Ireland may have had the put in but the green jerseys are pushed back at a rapid rate and Wales win the penalty.

Elinor Snowsill kicks into the Ireland 22, a chance here for Wales who were so dangerous with the driving maul in the last campaign.

Wales go through a couple phases before clearing as for as the Irish 10 metre line.

The hosts do well to steal the ball at the breakdown and move it to the left wing but it is knocked on by Carys Williams-Morris.

Ireland will have the scrum.

Referee Amber McLachlan of Australia blows her whistle and Ireland's Nicole Cronin gets us under way.

Gareth Bailey
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff Arms Park

After two rousing renditions of the national anthems we are ready to go.

The enthusiasm from Bethan Lewis and Ffion Lewis - it is clear they are seriously pumped up.

An expectant home crowd are hoping Wales can repeat last year's win over Ireland.

Philippa Tuttiett
Former Wales international on BBC Radio 5 Live

This Wales squad has now got that strength in depth, where as before if a big name was missing it would have been a shock to the system. They've got the players that can step up, step in - the likes of Sisilia Tuipulotu going into the front row. She's an exciting youngster.

Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams: "You are representing the people of Ireland. You have got to be resilient and have each other's backs. It is going to be a fierce battle. It's going to be a significant challenge and one we can't wait to sink our teeth in to."

Sene Naoupu
Former Ireland centre on BBC iPlayer

It's an opportunity for Ireland to test themselves and see where they are at against a strong Welsh team.

On paper Wales have got the edge so it will be an interesting battle. At the same time I will back our girls.

Philippa Tuttiett
Former Wales international on BBC Radio 5 Live

This is the first time that every single team in the Six Nations has got an element of professionalism.

The girls now have the backing, the belief and the support.

This can only be a positive.

Kick-off is moments away at the Cardiff Arms Park.

If you missed any of the build-up, you can catch up with all the team news and thoughts of both head coaches on the BBC Sport website.

Preview: Wales and Ireland set to begin Six Nations campaign

Image source, Getty Images

Head coach Ioan Cunningham says Kate Williams’ decision to leave her family and friends in New Zealand to pursue a career with Wales is ‘inspiring’.

As we mentioned, Swansea-born Williams is among the replacements for this Six Nations opener having impressed Cunningham in recent months.

Chris Horsman
Former Wales coach on BBC Radio Wales

Last year, from a Wales perspective, there was a lot of pressure with this team because they'd been given the professional contracts and with those contracts came a higher expectation and they certainly delivered.

They had a good World Cup, reaching the quarter-final, came third in last year's Six Nations, so they've laid those foundations more than ever.

It's important they now push forward and don't show that last year was an emotional response to the contract, it was a professional response to the contract and the programmes moving forward.

I can't believe this will be my 10th Six Nations. My first was all the way back in 2011 and I didn't think I'd make it this far.

Having trained full-time in pre-season, I was in the best physical shape I'd ever been in at last year's World Cup in New Zealand.

I've struggled with a bit of club game-time since then, but I am in good shape and raring to go.

I still have the same feelings of excitement going into a new campaign. How can you not with the way things are going in women's rugby right now?

Read more: Sioned Harries column - Same feelings of excitement

Image source, BBC Sport

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI

A combination of injuries and sevens commitments have forced Greg McWilliams into naming a new-look Irish back line.

Nicole Cronin is the only starter from last year's Six Nations and the fly-half was crucial as Munster retained the Women's Inter-Pro title earlier in the year. She will be hoping to carry that form onto the international stage.

Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Lucy Mulhall and the electric Beibhinn Parsons are all on sevens duty as Ireland look to qualify for the Olympics.

The sevens/15s debate is certainly a hot one in Irish rugby and time will tell if the Irish Rugby Football Union have got the balance right.

Gareth Bailey
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff Arms Park

The Welsh players are heading back to the changing rooms now after going through their warm-ups.

They're cheered by friends and family in the stand just below the commentary box.

All smiles here at Cardiff Arms Park as the band finishes off with Bread of Heaven.

Captain Hannah Jones is backing Wales to close the gap on the leading sides in women's rugby.

England go into the 2023 Six Nations in search of a fifth consecutive title, while France have finished runners-up in the past three years.

Wales are in their second year as a professional outfit, with 25 full-time players going into the campaign.

Italy, Scotland and Ireland have also contracted their players and Jones welcomes the level playing field.

Read more: Jones backs Wales to close gap on England and France

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Scrum V’s Catrin Heledd went to visit the Wales squad at their training camp this week ahead of the match against Ireland.

The 2023 Six Nations runs from today until the final round on 29 April.

There will be live radio commentary on selected games as well as podcasts covering all the news and debates.

You can watch the whole tournament live across the BBC.

Find out more: How to watch Women's Six Nations 2023

Image source, Getty Images

So many women's rugby records have fallen in the past year, it can be hard to keep up.

In the 2022 Women's Six Nations, England played to a record home crowd of 14,689 one week, then surpassed that when 15,836 turned up the next.

Later that year, 42,759 were present to see New Zealand win the World Cup final against England.

That is the current world-record attendance for a women's game but the mark could be beaten before the 2023 Women's Six Nations is over.

As the development of women's rugby gathers pace, BBC Sport looks at why the sport is booming.

Read more: Why women's rugby is booming this year

Image source, Getty Images

Alecs Donovan
Former Wales centre on BBC Radio Wales

It's not going to be easy, it never is, but that's kind of the beauty of the Six Nations.

Both teams are hungry to win and you want to start your campaign on a high.

Wales assistant coach Shaun Connor says Wales will take "massive confidence" from last year’s victory against Ireland.

Connor also says the new levels of professionalism in women's rugby will result in "different animals" in the 2023 Six Nations.