Ireland v Italy: All you need to know ahead of Rugby World Cup warm-up match

The countdown to the Rugby World Cup ramps up on Saturday when Ireland face Italy in their first warm-up match, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

Twenty weeks after completing a Six Nations Grand Slam at the Aviva Stadium, Ireland return to action at the Dublin venue as the battle to make Andy Farrell's World Cup squad intensifies.

Farrell must whittle his 42-player training squad down to 33 and those on the fringes have just three games to catch the eye, with further matches against England and Samoa to come.

Ireland are on a ten-game winning streak while they have won their last 13 matches against Italy, who began their World Cup preparations with a 25-13 defeat away to a Ben Healy-inspired Scotland last weekend.

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TV Ireland v Italy is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Coverage begins at 7.30pm.

RADIO Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra.

ONLINE Follow a live blog on RTE.ie/sport and the RTÉ News App followed by report and reaction from the Aviva Stadium.

WEATHER A sunny evening is forecast in Dublin after a wet start to the weekend. Temperatures of around 15 degrees are expected come kick-off with moderate northwest winds.

Farrell has named an experimental line-up that includes just three players who started the Grand Slam-clinching win over England – Robbie Henshaw, Ryan Baird and Caelan Doris.

Jack Crowley is given the first opportunity to stake his claim for the back-up out-half spot behind Johnny Sexton. He partners Munster team-mate Craig Casey at half-back while Jacob Stockdale