believes Wales' players are a "different animal" when representing their country.

"I think a banana skin is a disrespectful term for this Welsh team," said the 34-year-old. "I've learnt the hard way a good few times; these people are very, very proud and they grow massively when they pull on that red shirt.

"They're a different animal, a different team and I've been on the receiving end of some heavy losses to these guys a few times.

"There is transition but it's the Welsh 15 coming tomorrow, it's no one else and I know from experience they're an unbelievably proud nation and they play big and earn the jersey.

"That's what we'll 100 per cent be expecting.”

Head to head

12:27 , Alex Young

Ireland have won six of the last seven games between these two nations, including back-to-back meetings in the Six Nations.

Wales are without a win in this competition in Dublin since their 2012 Grand Slam under Gatland, while they last beat Ireland in Cardiff in 2021.

• Ireland wins: 57

• Wales wins: 70

• Draws: 7

Score prediction

12:19 , Alex Young

Ireland continue to go from strength to strength under Farrell, quickly banishing memories of that galling World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand.

The huge opening night win over France in Marseille sent an ominous message and Italy were then easily brushed aside, a fate that also likely awaits youthful Wales at the fortress Aviva on Saturday.

The second half against Scotland was electric and they ran England close in a fierce battle, but this is a whole different challenge that awaits Gatland’s inexperienced side in Dublin and one they seem very unlikely to be properly prepared for at this stage of their development.

Ireland to win, by 20 points.

Wales lineup as Costelow replaces Lloyd

12:07 , Alex Young

Warren Gatland has made just one change to the Wales team that were edged out by England at Twickenham a fortnight ago.

It comes at fly-half, with Sam Costelow replacing Scarlets team-mate Ioan Lloyd after recovering from a neck issue suffered against Scotland.

Cardiff back-rower Mackenzie Martin is set to become the latest Wales Test debutant from the bench, while Harlequins tighthead Dillon Lewis will make his first appearance of the Six Nations when he comes on.

Wales XV: Winnett; Adams, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Costelow, T Williams; G Thomas, Dee, Assiratti; Jenkins (c), Beard; Mann, Reffell, Wainwright

Replacements: Elias, Domachowski, D Lewis, Rowlands, M Martin, Hardy, I Lloyd, Grady

Ireland lineup as Frawley makes first start

12:00 , Alex Young

Caelan Doris captained Ireland against Italy in the absence of the rested Peter O’Mahony and is fit to face Wales after carrying a few knocks. O’Mahony is also in the XV and will reassume leadership duties.

Lock Iain Henderson is out with a foot injury and the Men in Green are also missing full-back Hugo Keenan, after a knee issue forced him off in the six-try victory over the Azzurri. Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley earns his first Ireland start as a result.

Munster prop Oli Jager, meanwhile, is set to win his first cap off the bench. It is the same starting XV that lined up against France on opening night, bar the enforced Frawley for Keenan change.

Ireland XV: Frawley; Nash, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Crowley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; McCarthy, Beirne; O’Mahony (c), Van der Flier, Doris

Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Jager, Ryan, Baird, Conan, Murray, McCloskey

How to watch Ireland vs Wales

11:53 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, Ireland vs Wales is being shown live and free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage starting at 1:25pm GMT. Kick-off is set for 2:15pm.

The match can also be viewed on Welsh-language channel S4C, where the programme starts at 1:30pm.

Live stream: You can watch the game live and for free online via the ITVX app and ITVX website.

Welcome

11:44 , Alex Young

Hello and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Six Nations clash between Ireland and Wales.

We’re back in Dublin as the Irish continue their seemingly inevitable march to a Grand Slam, retaining the Six Nations crown won last year.

Wales are looking to avoid a third straight defeat but this is, by some distance, their toughest test of the tournament. Stranger things over happened, though...

Kick-off is at 2.15pm. Stick with us.