Six Nations 2024 LIVE: France v Ireland build-up plus latest news

Fraser Dingwall will take extra satisfaction from his England debut knowing it embodies a triumph of persistence.

Dingwall starts Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Italy at inside centre as reward for his impressive form for Northampton, who provide three of the backline at the Stadio Olimpico.

Injuries to Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi have presented the 24-year-old with a platform to offer the solution to England’s perennial problem position – and it has been earned the hard way.

Head coach Steve Borthwick was left nervously waiting on the results of a scan to determine the severity of Smith’s injury but the 24-year-old has now been ruled out of Saturday’s match.

Sebastian Negri has no interest in mincing his words when it comes to Italy’s performance on the big stage last autumn. “Look, there’s no doubt about it, we let ourselves down at the World Cup,” he admits.

Now it is time to meet the next generation. Posolo Tuilagi will make his France debut in their Six Nations opener against Ireland, the hulking lock considered a rising star. Still a teenager, Posolo remains eligible for France’s Under 20s, but has already featured prominently in two Top 14 seasons for Perpignan, the club at which father Henry ended his professional playing career.

Born in Samoa, Posolo has been in France since he was three and made his professional debut for Les Sang et Or in September 2022. Weighing nearly 150kg, his stature made him an immediate stand-out, but Tuilagi combines his natural size advantage with the skill that has powered him into the international picture so soon.

New Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony has dismissed suggestions Friday’s “colossal” Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser against France will be an early title decider.

Andy Farrell’s men will run out in Marseille as reigning Grand Slam champions on the back of a decisive 32-19 round-two win over the French last February in Dublin.

Les Bleus, who are the pre-tournament favourites this year, completed a championship clean sweep in 2022 following a crucial 30-24 victory over Ireland in Paris.

Munster flanker O’Mahony, who has taken the captaincy from the retired Johnny Sexton, played down talk of silverware once again being decided by the fixture ahead of a mouth-watering opening evening at Stade Velodrome.

The Netflix cameras are back amongst things in camp this Six Nations, with good viewing figures since the documentary’s release suggesting that a second series of Full Contact may be on the way. How did the makers of Drive to Survive fare in their first attempt? Find out what we thought here:

There are plenty of tasty courses to come in this Six Nations but France vs Ireland is no ordinary appetiser.

Andy Farrell has urged Ireland to be courageous when they take on formidable pre-tournament favourites France in a “mouth-watering” Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser.

The reigning Grand Slam champions are seeking to return to winning ways on Friday evening in Marseille following an agonising 28-24 World Cup quarter-final exit to New Zealand.

Although Les Bleus are without star man Antoine Dupont for this year’s championship, Ireland’s title defence in the post-Johnny Sexton era could not have begun with a tougher fixture.

The BBC and ITV will again share coverage of the Six Nations, with the two free-to-air broadcasters in the penultimate year of their combined deal. One prominent pundit has stepped away since the World Cup, but otherwise there is a familiar look to the broadcasting teams.

Nolann Le Garrec is one of the new faces that we’ve picked out as a potential breakthrough star of the competition. Who else could be set to make a name for themselves?