England vs Ireland Predictions, Six Nations Betting Tips & Bet Builder
Scott Borthwick's England side saw their Grand Slam - and likely Six Nations title - hopes dashed last weekend at Murrayfield, but will be looking to get back on the horse against Ireland on Saturday.
Ireland, back-to-back winners in 2023 and 2024, are going through an awkward phase following the retirement of several key players, and have a point to prove after a relatively poor start to this year's tournament.
England start the game as favourites with sports betting sites, and we've picked out three betting tips ahead of the game.
England vs Ireland Tips
Here’s a look at our rugby tips, along with the odds and best free bets for Saturday's game.
Tip 1: England to win -11 handicap
This fixture isn't the heavyweight clash it has been for the last couple of years, with Ireland in the middle of a slight regeneration of the side after seeing the likes of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton retire.
Dan Crowley has been restored to fly-half, which you suspect will make them harder to beat than with Sam Prendergast at 10, who for all his promise still has areas to iron out in his game.
Tadgh Furlong is also back to bolster the Irish side, so it might not be as easy a task as it could have been for England, but I would still expect them to have enough to record a win this weekend.
Even in defeat to Scotland last Saturday - a game in which they were comfortably second best - they only lost by 11 points, with a charge-down try proving decisive, and that proves how strong England are as a side when they can still give it a decent go despite being down to 14 men for almost half the game.
If things do click this weekend - and I expect them to with the players out to prove a point - then I think we could be in for a high-scoring game, and plenty of points.
Ireland have already shipped 49 points in this year's Championship, and England will fancy adding a few more.
Tip 2: Robert Baloucoune to score, England to win
I expect England to win this one, and to be honest there is not a lot of great value out there when looking at tryscorer/England win combos.
One that does catch my eye however, is Robert Baloucoune to touch down with a win for the Red Rose.
In a short international career to date, Baloucoune has had success with three tries already and was named man of the match in last week's win over Italy.
But it's England's defence I am thinking of here, with the weaknesses defending out wide exposed last week at Murrayfield.
I can see Ireland having some success down the sides rather than through the middle, where England's strengths lie, and while that might not be enough, there could at least be some joy for Ireland attackers.
Tip 3: England -11, Henry Arundell to score England's first try
We had success with a similar tip last week, tipping Scotland to win with a +4 handicap and Henry Arundell to score England's first try, so I'm not going to move too far away from that this week.
Yes it was a difficult week for Arundell, who was sin-binned and then sent off in a first half that dearly cost England, and it was a surprise to see him named in the starting XV again this week, but we still saw what he offers the side.
For the perceived defensive weaknesses - there have been criticisms over his defensive efforts even when on the pitch - he still got on the end of an England move to score his fourth try of the tournament and keep them in touching distance.
Tommy Freeman's move to the other win means Arundell might not be the main focus in attack, but he is still a huge try-scoring threat and I expect him to bounce back strongly this week in an England win.
Where to Watch England vs Ireland
The Six Nations Championship match between England and Ireland on Saturday 21 February 2026 will be shown on free-to-air UK television on ITV1.
TV Channel
The match between Scotland and England will be shown live on ITV1 (or the regional equivalent STV in Scotland), which is available on free-to-air TV In the United Kingdom, the England vs Ireland Six Nations game will be shown live on ITV1, which is the main channel carrying all of England’s matches in this year’s Six Nations free-to-air broadcast lineup shared between ITV and the BBC.
Live Stream Information
For live streaming in the United Kingdom, the England vs Ireland match will be available through the ITVX digital platform, allowing viewers to stream the game live online on phones, tablets, laptops and other compatible devices at no extra cost, provided they register for the free ITVX service ahead of kick-off.
Kick-off time
The England vs Ireland Six Nations match is scheduled to kick off at 2:10pm on Saturday 21 February 2026, giving fans an afternoon start for this key international rugby fixture.
Fixture date
This fixture between England and Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations Championship takes place on Saturday 21 February 2026 as part of Round 3 of the 2026 tournament.
Stadium
The England vs Ireland Six Nations match will be played at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
More Betting Tips
Check out below for more Six Nations betting tips and predictions for the rest of the weekend's action.
