Ireland v Italy Six Nations Hospitality 2026

The rivalry between Ireland and Italy in the Six Nations Championship has been less intense compared to some other matchups in the tournament’s history, but it still features a notable history. Here’s an overview of their encounters in the Six Nations:

🏉 Head-to-Head Record

As of 2025, Ireland has a dominant record over Italy in the Six Nations, having won most of their encounters.

• Total matches played: Over 30+ times in the Six Nations.

• Ireland’s victories: Ireland has won the vast majority of these encounters, often with comfortable margins.

• Italy’s victories: Italy has never defeated Ireland in the Six Nations, with Ireland holding an unbeaten record against Italy in the competition since their first encounter.

Notable Results:

• First Encounter: The first Six Nations match between Ireland and Italy took place in 1995, when Italy joined the tournament. Ireland won that match 23–6.

• Ireland’s Biggest Wins: Ireland has secured large victories over Italy, including:

  • A 53–10 win in 2013 in Dublin.

  • A 58–15 win in 2016 also in Dublin.

  • A 47–5 win in 2021 in Rome, reflecting Ireland’s dominance in recent years.

• Closest Encounter: Italy came closest to beating Ireland in the 2013 Six Nations, where they lost by a narrow margin, 22–15.

🏆 Recent Encounters:

• In 2021, Ireland defeated Italy 47–5 in Rome. This performance was a dominant one with standout individual performances from the Irish side.

• In the 2022 Six Nations, Ireland continued their winning streak with a 57–6 victory over Italy in Dublin, showcasing their skill and depth in the competition.

• 2023 Six Nations saw Ireland once again overpower Italy 34–10 in Rome. Italy showed flashes of competitiveness, but Ireland’s quality and consistency were too strong.

🔄 Key Trends in the Rivalry:

• Ireland’s Dominance: Ireland has always been considered one of the tournament’s stronger teams, and their superiority in the Six Nations is reflected in their results against Italy. The Irish have often used these matchups to fine-tune their squads for bigger challenges later in the tournament.

• Italy’s Struggle: Italy, while improving over the years, has generally struggled to match the top-tier teams like Ireland. They have, however, occasionally shown resilience and will continue to develop their rugby system to try to bridge the gap with these giants.

🏆 Memorable Moments:

• 2013 Victory in Rome: Although Ireland secured a victory in the 2013 Six Nations, Italy gave them a scare. It was a game that showed Italy’s potential, but ultimately Ireland held on for the win.

• The 2021 Performance: Ireland’s 47–5 win in 2021 was a massive result, where they showcased their attacking strength, putting on a clinic for future opponents in the tournament.

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Overall Summary:

• Ireland has been the clear dominant force in this rivalry, consistently winning most encounters by comfortable margins.

• Italy has been working on improving their play, but they have struggled to break through against stronger teams like Ireland.

• Despite Italy’s struggles in the Six Nations, the matches between the two teams remain competitive, and it will be interesting to see how their future encounters evolve.

In 2026, Ireland will continue to face Italy as one of their more straightforward fixtures, but Italy will be hoping to close the gap in future tournaments.