The Ireland vs Wales live stream is the opening game in this year's Six Nations rugby — and it's one of the most eagerly anticipated of the whole tournament.
The Ireland vs Wales live stream takes place today (Saturday, February 5).
► Time 2.15 p.m. GMT / 9.15 a.m. ET / 6.15 a.m. PT
• U.K. — Watch FOR FREE on ITV Hub (opens in new tab)
• U.S. — Watch on Peacock (opens in new tab) (requires Premium or Premium Plus subscription)
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free (opens in new tab)
Wales won last year's Six Nations, and in some style, their only defeat coming in a tight match in Paris. Ireland were dispatched along the way, though their 21-16 win was never comfortable and the result might have been different were it not for the red card awarded to Ireland's Peter O'Mahony.
They won't be favorites against Ireland, though — not least because they'll be missing many of their best players. In fact, the list of injured stars reads like a who's who of Welsh Rugby Union: Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Josh Navidi, Dan Lydiate, George North and Leigh Halfpenny. That's more than 700 caps missing for the tie. Dan Biggar will captain in the absence of Wyn Jones, and he will bring experience alongside the likes of Liam Williams and Ellis Jenkins.
With home advantage this time round, Ireland will be keen to avenge that defeat and get their campaign off to a good start. Unlike Wales, they have almost a full squad to choose from and what's more they've been in sparkling form of late. In fact, they're won their past eight Tests, with the mighty New Zealand among those dispatched during that run. Johnny Sexton will captain on his 102nd appearance and the smart money says his team will be too strong for the Welsh. However, no Six Nations match is easy, so don't hold us to that.
Here's how they'll line up:
Wales: L Williams; McNicholl, Adams, Tompkins, Rees-Zammit; Biggar, T Williams; W Jones, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, E Jenkins, Basham, Wainwright.
Replacements: Lake, G Thomas, D Lewis, S Davies, Moriarty, G Davies, Sheedy, Watkin.
Ireland: Keenan, Conway, Ringrose, Aki, Hansen, Sexton, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, Doris, Van Der Flier, Conan
Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Bealham, Baird, O'Mahony, Murray, Carbery, Hume
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Can the reigning Six Nations champions Wales pull off what would be a shock in Dublin? Find out by watching the Ireland vs Wales live stream, which we'll show you how to do below. And don't forget to also turn in to the England vs Scotland live stream for more Six Nations rugby this weekend.
How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream for free in the UK
The entire Six Nations rugby will be shown on free-to-air TV in the U.K. — and that's great news wherever you are.
The games are being split between BBC and ITV, but in the case of the Ireland vs Wales live stream you'll find it on ITV or ITV Hub (opens in new tab), with kick off set for 2.15 p.m. GMT.
If, however, you're an a Brit with a valid TV licence who isn't in the U.K. right now, you can still watch services from your home country. All you'll need is one of the best VPN services, like ExpressVPN (opens in new tab). Read on and we'll explain…
How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream in the Six Nations wherever you are
The Ireland vs Wales live stream will be shown on many different channels across the world, but what if you're not in your home country and want to watch it on your usual service?
The answer is to use a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN will let you tune into your home coverage from wherever you are — meaning that if you're abroad, you can use one of the best VPN services to watch the games live as if you were in your lounge.
Our favorite right now is ExpressVPN (opens in new tab), thanks to its combination of superb speed, great customer service and excellent device support. It also offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so you could check it out without having to sign up long term.
(opens in new tab)Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN (opens in new tab) is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ITV Hub or another service and watch the game.
Exclusive Tom's Guide Discount: Save 49% on the 12-month ExpressVPN plan (opens in new tab)
How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream in the US
Rugby fans in the U.S. can watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream on Peacock (opens in new tab), NBC's streaming service. To tune in, you'll need to be signed up for either a Premium subscription ($4.99/month) or Premium Plus ($9.99/month, which also gets rid of ads.
The game starts at 9.15 a.m. ET / 6.15 a.m. PT.
If you're outside of the U.S. but still have the right Peacock subscription, you can watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream by using a VPN such as ExpressVPN (opens in new tab).
(opens in new tab)How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream in Canada
Canadian rugby union fans can watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream on DAZN (opens in new tab).
Sadly, DAZN no longer offers new customers a 30-day free-trial period, so you'll have to pay the $20 CAD per month fee, although you can save a little by buying annually ($150 CAD). DAZN, if you're unfamiliar, has apps on every single streaming platform there is.
Canadians stuck abroad that still want their low-price alternative can use a VPN such as ExpressVPN (opens in new tab) to trick their streaming device into thinking it's back in the great white north.
How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream in Australia
Those lucky Aussies can watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream on Stan Sport (opens in new tab) and enjoy all the Six Nations action from the other side of the globe.
Stan can be accessed via a wide variety of devices including many smart TVs, iOS and Android phones, Chromecast, Apple TV and more — plus it costs a very reasonable $20 AUD per month ($10 for a standard subscription and $10 for the Sport add-on). A 7-day FREE trial (opens in new tab) gives you a taste of the platform — and the good news is that the free trial also includes the Sport add-on.
As well as the Six Nations rugby, Stan also has Champions League 21/22 live streams and Europa League coverage plus tennis action from Wimbledon and Roland-Garros and lots more.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN to watch all the action on your Stan account, as if you were back home.
How to watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream in New Zealand
New Zealanders can watch the Ireland vs Wales live stream on Sky Sport (opens in new tab). This costs $57.98 NZD per month, or $31.99/month extra if you already have Sky but not Sport. Plus there's currently an offer which gives you your first month free when you sign up for a year.
Alternatively, you could go for the Sky Sport Now service (opens in new tab), which gives you just the Sport channels but for a reduced cost of $19.99/week / $39.99/month or $399/year.
Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow the game by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN (opens in new tab).
