Scotland vs England LIVE: Six Nations rugby score and result from Calcutta Cup today

After such severe injury issues, it is a Welsh side with a new look to begin the defence of their Six Nations crown. For the first time since 2006, they line up for the opening game of the tournament without either Alun Wyn Jones or Ken Owens, with Dan Biggar taking on leadership duties. Two spots along from the fly-half is perhaps where the most eye-catching selection comes – Josh Adams makes his first international start at outside centre as part of an exciting, attacking backline.

Autumn star Taine Basham and Ellis Jenkins should dovetail well in the back row, particularly when bothering Ireland’s breakdown ball, while after a breakthrough year-and-a-half-or-so Adam Beard takes on even greater importance without the skipper alongside him. Uncapped rake Dewi Lake awaits a debut at hooker among the substitutes.

Wales: 15-L. Williams, 14-McNicholl, 13-Adams, 12-Tompkins, 11-Rees-Zammit, 10-Biggar, 9-T. Williams; 1-W. Jones, 2-Elias, 3-Francis, 4-Rowlands, 5-Beard, 6-Jenkins, 7-Basham, 8-Wainwright

Replacements: 16-Lake, 17-G. Thomas, 18-Lewis, 19-Carter, 20-Moriarty, 21-G. Davies, 22-Sheedy, 23-Watkin

Thirteen of the Irish starting fifteen that beat the All Blacks in November also begin the Six Nations opener. The injection of Tadhg Beirne ensures there will be little drop off in the second row even with Iain Henderson short of fitness, while in the absence of James Lowe on the left wing there is a debut for Mack Hansen, a star in his first season at Connacht. Hansen, an Australia U20 international, qualifies through his Cork-born mother and is comfortable across the back three.

Robbie Henshaw is another who misses out after an adductor issue that has limited his training time, which means another club standout awaits a debut in the centres from the bench: James Hume has been a key cog in Ulster’s impressive backline. There should also be a first Six Nations appearance for Dan Sheehan, the wickedly talented Dubliner who is one of 14 Leinster-men in the 23.

Ireland: 15-Keenan, 14-Conway, 13-Ringrose, 12-Aki, 11-Hansen, 10-Sexton, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Kelleher, 3-Furlong, 4-Beirne, 5-Ryan, 6-Doris, 7-Van Der Flier, 8-Conan

Replacements: 16-Sheehan, 17-Healy, 18-Bealham, 19-Baird, 20-O’Mahony, 21-Murray, 22-Carbery, 23-Hume

Wales’ campaign isn’t off to an ideal start. Seb Davies is struggling with spasms in his back so drops off the bench, replaced by young locking talent Ben Carter in the number 19 jersey. A blow on matchday for Wayne Pivac.

However that does make a fine cue for us to look at the two teams in depth...

Wales were unlikely champions 12 months ago, taking advantage of a little bit of luck but showing plenty of fight and flair on their way to a well-earned crown. The task this year is even tougher - Wayne Pivac’s injury list reads like a Welsh rugby who’s who with desperate fitness misfortune. Such is the strength of this year’s competition that even as defending champions you might consider them outsiders for the tournament, but there are plenty in Ireland who are wary of writing off a wounded Wales with little to lose as they head to Dublin.

This year’s Six Nations will be “a championship for the ages” as it returns with renewed vitality after the pandemic forced last year’s tournament behind closed doors. Follow every twist and turn with our free weekly newsletter, which will arrive in your inbox every Monday.

Here’s how to sign up:

We’ll have a closer dig through the two teams in a bit, but this is a classic Six Nations fixture to kick us off, and there is plenty that catches the eye.

Here are some of the big talking points:

And the on-field action won’t be bad, either. The autumn was one of great positives for most of our competing nations, capitalising on weary Southern Hemisphere foes but producing a string of statement performances. Ireland and France felled the All Blacks, England went unbeaten and both Scotland and Wales put away Australia, and sage heads say that this could be the most hard-fought edition of this grand old tournament yet.

“It could be the most competitive and open Six Nations in history,” posited Italian head coach Kieran Crowley from Rome at last week’s launch. “Everyone is looking strong. You look at the results from November and the best rugby is being played in the Northern Hemisphere.”

There is still more than an hour and a half until it all gets underway at the Aviva Stadium, but there are a few early birds who have filed past the filling taverns for Dublin’s chief rugby amphitheatre. There is little like a Six Nations city on matchday, and plenty of those of a Welsh persuasion have travelled to to add red streaks to the green sea. With fans free to flock and frolic with greater freedom than at any point in the last two years this should be a spectacular tournament...

Open the turnstiles and ready your voices - the Six Nations is here! 23 long months since fans were last permitted to attend rugby’s most storied annual championship, it returns in all its technicolour glory with renewed vitality and verve. Rugby in the northern hemisphere has rarely, if ever, been better and with five genuine contenders for the crown, the tournament proper looks set to return with a bang.

Where better to begin than Dublin for a clash between fancied Ireland, looking to build on an outstanding autumn, and a wounded Wales, without a host of stars as they look to defend the title they improbably secured last year.

We’ll have all the thrills, spills and action over the next month or so as destination of the 2022 Six Nations is decided - and this could be a tournament for the ages.

The game will kick off at 2.15pm GMT at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and ITV Sport will air the game live in the UK, with S4C also providing coverage in Wales. Ireland are the favourites:

Ireland – 1/7

Wales – 9/2

Draw – 25/1