Ireland crushed Italy to make it two wins from two in this season's 6 Nations.

England’s quest for an unprecedented hat-trick of Six Nations titles was launched by a 46-15 victory over Italy that produced a late flurry of tries.

Gloucester 17 Stade Francais 25: Gloucester let an early 10-point lead slip to go down to Stade Francais at BT Murrayfield as they failed to impose themselves in the European Challenge Cup final.

French giants Stade Francais and Racing 92 will merge next season, forming an “absolute monster” Top 14 Paris super club.

Italy 10, New Zealand 68: Conor O’Shea’s mantra since day one of his Italian job has been “Rome was not built in day”. The 10-try drubbing on Saturday seemed like a reminder it only took the Goths three days to destroy it.

Joe Schmidt admitted Ireland's nine-try thumping of Italy "released the pressure valve" amid a testing RBS 6 Nations campaign.

Italy 20 Scotland 36: Jason O’Halloran hopes Scotland can shake off their mental shackles after finally halting their long RBS 6 Nations losing streak.

Who are the Stade Francais players Munster need to look out for?

To say the weight has been lifted from CJ Stander’s shoulders by the end of Munster’s losing streak would be underplaying the relief the province’s captain is feeling as he heads to Paris.

Leicester Tigers 33 Stade Francais 20: Leicester Tigers got their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign off to a flying start with a four-try demolition of French champions Stade Francais.

Jonathan Sexton will be hoping referee Nigel Owens can offer him protection this weekend from French heads and elbows that have previously left him battered and bruised.

Ireland 16 Italy 9: JOE SCHMIDT had a feeling things would get tougher when Ireland’s World Cup bandwagon eventually ran into Italy.

The game gets faster, the hits bigger and the scrums last longer but Mike Ross just keeps rumbling along, Ireland’s must-play prop and the man on which Joe Schmidt relies the most.

Fear is Italy’s best friend for today’s clash, suggests Donal Lenihan.

If ever there was a man primed for a tough day at the rugby coalface, it is Peter O’Mahony; relaxed, fresh and ready for what the Ireland flanker expects will be typically abrasive collision with the Italy pack on Sunday.

Sergio Parisse would be lauded as the world’s best number eight if he were an All Black, according to Italy lock Quintin Geldenhuys.

There is no doubt that Ireland would much prefer to be facing an Italy side this weekend that did not feature the talents of their captain and inspiration Sergio Parisse.

Sergio Parisse is unlikely to train with Italy until Thursday this week, at the earliest, once again calling into question the Azzurri captain’s fitness ahead of their critical Rugby World Cup Pool D meeting with Ireland at London’s Olympic Stadium this Sunday.

Steve Neville looks at five backs who could have a breakthrough tournament in England at the World Cup.

Stuart Lancaster has urged Twickenham to will England to victory tomorrow evening as he prepares to order his RBS 6 Nations title hopefuls to carry the game to France.

Italy 0 France 29

RBS Six Nations: England 47 Italy 17: England full-back Mike Brown receives medical attention for a head injury.

England 47 Italy 17

RBS Six Nations

Ireland laboured for an hour before two tries in three minutes launched their RBS 6 Nations title defence with a 26-3 victory that was more sluggish than routine in Italy.

Sergio Parisse has admitted Ireland caught Italy on the hop by handing Ian Keatley his RBS 6 Nations debut this weekend.

Ireland start the defence of their RBS 6 Nations crown by facing Italy in Rome tomorrow.

Sergio Parisse has admitted Ireland caught Italy on the hop by handing Ian Keatley his RBS 6 Nations debut this weekend.

Ireland have not been the only ones to have changed immeasurably since that March day in Rome two years ago.

Six things to keep an eye on in this year’s Six Nations

Sergio Parisse believes Ireland are “the best team in the northern hemisphere” but believes Italy can upset them in their RBS 6 Nations opener at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Saturday. 

RBS 6 NATIONS:

Italy are out to rain on Brian O’Driscoll’s great leaving parade in Dublin on Saturday, according to captain Marco Bortolami.

I can understand why Brian O’Driscoll will be centre stage at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow for his last home game in an Ireland jersey but Paris was really where it all began for him.

Veteran lock Marco Bortolami will captain Italy in tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations game against Ireland.

Like the captain he plays beside in Ireland’s second row, Devin Toner may be happy with the way the Irish lineout has improved since the systems meltdown in Rome last March but the locks will be taking nothing for granted as they seek revenge against the Italians on Saturday.