Plus: Who will referee the Test and which players are hopeful of a Six Nations squad place?. Copy link. twitter. facebook. whatsapp. email. England begin the 2025 Six Nations with a trip to championship holders Ireland in what promises to be an extremely difficult opening game for Steve Borthwick’s team.
England made heavy weather of beating Italy and Wales in last year’s tournament, but a 23-22 victory over Ireland at Twickenham was the highlight of their campaign and denied the Irish a Grand Slam. This year’s Six Nations is especially intriguing because it promises to shape selection for the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia later this year, led by Andy Farrell as head coach.
Ireland host England on Saturday February 1. The match will kick-off 4.45pm GMT. It is the third game of the opening Six Nations weekend, following France v Wales and Scotland v Italy. At the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Though a vociferous atmosphere is typically expected for a home fixture against England, a lack of noise at the 51,700-capacity stadium has been a talking point. Sky-high ticket prices and Ireland’s dominance over opponents are potential reasons for the subdued atmosphere. One thing we can be sure of is the home fans belting out The Cranberries’ hit Zombie as well as Fields of Athenry.
