This is the big one. England vs Ireland is always one of the Guinness Six Nations’ standout fixtures, and the 2026 edition already promises to live up to the fixture’s dramatic traditions.
Hosted at the iconic Allianz Stadium and scheduled for a 2:10pm start on Saturday 21st February, this Round 3 encounter will see century-long rivalries rekindled as the green-clad hordes make their way across the Irish Sea to London to support Andy Farrell’s side.
With both England and Ireland wobbling following mixed starts to the tournament, there is a chance for either side to land what would be a steadying, statement Six Nations win here.
Ahead of the mayhem, we’ve previewed Saturday’s game, with the latest team news from both camps as well as predictions for England’s skirmish with Ireland, with prices from Tonybet’s comprehensive rugby union markets.
Ireland preview
Ireland exorcised some of their Parisian demons with a win over Italy at the Aviva Stadium at the weekend, though their overall performance was again affected by nerves and uncertainty.
Indeed, the Italian scrum was dominant in Dublin and the visitors were in the game right until the 80th minute. The Azzurri went into the half-time interval 10-5 ahead, sparking a half-time change from Andy Farrell, with Tadhg Furlong sent on to replace Thomas Clarkson.
Shortly after that, an irritated Farrell withdrew Craig Casey, Joe McCarthy and Dan Sheehan and threw on Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne and Ronan Kelleher. Jack Crowley followed them a few minutes later to replace the struggling Sam Prendergast. That switch prompted big cheers from the Irish crowd.
Second-half tries from Jack Conan and Six Nations debutant wing (and man of the match) Robert Baloucoune put Ireland back in the driving seat and gave them a lead they would retain. However, there was still a feeling of relief above anything else at full-time.
Ireland will need a major improvement to compete at Twickenham on Saturday, and the impact made by Farrell’s second-half subs against the Italians should give the head coach plenty of food for thought in terms of selection.
Farrell blasted what he called “keyboard warriors” and their criticism of Sam Prendergast’s display against Italy. However, the number 10 missed easy conversions and was generally ineffective again. The time to take him out of the firing line is surely now.
Prendergast’s replacement, Jack Crowley, kicked a conversion after Robert Baloucoune’s try and added a penalty in the 62nd minute to stretch Ireland’s lead. The Munster star earned his stripes and deserves an opportunity to shine from the start.
Elsewhere, Tadhg Furlong must surely start, especially given Ireland’s difficulties in the scrum against Italy. The Wexfordman’s physicality at tight head prop can make an immediate difference there.
Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne and Ronan Kelleher should all have decent claims on starting spots, having all injected fresh energy when called upon in the second half of Saturday’s narrow win over Italy.
An Ireland XV vs England at Twickenham could look like this: Osborne, Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe, Crowley, Gibson-Park, Loughman, Kelleher, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, Izuchukwu, Doris (c), Conan
England team preview
England, under the instruction of head coach Steve Borthwick, started their 2026 Six Nations strongly with a commanding 48-7 bonus-point win over Wales. However, their campaign soured on Valentine’s Day when they were dismissed by Scotland.
In an error-strewn performance at Murrayfield, England lost the Calcutta Cup in a 31-20 loss to the Scots, the fallout from which is still being felt.
In what has been described as a rude awakening for the English, Borthwick now finds himself with questions to answer. England have yet to take a major scalp on the road in the Six Nations since their post-2023 World Cup rebuild.
A first-half red card for Henry Arundell was a major disruption and extinguished any hope of an England victory, though Scotland were already in command by the time that dismissal occurred.
Changes against Ireland are expected, not least of all to cover for Arundell, who is suspended and can’t feature in Dublin. England’s captain Maro Itoje spoke of disappointment and licking their wounds in the aftermath, though the loss felt significant.
That loss in Murrayfield may not be fatal to England’s overall Six Nations chances, though it did demolish any thoughts of a charge at the Grand Slam. However, that did feel unrealistic even before their ill-fated meeting with the Scots.
So, what next? In the pack, front-row depth has been tested with tighthead concerns earlier in the campaign, though they showed decent dominance against Wales.
When things went well against the Welsh, England’s key strengths included a powerful set piece, plus there is the Twickenham factor, and that venue can be a real fortress in the right circumstances.
Possible England XV vs Ireland: Steward, Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Smith, Ford, Mitchell, Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Itoje, (c), Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl
H2H record
The England-Ireland rivalry is one of rugby’s fiercest and one of the sport’s chief highlights every year, with 143 Tests played since 1875. England lead with 81 wins, Ireland have 54, and there are eight draws.
In the Six Nations era, the fixture has delivered classic after classic. In 2025, Ireland secured a 27-22 bonus-point win in Dublin. Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne and Dan Sheehan scored tries when Ireland fought back to triumph from a half-time deficit on that occasion.
At Twickenham in 2024, England edged a thriller 23-22 via Marcus Smith’s dramatic late drop goal to break Irish hearts. However, the year before that in Dublin, Ireland dominated again in a 29-16 bonus-point, Grand Slam-clinching victory.
Ireland last won at the home of English rugby in 2022 in a superb 32-15 victory over their hosts. Two of Ireland’s try scorers that day, Jack Conan and James Lowe, will hope to star at Twickenham again on Saturday.
Players to watch
Tadhg Furlong (Ireland) – The Leinster tighthead remains one of world rugby’s premier scrummagers, even after his recent calf injury. His return to full throttle is a timely boost for an Irish pack that has been stretched thin up front. Furlong has the ability to anchor the scrum against England, while his neat ball carrying and snappy offloads are often underrated. Furlong came off the bench to good effect against Italy last time out, so it makes sense to expect him to start at Twickenham, a venue that he has performed well at in the past.
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ireland) – The Ulster talent continues to shine in the face of some injury issues, and he was his usual busy self against Italy, bringing dynamism to lineouts, contesting things aerially, and getting involved in breakdowns. Izuchukwu has the right skillset to be a nuisance against English carriers on Saturday. His pace and speed of thought could tilt the breakdown war in the visitors’ favour. That’s an area where Ireland have done well in this fixture in the past
Caelan Doris (Ireland) – As skipper, Doris remains the source of plenty of Irish inspiration on the field. His relentless carrying, breakdown presence and decision-making under pressure have been central to Ireland’s recent success. In the nervy Italy win, he showed his keen leadership qualities when grinding through the gears to get a result over the line, despite making some errors. At Twickenham, his composure should be key, while Doris will also be tasked with managing the tempo and linking with the backs.
Maro Itoje (England) – The Saracens talisman and England captain is closing in on a century of caps for his country. Itoje’s leadership, lineout nous and physical presence in collisions are all elite level, and when he is on song, he is difficult to deal with. Against Ireland’s maul-heavy approach, his ability to disrupt at the source or win turnovers will be vital. Twickenham crowds love a home hero and Camden-born Itoje thrives in big atmospheres.
Ben Earl (England) – Earl is one of England’s more consistent performers, and his dynamism, breakdown work and tight carrying make him indispensable for head coach Steve Borthwick. With back-row depth tested by injury, Earl’s energy at the ruck and ability to link play will be crucial in matching Ireland’s intensity. His incessant work rate could help England control the gainline early and set a physical tone. If that happens, the Twickenham crowd should be fully engaged and on board.
Our expert predictions
- England to win – 1.15
- Ireland to win – 5.60
Both England and Ireland have big questions to answer ahead of Saturday’s game. The hosts are odds-on favourites to bounce back from their Scotland debacle, though optimism in the English camp remains modest.
The same can be said of Ireland, of course, who toiled in their win against Italy and were outclassed by France before that. If, as expected, Andy Farrell makes half a dozen changes to his XV, including the overdue reintroduction of Jack Crowley, Ireland could test a nervy England’s resolve.
England were overpowered by a rampant Scotland at Murrayfield, so Ireland have a blueprint to work off. Borrowing from the Scots’ gameplan, Ireland are unlikely to be swatted aside in London, and as a result, the Tonybet’s handicap markets look ripe for plundering again.
Ireland are priced at 1.90 to make the most of a +11.5 points handicap, a selection that offers real value in what could be an evenly matched tussle at Twickenham. Ireland beat England by just five points in Dublin last year (27-22), while England triumphed by just a single point in the nations’ previous clash before that (23-22).
With many of the same personnel from those encounters likely to be involved on Saturday, fine margins could be the order of the day again.
If you’re planning a flutter on England vs Ireland, consider taking a look at Tonybet’s full range of Six Nations markets, including match winner, handicap, total points and player specials, as well as a full spectrum of Six Nations outright markets.
