Italy vs Ireland Six Nations

Ireland will travel to Italy to take on Italy on March 15 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for their final Six Nations Championship match. Ireland, aiming for a historic third consecutive title, are bolstered by the return of key players such as prop Tadhg Furlong, who is set to make his first appearance at the 2025 Six Nations. Italy, who are celebrating 25 years in the competition, continue to make progress under head coach Gonzalo Quesada, They’ll be out to cause an upset on Saturday.

The rivalry between Italy and Ireland commenced in December 1988 when Ireland defeated the Italians 31-15 in Dublin. Since then, the two nations have faced each other 37 times, with Ireland dominating matters, having won on 33 occasions compared to Italy’s 4 victories.

Italy joined the Six Nations Championship in 2000, expanding the traditional tournament and marking a significant step in their development as a force in rugby. Despite challenges along the way, Italy have recorded some standout victories, including their first Six Nations win over Ireland in 2013, a 22-15 triumph in Rome.

Ireland, a traditional rugby stronghold, are experiencing a resurgence, which has culminated in multiple Six Nations titles and Grand Slams. Their dominance over Italy in the tournament is evident, with Italy’s sole victory the one from 2013. As the two nations prepare to meet this weekend, Italy aim to challenge Ireland’s supremacy, but as the betting for Italy vs Ireland suggests, the odds are well and truly stacked against them.

Italy and Ireland are experiencing contrasting fortunes at the 2025 Six Nations Championship. Ireland kicked off their Six Nations campaign with a narrow 27-22 victory over England at the Aviva Stadium, following that up with a 32-18 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield and a 27-18 win over Wales in Cardiff. However, they saw their Grand Slam hopes dashed when they suffered a 42-27 home reverse at the hands of France.

Italy, meanwhile, lost to Scotland in their opening game 31-19 but bounced back by defeating Wales 22-15 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Successive defeats have followed, first a 73-24 loss to France and then a 47-24 reverse at the hands of England. This means both teams come into this one on the back of defeats, and both need to win, especially Ireland, if they’re to retain their Six Nations crown.

Italy

Head coach Gonzalo Quesada could very well name an unchanged team for their game against Ireland with no fresh injury concerns. Against England, Quesada fielded the likes of full-back Ange Capuozzo and centre Tommaso Menoncello, and they remain key for Italy.

Captain Michele Lamaro continues to lead the team. Fly-half Paolo Garbisi and scrum-half Martin Page-Relo remain pivotal in orchestrating Italy’s offensive game. The forward pack features stalwarts like prop Danilo Fischetti and lock Federico Ruzza, and they will be crucial in set-pieces and open play.

Ireland

Ireland welcome back prop Tadhg Furlong, winger Mack Hansen, and centre Garry Ringrose to their squad ahead of their pivotal fixture against Italy. Winger James Rowe and hooker Ronan Kelleher are also being monitored for fitness. This game will be the final time that Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy, and Conor Murray, appear on the international stage.

Fly-half Sam Prendergast and winger Calvin Nash have both been pivotal in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign. Prendergast has stepped into the No. 10 jersey seamlessly, while Nash’s agility and finishing have added dynamism to the backline. Ireland are looking to conclude the tournament on a high with victory in Rome.

There will be several intriguing tactical player battles to keep an eye on at the Stadio Olimpico as Italy take on Ireland.

Ange Capuozzo vs Hugo Keenan

Ange Capuozzo has excelled at full-back for Italy in the Six Nations so far. He will come up against Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, a player renowned for his defensive ability. Capuozzo has exploited defensive gaps time and time again throughout the tournament, so this will be a real test of Keenan’s positional awareness. Keenan’s proficiency under the high ball and counter-attacking threats will ask similar questions of Capuozzo. The outcome of this battle will impact the momentum during the game.

Michele Lamaro vs Josh van der Flier

Italy’s captain, Michele Lamaro, embodies everything that is good about Italy and will lead the team’s defensive efforts with high tackle counts. Ireland’s Josh van der Flier will face him, he’s the World Rugby Player of the Year, and he excels when it comes to breakdowns and ball-carrying. Possession will be directly influenced by this contest. Lamaro will be looking to disrupt Ireland’s rucks, while Van der Flier’s ability to win turnovers will enable him to provide the ball quickly to others.

Paolo Garbisi vs Sam Prendergast

In Paulo Garbisi, Italy have a fly-half who has matured into a playmaker who can dictate the tempo. He will face Ireland’s sensation, Sam Prendergast, who continues to impress with his composure and game management. Garbisi has the creativity and decision-making skills to challenge Prendergast defensively, while the latter will look to mix things up on the attacking front and test the former defensively. The player who comes out on top in this one will help their team significantly offensively.

The venue for Italy vs Ireland is Stadio Olimpico, which has room for a stunning 72,698 spectators. With Italy having lost their last two Six Nations games, they will be hoping that their home support gets them over the line against Ireland in what is a huge game for both.

The weather conditions on Saturday are certainly favourable for a great game of rugby. The temperatures around Europe are slowly picking up, and it’s expected to be around 17°c at the weekend. Rain is unlikely at this stage, and there should be no wind, too.

If Six Nations betting is anything to go by, Ireland are going to travel to Italy, and more specifically, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, and defeat Italy on home soil, ending their 2025 campaign on a high. At the time of writing, they’re a stunning 1/18 to do so, which suggests Italy don’t have much chance of success in this one. However, everyone knows shock results can, do, and have happened, and Italy aren’t coming into this expecting to lose. They’re out to win and to end their two-game losing streak.

For Ireland, there’s going to be a feeling of disappointment around, as they’ve let their chances of a third consecutive Six Nations title likely slip away after losing last time out. With France now in pole position in the Six Nations 2025 winner betting market at 1/9, could this disappointment prove too much, opening the door for Italy to strike? There’s no doubt that Italy are making progress as a rugby nation under head coach Gonzalo Quesada, and what a way it would be to sign off from the 2025 Six Nations with victory over defending champions Ireland against the odds.