Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray makes good his exit.

But what is this?

A bit of line-out innovation from England as they sling a quick long one to Manu Tuilagi.

And then Owen Farrell cuts blind against the grain...

Jerome Garces is on the whistle. Owen Farrell hoists high into the Dublin sky and Keith Earls claims solidly underneath it...

Cian Murtagh
BBC Sport NI at Aviva Stadium

The hazy smoke from the pre-match fireworks has disappeared and it has been replaced by an air of tension inside the Aviva Stadium.

There’s a nervous energy in the crowd – the first few minutes are going to tell a lot about how this game goes.

Here we go…

A final check on the cast list for this 46-strong epic.

Ireland:15-Robbie Henshaw, 14-Keith Earls, 13-Garry Ringrose, 12-Bundee Aki, 11-Jacob Stockdale, 10-Jonathan Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best (captain), 3-Tadhg Furlong, 4-Devin Toner, 5-James Ryan, 6-Peter O'Mahony, 7-Josh van der Flier, 8-CJ Stander

Replacements:16-Sean Cronin, 17-Dave Kilcoyne, 18-Andrew Porter, 19-Quinn Roux, 20-Sean O'Brien, 21-John Cooney, 22-Joey Carbery, 23-Jordan Larmour

England:15-Elliot Daly, 14-Jonny May, 13-Henry Slade, 12-Manu Tuilagi, 11-Jack Nowell, 10-Owen Farrell (captain), 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Mako Vunipola, 2-Jamie George, 3-Kyle Sinckler, 4-Maro Itoje, 5-George Kruis, 6-Mark Wilson, 7-Tom Curry, 8-Billy Vunipola

Replacements:16-Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17-Ellis Genge, 18-Harry Williams, 19-Courtney Lawes, 20-Nathan Hughes, 21-Dan Robson, 22-George Ford, 23-Chris Ashton

House lights down, it is time to take your seats ladies and gentlemen...

God Save The Queen rattled out with minimal fuss and harmony by the England team.

Now Ireland with Amhrán na bhFiann and, with dirty great mountains of decibels, Ireland's Call.

An absolute floor-filler of a national tune that one and younger than most of the team at 24 years young.

Coming up, kick-off.

Cian Murtagh
BBC Sport NI at Aviva Stadium

England have not come to Dublin for the opening round since 1995, when a 20-8 rout featuring tries by Will Carling, Tony Underwood and Ben Clarke launched Jack Rowell’s side towards a Grand Slam title.

But the Aviva Stadium has become a fortress for Ireland under Joe Schmidt.

The world number two side have not lost a Six Nations fixture at home since 10 February 2013 when Owen Farrell kicked England to a 12-6 victory.

Schmidt was named as the successor to Declan Kidney as Ireland coach two months later and his side have lost just four times in 28 matches since the New Zealander took charge.

If England win today, it will be hard-earned.

A rather heartwarming story has come from the depths of Twitter. Someone found a ticket to the game in Dublin airport and took to social media to reunite it with its owner.

After realising they'd initially got the surname wrong, it appears they tracked the fan down. Hope you made it Joel!

Chris Ashton seemed to enjoy his meeting with the Irish president most, cracking a wide smile.

Ben Youngs was the most cursory. Polite, but I don't think the handshake registered on his conscious mind. In the zone.

Now Michael D Higgins heads down the Irish line. Considering how experienced both the home team and Higgins is, it must be like meeting old friends.

National anthem time...

Tom Fordyce
BBC chief sports writer in Dublin

We're used to this match being a decider - last day of the season a year ago, as Ireland won the Grand Slam, last match two years ago as England failed to bag a Slam of their own, last day in 2011 when Ireland smashed England's dreams again. In fact, it's the first time in 24 years these two have met on the opening day of this tournament. And it feels a little strange.

The pre-match pomp does not come any more extended than in Dublin.

Irish president Michael D Higgins will come and press the flesh with the players before three national anthems.

BBC Radio 5 live

Former Ireland wing Denis Hickie and ex England scrum-half Matt Dawson have been chewing the pre-match fat all day on BBC Radio 5 live.

They are about to get their teeth into the main course.

You can join them and rugby union correspondent Chris Jones via this very page for live commentary. Just click or poke at the top of this page.

Tom Fordyce
BBC chief sports writer in Dublin

The players are warming up on the pitch, while the supporters warm their throats in bars.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty

A monumental scoreline, but the most important detail arguably was the venue.

Ireland played England at Croke Park - home of the Gaelic Athletic Association and where 14 people had died at the hands of the Auxiliary Division and the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1920 - as Lansdowne Road was redeveloped.

On an afternoon laden with emotion and historical significance, Ireland routed the visitors. England conceded more points than they ever had before in a single match in the championship as Ronan O'Gara pulled the strings and piled on the pain.

But Italy didn't make it easy, scoring three tries in a late comeback to give Scotland a scare.

There was no shortage of tries in Edinburgh as Scotland claimed victory in their Six Nations opener against Italy.

It was a special day for Blair Kinghorn, who claimed a hat-trick.

Cian Murtagh
BBC Sport NI at Aviva Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

It was bitterly cold morning in Dublin and although there were clear blue skies overhead, the weak winter sun struggled to melt away the ground frost and ice.

Supporters in the upper tiers of the Aviva Stadium will be able to spy the snow-capped Dublin mountains glinting in the distance as the last of the daylight fades and the temperature begins to drop once again.

In short, it is cold in south Dublin but that is unlikely to cool what is expected to be a heated contest on the field as the two most recent Six Nations champions battle for supremacy.

The hotels and hostelries around Lansdowne Road have been thronged with fans since early afternoon and last orders are now being called before the dash to the stadium begins – hurry up!

Former Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan claimed in the Times earlier this week that only Billy Vunipola and Maro Itoje would get in the home team.

As the late, great Bruce Forsyth would ask, "Higher than a two?"

Give us your shout for England players that would oust their opposite numbers to make a composite 15.

Is Jonny May getting a back three slot ahead of Keith Earls?

Could Mako Vunipola take Cian Healy to the cleaners?

Is peak Manu Tuilagi a plane above Bundee Aki?

Or was O'Sullivan being generous by allowing two England players into the Ireland XV?

Let us know via #bbcrugby, external on Twitter or 81111 on text.

Image source, Getty Images

Too fast for the photographers...

Shane Horgan's last-play try survived a referral to the television official to snatch victory and the Triple Crown.

France finished up champions that year however, edging out the Irish on points difference. It didn't seem to dampen the celebrations, with Brian O'Driscoll looking especially chipper far right of the image.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty

There are some big match-ups across the pitch today.

Eighteen months ago, Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell were in harness as the British and Irish Lions recovered from a Test down to draw the series against the All Blacks.

Now they are head-to-head. BBC Sport chief sports writer Tom Fordyce has profiled their yin-yanging approach to directing their teams around the pitch.

The stand-out line comes from Ben Te'o - England's injured centre - though.

"You've got one cranky guy on the other side and one cranky guy on our side," he said.