It’s round two of the 2020 Six Nations and there are two massive games on Sunday morning (AEDT), with Ireland hosting Wales and England needing to get their campaign back on track against Scotland.
Ireland had a tough 19-12 win over the Scots in the opening round, and Wales had a cruisy 42-0 win over Italy.
England crashed to France 24-17 and their Six Nations title hopes can’t afford another loss, but Scotland won’t be pushovers at home.
The high-flying French taking on Italy will round out the action on Monday morning.
FIXTURES
All times AEDT.
Sunday February 9
1:15am - Ireland v Wales, Aviva Stadium, LIVE on beIn Sport
3:45am - Scotland v England, Murrayfield Stadium, LIVE on beIn Sport
Monday February 10
2am - France vs Italy, Stade de France, LIVE on beIn Sport
IRELAND vs WALES
Saracens centre Nick Tompkins will make his first Wales start in the Six Nations clash against Ireland on Saturday, in the only change to Wayne Pivac's line-up.
Tompkins, who made a try-scoring debut from the bench in Saturday's 42-0 mauling of Italy, will line up at outside centre, with George North moving to the wing for the clash in Dublin.
North will line up in an experienced back-three alongside Josh Adams and Leigh Halfpenny, while Tompkins will partner Hadleigh Parkes in the midfield.
Tomos Williams and Dan Biggar continue their partnership at half-back, with fit-again Gareth Davies replacing Rhys Webb as the back-up scrum-half.
Grand Slam champions Wales have named an unchanged pack with Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Dillon Lewis in the front-row and Jake Ball lining up alongside captain Alun Wyn Jones.
Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau feature in the back-row.
"We've made just one change after a winning start last weekend," said head coach Pivac.
"Nick comes into the side. I thought he played exceptionally well when he came on last week so he deserves the start. George, who played really well last weekend at centre, moves back out to the wing."
Tompkins said life with Wales was "a nice distraction" following events at crisis-hit Saracens, who will be relegated from the English Premiership at the end of the season after salary cap breaches.
The 24-year-old, who is Welsh-qualified through his grandmother, played for England Under-20s but said there was no contact from England coach Eddie Jones.
"I just had contact with Wayne," he said. "He called me, and I was more than happy to meet him and get the opportunity. I couldn't have accepted it quick enough.
"I wasn't expecting to play for Wales at international level but then I don't know if I was expecting to play international rugby at all. But when it came along, there was no chance of me saying no to it."
New Zealander Pivac has made changes to his replacements with Johnny McNicholl, who started on the wing against Italy, joined on the bench by prop Rhys Carre.
Victory over Italy in Cardiff saw Wales equal their national record of eight successive Six Nations wins since losing to Ireland two years ago.
But they have not won a Six Nations match at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, formerly Lansdowne Road, since 2012.
"They (Ireland) are a very physical team, and if you let them get on the front foot they are very dangerous," said Pivac.
"We've got to be careful with the areas in which we play and make sure we match that physicality that is going to be there.
"We know it's not an easy place to go -- the record speaks for itself there."
Ireland to face Wales
Jordan Larmour, Andrew Conway, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale, Johnny Sexton (c), Conor Murray, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony, James Ryan, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Furlong, Rob Herring, Cian Healy,
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Max Deegan, John Cooney, Ross Byrne, Keith Earls.
Wales to face Ireland
Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Nick Tompkins, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams; Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Aaron Wainwright; Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Jake Ball; Dillon Lewis, Ken Owens, Wyn Jones.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Rhys Carre, Leon Brown, Adam Beard, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Owen Williams, Johnny McNicholl
SCOTLAND vs ENGLAND
Magnus Bradbury has been recalled by Scotland to face England in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Edinburgh back-row missed Scotland's 19-12 defeat by Ireland in their Six Nations opener in Dublin last week with a thigh strain.
He has now returned at number eight in place of club-mate Nick Haining in the only change to the starting XV announced by Scotland coach Gregor Townsend on Thursday.
Haining has dropped back down to the bench in place of Cornell du Preez, while Edinburgh tight-head prop Simon Berghan is back among the replacements, after being ruled out through illness on the day of the Ireland game.
There was still no place for star fly-half Finn Russell, who was with his Paris-based Racing 92 club last week after being omitted by Townsend for a late-night drinking session in the build-up to the opening game.
"We were proud of parts of our performance in Dublin at a very difficult venue," said Townsend. "The challenge for the squad is to replicate that level and take our chances when they come, in order to win tight games."
Scotland are unbeaten against World Cup finalists England in the past two editions of the Calcutta Cup, having won 25-13 at Murrayfield in 2018 before fighting back from a huge 31-0 deficit to draw 38-38 at Twickenham last year.
"We were disappointed not to beat Ireland but the opportunity to face England, against whom we are bidding to retain the Calcutta Cup, is one that excites players, coaches and supporters alike," said Townsend.
TEAMS
Scotland to face England
Stuart Hogg (capt); Sean Maitland, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Blair Kinghorn; Adam Hastings, Ali Price; Magnus Bradbury, Hamish Watson, Jamie Ritchie; Jonny Gray, Scott Cummings; Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown, Rory Sutherland
Replacements: Stuart McInally, Allan Dell, Simon Berghan, Ben Toolis, Nick Haining, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Chris Harris
George Furbank; Jonny May, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Willi Heinz; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Lewis Ludlam; George Kruis, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola
Replacements: Tom Dunn, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Ben Earl, Ben Youngs, Ollie Devoto
TEAMS
France to face Italy
TBC
Italy to face France
TBC
