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There will be no smiles when Ireland captain Rory Best meets England counterpart Owen Farrell at the weekend

Ireland v England: Team line-ups, kick-off time, key quotes, predictions, odds and where to watch on TV

By Sporting Life

Rugby Union

Sat February 02, 2019 · 6y ago

Our guide to Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium includes team news, predictions, statistics and more.

Ireland and England meet in a crunch showdown on the opening weekend of the 2019 Guineas Six Nations, with both sides desperate to launch a potential Grand Slam-winning campaign.

This preview pack will be updated all week to include the latest team news, quotes from coaches, key facts, the latest Sky Bet odds and the thoughts of our Tony Calvin to help you with your bets.

What time is kick off & what channel is it on?

The match, which takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, will start at 1645 GMT on Saturday February 2 and will be screened live on ITV 1.

Ireland v England: Team news

Robbie Henshaw will start at full-back for just the second time in a Test in Ireland's Six Nations opener against England in Dublin.

Head coach Joe Schmidt has selected Henshaw ahead of two-time Grand Slam winner Rob Kearney in a bold call to kick-start his side's title defence.

Henshaw made his name playing full-back at Connacht and won his first Ireland cap in the 15 shirt back in 2013, but has not featured there in his other 35 Tests.

The 25-year-old has flourished in the centres, but has still expressed his desire for a return to the back-field and must now cope with an expected aerial bombardment from England at the Aviva Stadium.

Elliot Daly has held off the challenge of Mike Brown at full-back for England.

Daly has started the last seven Tests in the position, but Brown's expertise under the high ball made him a strong contender to oust his rival in anticipation of the aerial bombardment expected from half-backs Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray.

Manu Tuilagi has been selected at inside centre, where he has played little rugby, to make his first Six Nations start in six years following an injury-blighted spell, profiting from Ben Te'o's side strain.

Henry Slade continues at 13, Jack Nowell lines up on the left wing and Owen Farrell resumes his half-back partnership with Ben Youngs.

Ireland: R Henshaw (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Stockdale (Ulster), C Murray (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, capt), T Furlong (Leinster), D Toner, J Ryan (both Leinster), P O'Mahony (Munster), J Van Der Flier (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), A Porter (Leinster), Q Roux (Connacht), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Cooney (Ulster), J Carbery, J Larmour (both Leinster).

England: E Daly (Wasps), J May (Leicester), H Slade (Exeter), M Tuilagi (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter), O Farrell (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester); M Vunipola (Saracens), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Harlequins), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), M Wilson (Newcastle), T Curry (Sale), B Vunipola (Saracens).

Replacements: L (Exeter), E Genge (Leicester), H Williams (Exeter), C Lawes (Northampton), N Hughes (Wasps), D Robson (Wasps), G Ford (Leicester), C Ashton (Sale).

Ireland v England: Odds & advice

Ireland are 2/7 favourites to get off to a winning start, with England priced at 5/2 with Sky Bet to cause a mini upset in Dublin.

The hosts get a nine-point start on the main handicap market, in which both sides are 10/11.

Ireland are 4/5 favourites to win the Six Nations title and 2/1 to achieve the Grand Slam while England can be backed at 3/1 and 6/1 in the respective markets.

Click here to check out all Sky Bet's France v Wales odds!

Tony Calvin's verdict...

Ireland have the best squad in the Six Nations, guided by the premier coaching team in world rugby, and are playing their most dangerous opponents – to judge from the betting, at least – at home on the opening weekend.

They come into this tournament having won a series in Australia in the summer, and beaten New Zealand 16-9 in November, and have very few injury concerns.

So what’s not to like?

Well, the fact that they are asked to concede a very dangerous-looking English outfit nine points on the handicap line, for one, and we have to side with England with the start.

Games between these two are typically tight – it’s three wins each over their last six meetings, barely a point between them combined – and this England XV looks capable of making life hard for Ireland, who have a couple of injury issues.

Check out Tony Calvin's Six Nations betting tips

Ireland v England: Key quotes

More quotes will appear here throughout the week

Eddie Jones (England) on selection: "I just felt for this game the best option was to play Owen Farrell at 10 and Manu (Tuilagi) as a like-for-like replacement for Ben Te'o. Manu has impressed us at the training camp, and is right to play.

"I think it is quite clear to beat Ireland you have to beat them in the contest area.

"They are very good at the breakdown and in the air. Both those areas are a priority for us.

"Traditionally England and Ireland games are always very close, they are tough affairs, there is a lot of emotion in the games so our ability to finish the game strongly is going to be vital.

"It's well documented no one thinks we can win but I can tell you everyone inside our camp believes we can win. We are hugely looking forward to the weekend."

Jack Nowell (England): "Eddie has almost given me a bit of a golden ticket, just to have that free role. We know Ireland are going to come with a big breakdown threat so I can get stuck in there a bit more.

"I am always working on my breakdown stuff, so to have that freedom is exciting. I'm not going to be running around out of position, but it is nice to know I can go out and get my hands on the ball."

Maro Itoje (England): "Over the last year or so, Ireland have been the number one team in the northern hemisphere. Obviously we want to be the dominant team. That's always been the case. I think England should be the number one team, but we're not at the moment.

"The only way to rectify that is to beat Ireland. To be the best, you must beat the best. We're lucky we have a lot of very competitive animals in the team. This game is one that we've been looking forward to for a while.

"We'll find out how far away from them we are on Saturday. I have complete faith in our team, players, coaches and staff. We can definitely beat them, I have no doubt in my mind about that. It's a great opportunity for us, it truly is."

George Ford (England): "I genuinely think people get too obsessed with who starts the game Genuinely, there is no difference in a week. I have known Owen Farrell for so long and whether he is starting or I am starting, or I am 10 and he is 12, it is very similar. We try and prepare the team both sides of the ball as well as we can as leaders in the team.

"And if you are on the bench in a finishing role, 1) you don’t know when you are going to get on and 2) you could be on the pitch at the most important time. I found that in the autumn, three out of the four games I was on for the last 15 minutes which were the most crucial parts. Mentally you have to be even more switched on, particularly on match day but also in the week so that you know that whatever match situation you come into, you are ready to do your job."

Joe Schmidt (Ireland head coach): "I don't think we are clear favourites. The psyche is one of enormous respect. You know if you don't get things right, England can get a long way away from you.

"They are a team back on an upwards swing, and they will be driven to rebound well from last year's Six Nations."

John Mitchell (England defence coach):

"If you're going to play the best team in the world, you might as well get into them straight away.

"They've deserved all the honours that came their way in 2018. Having them first up makes the challenge even more exciting.

"It's a challenge that you don't over-think, instead you walk towards and embrace it.

"It's always been tough playing there, but it's even harder now because they are a well coached side. They are very consistent and have a process they are very confident in."