Gareth Thomas believes a fast start is vital for Wales in their quest to claim an odds-defying victory over Guinness Six Nations title favourites Ireland on Saturday.

Wales have been largely written off, heading to Dublin after suffering nine defeats in their last 10 Six Nations games to face an Ireland side chasing successive Grand Slams.

Andy Farrell’s team have won 38 of their last 40 Tests at home, being beaten only by England in 2019 and France two years later during that time.

We’ll reach the halfway point of the 2024 Six Nations this weekend, with the tournament flying by. Need a reminder of what is to come? Here’s the full schedule and everything else you need to know.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he is “not 100 per cent convinced” that Welsh regional rugby will undergo the proper reset he feels it requires.

Wales face runaway Guinness Six Nations title favourites Ireland in Dublin on Saturday – and the contrast between two long-standing rivals could hardly be greater.

On the field, Ireland have lost just two of their last 40 home Tests, while victory over Wales would see them equal England’s record of 11 successive Six Nations wins.

Wales, meanwhile, have lost nine of their last 10 Six Nations fixtures, and off the field it is a similar case of chalk and cheese.

Ireland are thriving from a system of centrally-contracted players that underpins vibrant, successful provincial teams, while Wales’ four professional regions are each preparing for significant budget cuts that will take effect from next season.

Asked to assess the key difference between Irish and Welsh rugby, Gatland said: “I think they (Ireland) have just got the right structures in place.

“Probably, if I look at the previous time I was here (between 2008 and 2019), we were kind of papering over the cracks of the things that were happening in Welsh rugby.”

Ciaran Frawley will make his first Test start in Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales after being selected in place of injured full-back Hugo Keenan.

The versatile 26-year-old won his two previous caps as a replacement, including playing the final four minutes of the championship curtain-raiser away to France.

Keenan has been virtually ever-present in his country’s No 15 jersey during the past three years but will miss Saturday’s match in Dublin due to a knee injury suffered in the round-two victory over Italy.

Head coach Andy Farrell, who has included uncapped Munster prop Oli Jager among the replacements, has made seven personnel changes to his starting XV from the 36-0 win over the Azzurri on February 11.

Props Ellis Genge and Dan Cole swap into the starting side instead of Joe Marler and Will Stuart, who drop to the bench.

“We’re pleased with the start we’ve made to our Guinness Six Nations campaign but know that a difficult test awaits us in Edinburgh against an in-form Scotland team,” said Borthwick.

“The atmosphere is always special for any Calcutta Cup match and I’m sure this weekend’s game at Murrayfield will be no different.

“This group of players are looking forward to the challenge on Saturday and to creating some very special memories.”

England have made a surprise selection call at full-back for the Calcutta Cup clash with George Furbank preferred to Freddie Steward.

Steward’s demotion comes just a fortnight after a starring role in England’s win over Wales, with the Leicester back left out for only the second time since his international debut.

Ollie Lawrence returns in midfield after injury, but there is no place in the matchday 23 for Manu Tuilagi.

England team to face Scotland at Murrayfield (4.45pm GMT, Saturday 24 February)

15. George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)

14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)

13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 59 caps)

12. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)

11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 66 caps)

10. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 93 caps) – vice captain

9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 98 caps)

1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 59 caps) – vice captain

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 87 caps) – captain

3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 109 caps)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 78 caps) – vice captain

5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 20 caps)

6. Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs, 2 caps)

7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 32 caps)

8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 27 caps)

16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 9 caps)

17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 90 caps)

18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 35 caps)

19. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)

20. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 2 caps)

21. Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)

22. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)

23. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)

Jamie Ritchie has been restored to Scotland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown with England a fortnight after being dropped from the squad altogether for the Six Nations home defeat by France.

The recently-deposed captain is back in the side as one of three changes made by Gregor Townsend, with experienced duo Blair Kinghorn and Kyle Steyn returning to the back three.

Kyle Rowe, Harry Paterson and Matt Fagerson – all of whom started against Les Bleus – drop out of the squad altogether, with the bench unchanged.

Ciaran Frawley is given the starting 15 shirt by Andy Farrell in the absence of the injured Hugo Keenan, but Caelan Doris is fit and starts in the back row. There are six forwards on the Ireland bench, including a potential debutant in Oli Jager, who impressed with the Crusaders in New Zealand before a midseason move to Munster

Ireland XV: 15. Ciaran Frawley; 14. Calvin Nash, 13. Robbie Henshaw, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. James Lowe; 10. Jack Crowley, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O’Mahony (capt), 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris

Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Oli Jager, 19 James Ryan, 20 Ryan Baird, 21 Jack Conan; 22 Conor Murray, 23 Stuart McCloskey.

Danny Care has revealed the unconventional secret behind his career longevity as he closes in on becoming England’s sixth Test centurion – cookies and saunas.

Care will make his 99th international appearance in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Scotland and even at 37-years-old the high-tempo Harlequins scrum-half is in the form of his life.

On top of showing the persistence needed to emerge from a three-and-a-half-year spell in England exile, he has taken his own approach to making sure he can perform at the highest level.

And unlike former Red Rose team-mate Jonny May, who is famed for his dedication to training and preparation, Care takes a more unorthodox route.