Confidence has been dented but successful provinces can begin the healing process

Our rugby correspondent also hands out the gongs for player, coach, team and try of the tournament

Veteran fullback convinced Ireland have the ability to regroup and be a force again

Renewed questions for Schmidt and Ireland following a surprisingly ragged performance

Coach says risks were taken in Six Nations to build squad strength for the World Cup

Ireland coach says display in Cardiff not as bad as opening loss to England

Late Larmour try no consolation for Ireland as Warren Gatland wins a third Grand Slam

Ireland will need to be at their best to deny Wales a Grand Slam in front of expectant home crowd

Heavy rain predicted for Saturday with a weather warning in place for strong winds

Tadhg Beirne to make Six Nations debut while O’Brien and Kearney return

Seán O’Brien is also in line to come back into the team after being left out against France

Scrumhalf expects Wales to be well-primed for Cardiff showdown but says Ireland will be ready

Leinster flanker (24) hasn’t played since December, but could be deployed against Wales

The coach and his team are proven big-game performers and Ireland have it all to do

Beating Wales on their own turf has proved beyond the hugely successful Ireland coach

Ireland take on a Grand Slam-seeking Wales still in the mix and feeling better about chances

Four tries for Joe Schmidt’s side secured a bonus point ahead of final trip to Cardiff

With his son playing for France Under-20s, the former Irish international’s story goes on

Joe Schmidt knows his side have to win this one, and now he’s got the team that can do it

Van der Flier’s return at open side to be one of six changes from the pack in Rome

Cheekbone and eye socket fractures suffered against England won’t stop the number eight

Ringrose, Healy, Best, Ryan and Henderson all likely to start for Ireland against France

First France coach to name the same team for successive Tests since 2012

Jacques Brunel has retained the same French matchday 23 for the trip to Dublin

Gerry Thornley: Irish team can rebuild momentum by matching 2003 formula

Leinster youngster keen to get back to action after missing Italy game over minor niggle

Ireland coach says Sexton will train fully next week with Carbery to return on Wednesday

Ireland coach says Joey Carbery, Dan Leavy and Robbie Henshaw set to train next week

World Rugby has managed to antagonise all the stake-holders in the game that matter

Sexton says the issue of player load needs to be properly understood in any talks

Three substandard performances later, this team need to start enjoying rugby again

Coach concerned team may be trying too hard and starting to lose faith in themselves

Ireland captain knows taking a five-point haul from Rome is no mean achievement

Schmidt relieved to get a bonus-point victory following a scrappy, error-ridden display

Joe Schmidt’s side limp home with bonus point after poor performance at the Stadio Olimpico

Joe Schmidt looking for an improved overall performance against plucky Italians

‘I want to be the best, definitely, and I know that in the first two games I can be better’

Joe Schmidt expected to make changes in pack for meeting with Italy

Outhalf has been limited to just 103 minutes of rugby since the turn of the year

Now an Irish citizen, South African enjoying his time with Connacht and his life in Galway

An England win at the Principality Stadium would as good as decide the Six Nations title

Joe Schmidt's Ireland replacement says he’ll need to ‘let people have their legs’

Planned €30m upgrade would help club attract talent and boost commercial growth

Current revenue model of the global game likely to be replaced by new arrangements

England are showing the Six Nations how to use an old tactic to perfection

They may not be back to fluent best, but there were a lot of positives in win over Scotland

Schmidt may have scope to use tournament to ready squad for Tokyo next September

‘On a personal level it was great to get out there and get the experience,’ Munster man says

Scotland coach accepts Ireland are of a slightly higher quality and that showed

First half tries from Conor Murray and Jacob Stockdale set the visitors on their way

Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray should have enough to pull Scotland around the park

Aki has only been ruled out by injury once, and today is his 14th start in last 17 Test matches

Head coach changes five for Scotland encounter at Murrayfield

Kearney in line to be reinstated at fullback while O’Brien to bring experience to open side

Robbie Henshaw to return to centre, Seán O’Brien and Jack Conan in backrow

Management have no fears over Connacht secondrow in must-win Six Nations game

Winger has recovered from injury and holds up hand for England’s opening try

Gregor Townsend is right to gamble on his instinctive playmaker in Ireland clash

There are issues to address after England defeat, but this Irish side deserves our faith

Stander’s facial injury set to force a change at No 8 for Scotland clash

England dominate key gain-line contest as Ireland’s go-to carriers stopped in their tracks

England started with an early try and never relented against an out-of-sorts Ireland

O'Driscoll and O'Gara on why you would not swap Ireland's halfback pairing for any in world rugby

Visitors bring heavyweight pack with lots of ballast, a mix of brute force and creativity

On this very week before last season’s opener Best considered resigning as captain

Unpredictable les bleus will fired up and keen to redeem themselves after Fiji upset

Ireland head coach admits he has one eye on World Cup with fullback selection

Former Ireland captain believes England’s strength is overstated as they arrive in Dublin

Murray’s return at scrumhalf and Henshaw at fullback likely to be the only changes

‘There’s no doubt that it’s a huge game for lots of different reasons, but for us it’s the next game'

Winger not expecting to equal last year’s try tally, but could seize the day at Six Nations

It is a headline and we are focusing on how good we can be. Let’s see how the game goes

Coaching duties in Auckland will dovetail with TV punditry in Dublin for Six Nations

Subsuming tournament in a new ‘World League of Nations’ would be fraught with danger

Veteran Kiwi coach knows when Wales have momentum their confidence soars

Narrow margins and intense competition define a tournament like no other for coach

Tournament set to hit the ground running with clash at Aviva on opening weekend

Ireland coach says he has no interest in job for at least 12 months after World Cup

Strength of Irish provinces bodes well with the start of the Six Nations fast approaching

In-form youngster says there is a feeling in the side that they can now take on anyone

Exeter prove tough nut to crack as Munster grind out a win through sheer will and work

For many fans, Champions Cup quarter-finals will be bigger than UK leaving the EU

All of the Irish provinces are through to the last eight but who will they play?

‘You’ve got to get out of your pool. We did the hard work and we’re into a quarter-final’

Joey Carbery’s late penalty secures tense win as Munster qualify for record 18th quarter-final

Henderson’s return a timely fillip as they try to seal the deal against Murphy’s Leicester

O’Mahony’s return the ideal boost as Exeter attempt to storm the Limerick citadel

The 24-year-old made the move to Munster with big games like today's against Exeter in mind

All four Irish provinces could qualify for European quarter-finals for a first time

Secondrow says partnership with Tadhg Beirne is flourishing ahead of showdown

Schmidt embraces green energy with Jack Carty, Tom Farrell and Caolin Blade selected

‘We’re under no illusions as to what waits for us on Saturday,’ admits Munster centre

Connacht scrumhalf looks like he will be included when Joe Schmidt names his 38

Injured captain’s chances of playing in Saturday’s Pool 2 showdown ‘50-50 at best’

Provinces place far greater trust in youngsters to help them punch above their weight

Munster head coach knows they will need the Thomond Park energy in Exeter showdown

Full extent of rib cartilage injury will only become clearer after the results of a scan

Toulouse succumb to home side’s remorseless carrying and recycling

Four Irish provinces on top of their European pools, although all still need one more win to make sure of qualification

Leinster will top Pool 1 in Champions Cup with a win over Wasps next weekend