Italy v Ireland, Six Nations 2025: What time is kick-off and what TV channel is it on?

Telegraph

24-02-2025

The fifth and final game of Ireland's 2025 Six Nations Championship campaign will be their third away match of the campaign and takes place in Rome.
Ireland have won all three of their matches to date, overcoming England 27-22, in round one at the Aviva Stadium Dublin, before beating Scotland 32-18 at Murrayfield and emerging victorious against Wales 27-18 at the Principality Stadium.
Italy have their work cut out against the defending champions having lost to Scotland 31-19 on the opening weekend and suffered a 73-24 humbling in Rome in round three. The Azzurri have tasted victory at the Stadio Olimpico this campaign, however, winning 22-15 against Wales on 8 February.
When is Italy v Ireland?
Italy host Ireland on Saturday, March 15. The match will kick-off at 2.15pm (GMT).
The other final-round matches both take place later in the day with England visiting Wales at 4.45pm (GMT) and France v Scotland getting under way at the Stade de France at 8pm (GMT).
Where is Italy v Ireland taking place?
At the Stadio Olimpico, where Italy gave Ireland a run for their money the last time they met there losing 34-20 in 2023.
How to watch Italy v Ireland on TV?
It will be on ITV1. BBC and ITV once again share coverage of the Six Nations in the UK: ITV has the rights for the home games of England, Ireland, France and Italy while the BBC has all the matches at Murrayfield and the Principality Stadium.
Who is the referee?
England's Luke Pearce has the whistle for Italy's home match against Ireland and has Angus Gardner from Australia and South Africa's Morné Ferreira running the line. England's Andrew Jackson will perform TMO duties and Tual Trainini from the French Rugby Union is the Foul Play Review Officer.
Luke Pearce has established himself as one of the best referees in the game over his 15-year professional career. He has officiated at the World Cup, in European finals and Six Nations Grand Slam deciders and has established a reputation for a style that promotes flowing rugby and seeks to reduce stodgy periods of inaction.
Pearce's father, Andrew, refereed in the Championship, which inspired him to take up the whistle at the age of 16. The 37-year-old has developed the skill of communicating with players in a friendly yet firm manner, often speaking with a smile while also not being afraid to march teams back 10 metres when they talk back.
The Welsh-born referee has already officiated a match involving Italy this campaign when he was assistant referee for their defeat at Murrayfield in round two, while he was the man in the middle when these two sides met 12 months ago in Dublin.
What is the team news?
For their encounter with France in round three, Italy made two changes to the side that had defeated Wales, with Simone Gesi coming in on the wing for the Monty Ioane, who had a knee problem, and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi selected ahead of Giacomo Nicotera.
Ireland are coached by Simon Easterby, who has taken up an interim role in this year's Six Nations due to head coach Andy Farrell's absence. Farrell has stepped back from his role this year as he is coaching the British and Irish Lions for their 2025 tour.
Italy and Ireland will not name their revised squads for the match on March 15 until after the fourth-round fixtures.
Italy's current squad
Forwards: Simone Ferrari, Riccardo Faveretto, Danilo Fischetti, Federico Ruzza, Marco Riccioni, Lorenzo Cannone, Luca Rizzoli, Alessandro Izekor, Giosue Zilocchi, Michele Lamaro, Gianmarco Nicotera, Ross Vintcent, Niccolò Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Dino Lamb.
Backs: Alessandro Garbisi, Juan Ignacio Brex, Martin Page-Relo, Tommaso Menoncello, Stephen Varney, Ange Capuozzo, Tommaso Allen, Matt Gallagher, Paolo Garbisi, Simone Gesi, Leonardo Marin, Monty Ioane, Jacopo Trulla.
Ireland's current squad
Forwards: Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris (c), Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Cormac Izuchukwu, Rónan Kelleher, Gus McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier.
Backs: Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose
When did Italy and Ireland last win the Six Nations?
Italy have never won the title but they can lay claim to one Six Nations victory over Ireland; a 22-15 home victory in March 2013. Ireland have won back-to-back Six Nations titles and are seeking to become the first side to win it three years running. Should they achieve the 'three-peat' they will join England in having the most Six Nations titles, with seven.
What was the score last year?
Ireland won 36-0 at the Aviva Stadium in 2024, in a one-sided contest the Azzurri head coach Gonzalo Quesada likened to New Zealand in their prime. 'When they got 19 points [ahead], it was like the All Blacks from some years ago,' said the Argentine. 'They just go through their basics. They had 100 per cent of the line-out, 100 per cent of the scrum, 100 per cent of the high balls. And then they just work their rucks in attack and defence with extreme efficiency.'