Wales v Ireland: Kick-off time, TV and stream information, betting odds, team news and more

Ireland get their 2023 Six Nations campaign underway on Saturday with a trip to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to take on Warren Gatland's Wales.

Andy Farrell's side come into the tournament in red hot form, winning the Triple Crown at the Six Nations last year, making history with an away series win in New Zealand last summer, and overcoming Australia and reigning world champions South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in November.

Ireland are heavy favourites to kick-off their Six Nations campaign with a win, but Saturday's match-up will be Gatland's first match in charge since he was reappointed as Wales boss, with the former British and Irish Lions coach more than capable of rallying his troops to pull off an upset.

On the eve of the 2023 Six Nations, here's what you need to know about Saturday's mouth-watering contest:

When is Wales v Ireland?

Ireland face Wales in the opening game of the 2023 Six Nations on Saturday 4 February, with kick-off at 2.15pm at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

TV information

The match will be shown live on Virgin Media One with coverage getting underway at 1pm. It will also be streamed on the Virgin Media Player.

The match will also be shown live on BBC One, with coverage kicking off at 1.15pm.

Team news

Ireland

Johnny Sexton will captain the side and is partnered in the half-backs by his Leinster teammate Jamison Gibson-Park. The centre combination from the Bank of Ireland Nations Series of Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose is retained, with Hugo Keenan at fullback and Mack Hansen and James Lowe on the wings.

In the front row Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan are joined by Finlay Bealham, who comes into the starting XV in place of the injured Tadhg Furlong to make a first Championship start, with Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan named at lock.

Josh van der Flier is named at openside, Peter O’Mahony, set to win his 90th cap, is on the blindside flank and Caelan Doris is in the number eight slot.

The replacements include Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ross Byrne and Bundee Aki.

Wales

Joe Hawkins, who won his first senior cap for Wales against Australia in the autumn, makes his Six Nations debut at inside centre. He partners Wales’ most-capped men’s international back George North in the midfield.

Props Gareth Thomas and Tomas Francis join captain Ken Owens in the Wales front row. Alun Wyn Jones and Adam Beard complete the tight five.

The back row comprises Jac Morgan at blind-side flanker, Justin Tipuric at open-side flanker and Taulupe Faletau at No. 8.

Dan Biggar, who missed the Autumn Nations Series through injury, returns to the Wales XV at fly half. Tomos Williams is at scrum half.

Full back Leigh Halfpenny is in line to make his first start for Wales since the summer of 2021 having featured as a replacement against Georgia in November. Rio Dyer and Josh Adams are selected on the wings.

Owen Williams (fly half) and Scott Baldwin (hooker) whose last appearances in a Wales jersey came in 2017 are named in the match day 23. Williams, along with fellow replacements Dafydd Jenkins and Tommy Reffell, would join Hawkins in making their Six Nations debut if appearing from the bench.

Line Ups

Ireland

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 25 caps14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 9 caps13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 9 caps11. James Lowe (Leinster) 15 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 27 caps4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 36 caps5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 89 caps7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps

8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 23 caps

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 31 caps17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 4 caps19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 33 caps21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 100 caps22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 14 caps

23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 41 caps

Wales

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) 97 caps14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby) 43 caps13. George North (Ospreys – 109 caps12. Joe Hawkins (Ospreys) 1 cap11. Rio Dyer (Dragons) 3 caps10. Dan Biggar (Toulon) 103 caps9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby) 40 caps;1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys) 17 caps2. Ken Owens (Scarlets) 86 caps captain3. Tomas Francis (Ospreys) 67 caps4. Adam Beard (Ospreys) 41 caps5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) 155 caps6. Jac Morgan (Ospreys) 6 caps7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) 89 caps

8. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby) 95 caps

Replacements

16. Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) 34 caps17. Rhys Carre (Cardiff Rugby) 17 caps18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby) 45 caps19. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs) 1 cap20. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers) 4 caps21. Rhys Webb (Ospreys) 36 caps22. Owen Williams (Ospreys) 3 caps

23. Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys) 55 caps

Betting odds

Ireland win - 2/5

Wales win - 21/10

Draw - 14/1

Ireland beat Wales 29-7 at the AViva Stadium in the opening fixture of last year's Championship, and Saturday will mark the third season in a row that Ireland will open their Six Nations campaign against Wales.

Overall, Wales and Ireland have played each other on 133 occasions since their first meeting in 1882. Wales have won 70 of those matches, whilst Ireland have won 56 matches.

There have also been seven drawn matches between the two nations.