France vs Ireland live stream: How to watch 2024 Six Nations online and on TV, team news
Defending champions have tough opener against Les Bleus
The France vs Ireland live stream sees the current holders travel to Marseille as they look to start this year’s Six Nations with a statement victory against the tournament favorites at the Stade Vélodrome today – and you can watch from anywhere with a VPN.
The France vs Ireland live stream takes place today (Feb 2).
• Time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 7 a.m. AEDT (Feb 3)
• U.K. — ITVX (FREE)
• U.S. — Peacock
• U.S. — Stan Sport
• Watch anywhere — Try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
Despite talismanic captain Antoine Dupont not playing for France because of his commitment to his country’s sevens team for the Olympics, Les Bleus are viewed as the favorites to win the Six Nations. Coach Fabien Galthié still has a wealth of talent at his disposal, including wing Damian Penaud, in-form fly-half Matthieu Jalibert and the hugely exciting 20-year-old Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
The French also feel they have a point to prove after their heartbreaking quarter-final defeat by South Africa at last year’s Rugby World Cup and plan to use the frustration of this loss to spur them on in Marseille. However, the Irish are in a similar position, having also exited the World Cup at the last eight stage after an incredible run of victories.
Ireland have also lost their inspirational leader after Johnny Sexton retired following his long and successful career, but coach Andy Farrell will believe there is enough quality in the squad to retain their title. They will also be able to call upon last year’s result when they beat France 32-19 en route to a Grand Slam.
Here's how they line up:
France XV: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Moefana; Jalibert, Lucu; Baille, Mauvaka, Atonio, Gabrillagues, Willemse, Cros, Ollivon, Alldritt (capt).
Replacements: Marchand, Wardi, Aldegheri, Tuilagi, Woki, Boudehent, le Garrec, Bielle-Biarrey.
Ireland XV: Keenan; Nash, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Crowley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, O’Mahony (capt), van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Bealham, Ryan, Baird, Conan, Murray, Frawley.
Read on and we'll show you how to access today’s France vs Ireland live streams and watch the 2024 Six Nations wherever you are.
FREE France vs Ireland live streams
Watch the France vs Ireland live stream for FREE
If you're fortunate enough to live in the U.K., then you can enjoy a France vs Ireland live stream for FREE. The game will be shown on ITV and via its streaming service ITVX.
In fact, all 15 games of the 2024 Six Nations will be broadcast on ITV and BBC, and on their streaming services ITVX and BBC iPlayer. Just bear in mind that you will need a valid U.K. TV license in order to watch the games on TV or via online streaming.
But what if you're usually based in the U.K. but aren't at home for the France vs Ireland live stream. Perhaps, you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on a paid streaming service in a foreign country when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home.
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below. Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.
Watch France vs Ireland from anywhere
ExpressVPN really does tick every box. It's fast, secure and a doozy to use. Even if you do run in to trouble, there's genuinely helpful 24/7 customer service there to get you through. And you can even give it a try risk-free, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
It's really very easy to use a VPN to watch live sport when overseas:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. We think ExpressVPN is the best you can get.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. So if you're a U.K. citizen abroad, for example, choose a server location based in U.K..
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Go to ITVX on your web browser and watch the free France vs Ireland live stream as you would at home.
France vs Ireland live streams by country
How to watch France vs Ireland live streams in the U.S.
Every game of the 2024 Six Nations, including a France vs Ireland live stream, will be shown on both Peacock and CNBC in the US. A subscription to Peacock starts from just $5.99/month, rising to $11.99/month to remove the ads.
OTT streaming service Fubo carries CNBC and more than 100 additional channels including Fox, CBS and ESPN. Prices start at $79.99 a month after a FREE 7-day Fubo trial.
If you're outside of the U.S. but have one of these subscriptions, then using a VPN like ExpressVPN will help you access the otherwise unavailable France vs Ireland live stream.
In addition to showing the 2024 Six Nations, Peacock also has the rights to live NFL, WWE, EPL and a huge library of binge-able content. That includes some of the best peacock shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock and This Is Us.
Watch France vs Ireland for FREE in the U.K.
The France vs Ireland live stream will be available to watch for free on ITV1 and ITVX in the U.K. (assuming, of course, that you have a valid TV license).
Outside the U.K. for this game? Then you'll need a VPN to access your go-to live stream — we recommend ExpressVPN as the very best around.
How to watch a France vs Ireland live stream in Australia
Stan Sport is the place to watch the France vs Ireland live stream in Australia as the streaming service is showing every match of the 2024 Six Nations ad-free.
A subscription costs $15 per month (on top of a $10 Stan sub, but you can take advantage of a 30-day FREE trial).
Stan Sport is also the place to watch Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League football, and Formula E.
If you're currently out of Australia but want to watch a Six Nations live stream, you'll need to get yourself a VPN, as per the instructions above.
How to watch the France vs Ireland live stream in New Zealand
Live Six Nations coverage in New Zealand, including a France vs Ireland live stream, comes courtesy of Sky Sport, which is available as part of a range of pay TV packages.
Subscribers can watch every game online using the country's Sky Go service, while cord-cutters and anyone else can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform, which costs $24.99 per week or $44.99 per month.
Fortunately, the monthly package comes with a 7-day free trial, so you can try before you buy.
Outside of New Zealand right now? Watch a France vs Ireland live stream just like you would at home with the help of a quality VPN.
More from Tom's Guide
Sign up now to get the best Black Friday deals!
Discover the hottest deals, best product picks and the latest tech news from our experts at Tom’s Guide.
Adrian is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about sport for a wide range of publications including World Soccer Magazine, Newsweek, Yahoo and FourFourTwo. Having covered everything from the NBA Finals and French Open to the London Olympics and F1 in Abu Dhabi, his great passion remains soccer – a sport he could write and talk about all day long.