The second Six Nations match of the day is about to get underway, and this article explains how to watch an England v Ireland live stream this afternoon. If you’re in the UK you can tune in for free on ITVX. Fans in Ireland can watch the game on RTÉ Player. Travelling overseas today? No problem, because Brits abroad can use a VPN to watch the match for free from abroad.

Andy Farrell’s Ireland travel to Twickenham chasing an unprecedented second successive Grand Slam. They face an England side struggling for form, but with plenty of talented players in Steve Borthwick’s side, there’s a chance they could pull off a shock to derail Irish ambitions.

It’s looking like a dry, cloudy afternoon in London on a day when replacement scrum-half Danny Care could win his 100th England cap. This guide tells you everything you need to know to watch an England v Ireland live stream on ITVX. For viewing options elsewhere on planet Earth, check out our guide to watching the Six Nations Championship from anywhere. Scroll down to the end of the article for team news and the Rugby World team’s predictions for the game.

Can I watch an England v Ireland live stream for free?

If you’re a UK resident then you should have no problem tuning into today’s game for free. You can watch an England v Ireland live stream on the ITVX streaming service. The match will also be broadcast live on ITV1.

It’s not only UK-based rugby fans who get to enjoy today’s match for free. If you’re in Ireland, you can watch an England v Ireland live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

What if I’m outside the UK and Ireland?

If you’re a resident of the UK or Ireland abroad on holiday or for work this afternoon, you can still watch an England v Ireland live stream.

Geo-blocking restrictions mean you won’t be able to access your usual ITVX or RTÉ Player service from abroad, but this doesn’t have to prevent you from watching the game. By using a VPN, or Virtual Private Network – a smart, legal piece of software that allows you to change your IP address – you can make your computer appear to be back home. In other words, you’ll be able watch your usual streaming services as if you were sitting in your sofa in front of the TV.

The experts at TechRadar are fans of ExpressVPN. Not only is it easy to use, it also provides excellent online privacy, while allowing you to watch on several devices at once. And as if that wasn’t enough, it currently offers three months extra for free when you sign up, and a 30-day money back guarantee. Don’t forget, though, that Brits will still need a valid UK TV Licence to watch an England v Ireland live stream from abroad.

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Viewers in France can tune in for free via France TV.

Outside Europe, subscription services in South Africa (SuperSport), the USA (Peacock Premium), New Zealand (Sky Sport NZ), Australia (Stan Sport) and Asia (Premier Sports) will all be showing an England v Ireland live stream.

What time does the England v Ireland live stream start?

The big Twickenham showdown kicks off at 4:45pm GMT this afternoon, with ITVX’s coverage getting underway at 4:20pm, immediately after the Italy v Scotland match.

As for kick-off times further afield… That’ll be 4:45pm in Ireland, 5:45pm in France, 6:45pm in South Africa, and (in the US) 11:45am ET and 8:45am PT. As ever with the Six Nations, Aussies and Kiwis have to wake up very early – or stay up very late – to watch the game. Kick-off is at 3:45am AEDT and 5:45am NZDT, respectively.

What are the England v Ireland teams this afternoon?

Here are the teams you’ll be watching when you tune into an England v Ireland live stream. For more information on the line-ups, check out our guides to the England and Ireland squads.

ENGLAND
George Furbank; Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Jamie George (captain), Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl

Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Elliot Daly

IRELAND
Hugo Keenan; Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony (captain), Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley

Who’s the referee for England v Wales?

Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli is the man with the whistle, and he’ll be assisted by Italy’s Andrea Piardi and Wales’ Craig Evans. Wales’ Ben Whitehouse is the TMO.

Who will win England v Ireland?

Ireland have beaten England in the sides’ last four encounters, and Rugby World’s predictions suggest that winning run is going to continue at Twickenham this afternoon. “It’s really hard to see anything but an Ireland win that will wrap up the championship,” says Andy Wright. “England laboured against Italy and Wales and were expected to perform better against Scotland, only to put on a chaotic display at Murrayfield in a 30-21 defeat. Facing an Ireland side chasing history is at least one step up, so I expect the well-oiled green machine to further exploit the weaknesses of a team that is still searching for its identity.”

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

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