It’s fresh out, it’s February and there’s a rugby football feast afoot.

Yes it’s Six Nations time and this year’s edition carries special significance as it signals renewal across almost every participating side.

Ireland are no exception, with the captain retired, one or two old stalwarts omitted from either starting XV or the wider squad. And, of course, there’s the new head coach in the hot-seat.

Today will mark Andy Farrell’s first match as a head coach and he along with the Irish rugby-supporting public will be hoping to see strong signs of rejuvenation to move us on, at long last, from the World Cup debacle.

Kick off in the Aviva Stadium is coming up at 16.45, so you still have time to tune in to Virgin Media and get yourself nice and comfortable for an 80-minute shift.

Here are your runners and riders for match 2 of this year’s Six Nations.

Ireland:

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rob Herring
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. CJ Stander
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris

Replacements:

16. Ronan Kelleher
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Peter O’Mahony
21. John Cooney
22. Ross Byrne 
23. Robbie Henshaw 

Scotland:

15. Stuart Hogg (captain)
14. Sean Maitland 
13. Huw Jones
12. Sam Johnson
11. Blair Kinghorn
10. Adam Hastings
9. Ali Price

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Fraser Browne
3. Zander Fagerson
4. Scott Cummings
5. Jonny Gray
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nick Haining

Replacements:

16. Stuart McInally
17. Allan Dell
18. Simon Berghan
19. Ben Toolis
20. Cornell du Preez
21. George Horne
22. Rory Hutchinson
23. Chris Harris

Referee: Mathieu Raynal [France].

The Aviva Stadium light show and the unofficial national anthem – shipping up to Boston – are in full swing now on Lansdowne Road. The teams are in the tunnel and we’re all itching for the waiting to finally end.

For all the newness of the Andy Farrell era, playing Enter Sandman after the anthems is the best move yet.

KICK-OFF came after the Metallica instrumental, but it’s Scotland who have gotten off to a rockin’ start.

Townsend’s men set out on  a nice wide-wide pattern and make good ground either side to make it to the 22.

Caelan Doris begins his Test career brilliantly by forcing a penalty turnover and Ireland can ease pressure.

Ireland kick the ball away and… oh no. There is a sickening blow taken by Doris. The big number 8 is out cold on the 22 metre line.

A horribly rapid end to his Test debut.

PENALTY! Ireland 0 Scotland 3 (Hastings ’5)

The penalty came against James Ryan in the breakdown was Doris was down.

After a double disappointment on the last set, Ireland look bright in attack with Garry Ringrose cutting through a gap and making a big break off a tidy Sexton pass.

The penalty comes on the left flank and the skipper taps the ball to touch. Herring will throw in 10 metres from the try-line.

TRY! Ireland 5 Scotland 3 (Sexton ’10)

There’s the first try of the Andy Farrell era and it’s Jonathan Sexton off a Conor Murray pass after Ireland had set up shop with a series of powerful forward drives.

Jordan Larmour took the eye of the defender with a very sharp angle towards Murray as he was passing, but the skipper runs it in and converts the extras too.

Ireland 7 Scotland 3

Cian Healy looks to be very harshly penalised on a scrum 15 inside Ireland’s half.

Hastings will have another shot at goal… and he’s nailed it again.

PENALTY! Ireland 7 Scotland 6 (Hastings ’15)

I think we neglected to mention, but of course Peter O’Mahony came on in place of Caelan Doris and he is loving life right now after playing a big role to stymie a Scottish maul deep in Ireland’s 22.

The match has yet to settle into a solid patter, but Scotland are attacking with venom and they have gotten on the right side of the ref to keep Ireland turning around through the penalty count.

Jonathan Sexton is getting plenty of opportunity to show his communication skills as captain with a string of frustrating calls going the way of the visitors.

Ireland’s defence is standing up to the scrutiny so far. Sam Johnson made a nice cut, but was met by JVDF. And Ireland succeeded in forcing a turnover penalty.

The TMO looks to have missed a very reckless charge from Zander Fagerson on O’Mahony, but the citing commissioner may well want another look.

Ireland set up an interesting looking play off line-out, but they don’t go with it as CJ makes a deep cut around the corner.

Murray flashes the ball wide, but Scotland have numbers to contend with Larmour the move ifzzles out on the other side. Scotland clear their lines and Conway spills, it’s felt a bit that sort of day. Non-fatal errors, but frustration all over.

Jordan Larmour has put to the match to this tinder box. He chips over the top as he tears away from Hogg and Cummings shoves him to the turf.

Nothing doing says Raynal the visitors hack back and now have  scrum to work off in Ireland’s 22.

The Aviva roars its approval as Ireland strip the ball and Conway hacks clear two passes later.

Hogg kicks back, Murray is caught in possession and James Ryan is pinged at the breakdown for sealing off.

Hastings has a pop from wide out on the left, but he’s missed his first off the tee today.

Stockdale takes the restart almost at full pelt and gallops Ireland back into opposition territory. Andy Farrell’s men are certainly being forced to dig deep here. And after foregoing an early penalty kick at goal, Sexton takes the tee after Murray is taken without the ball.

PENALTY! Ireland 10 Scotland 6 (Sexton ’34)

Nice strike from Sexton. Scotland must be sickened. They’ve had a few rubs of various greens and still they trail approaching the break.

And now Jonny Gray has ploughed in the side of a ruck and Sexton has a chance to extend the lead further from 40 metres.

The skipper didn’t connect with that one cleanly, but wait Bundee Aki raids through a big gap on halfway and returns the ball to Ringrose as Ireland mount a late attack.

Oh, wow. Conor Murray is intercepted by Sam Johnson.

He can’t go it alone, but Townsend’s men deliver a string of impressive offloads and angles in the hope of keeping the move alive. Ireland to well to disrupt and bring a thrilling passage of play to a grinding halt.

HALF-TIME: Ireland 10 Scotland 6

Jamie has some half-time notes

The second half half is underway through Sexton’s boot. Can Ireland hit their straps and put this one beyond Scotland?

Garry Ringrose has been withdrawn at the interval. The old Connacht midfield axis of Henshaw and Aki will reform for this half.

A slow and stodgy attacking set from Ireland ends with Murray and then Sexton forcing the issue with vicious whipped passes. The latter skips a defender out and reaches Conway, but the wing attempts to offload and Johnson snaffles it away.

Not to worry, the penalty comes for not rolling away and Sexton can slot Ireland seven clear.

PENALTY: Ireland 13 Scotland 6 (Sexton ’44)

A very decent looking Scotland attack, the kind they haven’t produced since the opening minutes, and it’s dangerous as they raid  the left flank.

Fortunately, Larmour pops up to snatch the pass intended for Haining and is able to turn the visitors around.

Ireland pinged at the scrum again and Hogg knocks the penalty up to the 22. They won’t let Ireland set into any rhythm here and the Farrell-Easterby defence is getting plenty to do.

Dave Kilcoyne has been sent on with just over 31 minutes to go. Can the Munster loosehead produce the sort of spark Ireland need?

Oh my word. Stuart Hogg has just utterly botched what should have been a well-worked try.

The fullback was in in the corner and even punched the air after touching it down, but a very quick TMO review shows that he spilled (almost Stockdale style) with the score begging.

Unfortunately, Dave Kilcoyne’s match ended soon after it began. Healy is back on as the Munster man suffered what looked like a very bad concussion and was stretchered off.

The penalty advantage came through for Scotland, though, and Hastings nudges his side a touch closer.

Penalty! Ireland 13 Scotland 9 (Hastings ’52)

Ireland’s next attack yields a penalty against Hastings for a high tackle on Sexton.

Soft enough, but it’s by the book and it allows Ireland set up shop in the 22 where Tadhg Furlong attempts to wriggle through a swell of bodies.

PENALTY! Ireland 16 Scotland 9 (Sexton ’55)

HEEEEERE’S JOHNNY!

Ulster 9 John Cooney is on the field for the closing 20 minutes of this tie.

You can sense this game is in the melting pot now. Scotland continue to try to play their inventive style knowing a seven-pointer will tie us up.

We’ve spent the day waiting to see Ireland take shape and now they’re in danger of retreating into their shell.

CJ Stander, who has been one of the better performers, is penalised for not rolling away and Hastings can kick at goal from 30 metres.

PENALTY! Ireland 16 Scotland 12 (Hastings’ 65)

Andrew Porter has now replaced Cian Healy. So Tadhg Furlong will go the full 80.

Devin Toner comes on in place of Henderson. Big moment for the big man after his head-scratching omission from the world cup.

He takes a majestic line-out and Cooney hoists a garryowen that is contested with venom by Conway.

It comes to nought this time for Ireland, but it’s got the people going.

Sexton launches another high ball for Conway to chase. The Munster man is nudged by Johnson as he moves in towards the dropping pill and the penalty comes directly in front of the posts. 25 metres out.

This should seal the win for Ireland.

PENALTY! Ireland 19 Scotland 12 (Sexton ’72)

And that penalty is Sexton’s last act. Ross Byrne is brought on to close this one out.

Ronan Kelleher is also on for his Test debut.

Scotland still pose serious danger. Haining breaks in midfield and Watson takes up the ball on a ncie angle around the corner to set his side up in Ireland’s 22.

This must be their best shot of a result here. Time is on their side.

The onslaught continues on Ireland’s line. It’s all hands to the pump to protect this flimsy seven-point lead.

And there’s CJ Stander with a big jackal on the 5 metre line to force the penalty.

The Munster man has been excellent this evening.

Tadhg Furlong limps towards the sideline and so Cian Healy is brought back on for the second time today.

No rest for the wicked.

Botched spacing at the line-out invites one last bout of pressure, but Josh van der Flier has been relentless today and helps to slow up the ball and bring about a green scrum.

Mike Catt and Andy Farrell pump their fists in the coaching box.

FULL-TIME: Ireland 19 Scotland 12

And there we have it. Andy Farrell wins his first game as head coach. Just.

His new era is under way with some new faces and new focus. But it was far from a complete and convincing display from a squad that set out to right wrongs of the World Cup.

Still, new campaign and a winning start to it.

I guess that’s all we can ask for.