Italy vs Ireland live stream: how to watch the Six Nations 2023 free online and on TV today, kick-off

Paolo Garbisi of Italy tackles Robbie Henshaw of Ireland during a Six Nations Rugby match between Ireland and Italy
(Image credit: Federugby/Getty Images)

Italy vs Ireland Six Nations 2023 live stream

Good news: you can watch Italy vs Ireland for free on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK now. Rugby fans can also watch for free in Ireland via RTE Player. Peacock TV will be broadcasting this 2023 Six Nations clash in the USA, DAZN is the network for Canadian rugby fans, and Stan Sport is the place to find an Italy vs Ireland live stream in Australia. Use a VPN to watch your usual stream from anywhere if you are outside your home country.

Italy vs Ireland live stream: Six Nations preview

It's kick-off for Italy vs Ireland in the Six Nations 2023 and Andy Farrell's men are looking to take another big step towards the Grand Slam, as Ireland take on Italy in the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome in this crucial Six Nations fixture. It's a positively balmy 17 degrees centigrade at the ground which could come as a shock to the system for The Boys in Green.

Still, after brushing past Wales in their opening encounter of this year's tournament, the Irish were even more impressive in game week 2 as they ended France’s 14-match winning run with a stunning 32-19 win over the defending champions in Dublin.

The Italians gave a good account of themselves against the French in their 24-29 Six Nations opening day defeat, but took a notable step back last time out with a 31-14 capitulation to England at Twickenham.

The Azzurri are boosted by the return of Paolo Garbisi from injury, with Harlequins’ Tommaso Allan making way for the first-choice fly-half. Saracens tighthead Marco Riccioni is meanwhile replaced by Simone Ferrari in the only change to the Italian pack.

Ireland's huge win over France came at a cost, with skipper Johnny Sexton side-lined with a leg injury. Second row James Ryan has been given the captain’s armband in Sexton's absence while Ross Byrne starts at fly-half.

Italy vs Ireland kicks off at 2.15pm GMT / 9.15am EST today, Saturday 25th February, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Make sure you know how to watch an Italy vs Ireland Six Nations 2023 live stream.

Italy vs Ireland free live stream

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Italy vs Ireland will be broadcast live on ITV in the UK, and on the streaming service ITVX. It's free to watch as long as you have a TV licence.

New user? Register free for ITVX. All you need is your email address and postcode (e.g. W12 7RU).

Away from home? Use a VPN to unblock ITVX, and the free Italy vs France live stream, when travelling abroad. Details just below.

Italy vs Ireland Six Nations 2023 from abroad with a VPN

You won't be able to watch your regular Italy vs Ireland live stream while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you. You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though.

It's a straightforward piece of software which sets your device to appear as if it's in the right country, allowing you to watch a Italy vs Ireland live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for the 2023 Six Nations. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days

Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee with its VPN service. You can use it to watch Six Nations 2023 live streams on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. There's 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up. Try it – it's easier than you think.

For the best value, try the 12-month subscription.

How to use a VPN for Italy vs Ireland

Using a VPN to watch Six Nations 2023 is incredibly easy:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For Italy vs Ireland, you may wish to choose 'UK' for ITVX.

3. Then head over to ITVX on your browser or device and enjoy the free Italy vs Ireland live stream.

If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and Surfshark which offers 24 hour assistance.

Italy vs Ireland live stream kick-off times

Global Italy vs Ireland kick-off times

  • UK and Ireland: 2.15pm
  • Central Europe: 3.15pm
  • USA (EST/PST): 9.15am / 6.15am
  • Australia: 1.15am (Sunday)
  • New Zealand: 3.15am (Sunday)

Watch Italy vs Ireland live stream in the UK

You can watch Italy vs Ireland live and for free in the UK via ITV1.

Coverage starts at 1.25pm GMT today ahead of the 2.15pm kick-off.

This means its a piece of cake to watch the match online (either live or on catch-up), as you'll be able to get a free Six Nations live stream via the ITVX website or mobile app. 

Remember: You can watch every this match free on ITVX (Use a VPN to access either service when travelling outside of the UK).

Watch Italy vs Ireland live stream in Ireland

Like the UK, you'll be able to watch every match of 2023 Six Nations for free in Ireland.

Terrestrial channel RTE2 is on live broadcast duties for this clash in Rome, with coverage starting at 1.30pm IST - 45 minutes before kick-off.

That also means you'll be able to stream every game live via RTE Player, with the service available across a wide range of devices. 

Don't forget: Irish nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Italy vs Ireland live stream in Australia

Streaming service Stan Sport has the rights to show every match of the 2023 Six Nations live in Australia, and will be broadcasting every game ad-free.

Italy vs Ireland is set to kick-off at 1.15am AEDT on Saturday night/Sunday morning Down Under.

A Stan Sport subscription currently costs $10 per month in addition to a base $10 Stan sub. However, you can take advantage right now of a 7-day FREE trial.

As well as the Six Nations, Stan Sport also has the rights to a long list of top tier sports, including Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League football, and Formula E.

Don't forget: Australian nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Italy vs Ireland live stream in USA

Every match of this year's Six Nations will be available to watch in the US via Peacock TV and CNBC.

Kick-off in Rome is set for 9.15am ET / 6.15am PT today.

Peacock currently starts at $4.99 a month for its ad-supported tier, which will also give you access to a wide range of live sports including EPL soccer and Premiership Rugby

There's also the option of using a streaming service carrying CNBC. FuboTV offers more than 100 additional channels including CNBC as well as Fox, CBS and ESPN. Prices start at $74.99 a month after a FREE 7-day FuboTV trial.

You can also watch CNBC on Sling. You'll need a Sling Blue/Orange subscription plus the News Extra add-on ($6 a month).

As well as being able to watch Six Nations rugby, can watch the rugby, you'll also be able to watch NFL, College Football and more without a pricey cable subscription.

Don't forget: US nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Watch Italy vs Ireland in New Zealand

Kiwis can tune into Italy vs Ireland via Sky Sport, which is available as part of a range of pay TV packages. 

If you're a subscriber you'll also be able to watch online using the network's Sky Go service.

Kick-off is set for the somewhat inconvenient time of 3.15am NZDT in the early hours of Sunday morning.

If you're looking to cut the cords, you can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform - where a pass costs $19.99 per week or $39.99 per month. The monthly package comes with a 7-day free trial.

Don't forget: New Zealand nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Italy vs Ireland live stream in South Africa

Super Sport has rugby fans covered for live Six Nations matches in South Africa and will showing Italy vs Ireland live, along with every other match in this year's tournament.

Kick-off is set for 4.15pm SAST this afternoon.

And if you're not going to be able to watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Don't forget: South African nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Italy vs Ireland live in Singapore and Asia

This year's Six Nations will covered live across large parts of Asia by Premier Sports.

The network is set to show every game live in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Kick-off is at 10.15pm in Singapore, 7.45pm IST in India, 7.15pm PKT in Pakistan and at 9.15pm ICT in Thailand.

A weekly pass for Premier Sports Asia will currently set you back $25.99, but there's savings to be had if you opt for a rolling six-month contract at $89.99 or $129.99 for a full year.

Premier Sports Asia is largely focused on rugby, with a subscription giving you access to Heineken Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership, Super Rugby Pacific and Rugby Championship action.

Don't forget: Asian nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch is an award-winning journalist and author based in Dublin, Ireland. He started out as a music writer in the late 1990s before moving to the Daily Mirror to become the newspaper’s technology editor, during which time he wrote a weekly column that saw him chart the boom of consumer tech. He has also served as editor of GuinnessWorldRecords.com and has been a member of the prestigious judging panel for the BAFTA British Academy Video Game Awards. A keen West Ham United FC fan, Kevin is a regular contributor to some of the world's popular websites, covering everything from the best ways to watch your favourite sports online to the latest AV gear, smartphones and computers.