Welcome to our LIVE coverage of this opening match of the Six Nations.

Dream start for Ireland - Zebo is earning just his fourth cap today, but finished that one off like a nerveless veteran.

The kick is from just inside the 15m line, and Sexton makes no mistake.

Fantastic try for Ireland! It's Simon Zebo! Fabulous move by the visitors, spinning it wide from the scrum, O'Driscoll working an overlap as he draws three men, and Zebo hanging on to a tricky final pass before running in almost under the posts.

Davies knocks the ball on after shepherding Gilroy out, and Ireland keep the ball. Scrum out on the right, deep in the 22m.

Ireland kick for touch and then win the throw from that penalty, and try to maul it upfield. They spin it wide and Craig Gilroy has a chance to open up down the flank, but he's caught by Jonathan Davies.

Scrum becomes a penalty as Gethin Jenkins is penalised for pulling Mike Ross down in the front row.

Ireland pinch the line-out as Warburton spills it forward - Ireland will have the scrum, and that's a wasted opening for the hosts.

Wales win a penalty on their own 10m line, and Bigger puts it out half-way between the 22m and the 10m.

Nice work by Ireland's Sean O'Brien running off the end of the line-out, and Ireland are looking tidy as they spin it out. O'Driscoll tries a chip that goes straight out on the full, and we have a delay as Wales hooker Matt Rees needs some blood wiped up before the throw-in.

Wales have the throw, and it's taken cleanly - Toby Faletau tries to run it out of the 22m, but is hauled down and eventually Biggar clears to touch. Ireland throw on the 10m.

Biggar taps and goes with the free kick but Ireland turn it over, spinning it out to Gilray who runs it into the Welsh half before passing back in - and Jonathan Sexton kicks for touch deep in the Welsh 22m.

First mistake of the match is by Ireland, conceding a scrum in their own half - it's not straight and there's a free kick.

Referee Romain Poite signals for quiet, and the match is under way in Cardiff.

The players come out onto the pitch amid fireworks, and we're being treated to the national anthems - with both sets of fans belting out at full volume.

That's left Hook frustrated yet again: after years of playing second fiddle to Stephen Jones and then Rhys Priestland, he's once again lost out. His flair with the ball in hand is once again sacrificed to the desire for a cool, controlling fly-half.

The most interesting - and controversial - selection for Wales is Dan Biggar getting the nod at fly-half ahead of James Hook. With Rhys Priestland out injured Hook would have seemed the natural choice to most, but Biggar's club form has earned him the number 10 jersey. "Dan is the in-form No 10 in Wales," reasoned coach Rob Howley.

"After seven straight losses you'd think they'd be lacking confidence, but they've drawn a line under the autumn," says former Wales great Martyn Williams.

Wales edged this match 23-21 in Dublin last year, the first step on their Grand Slam - but since then they have lost seven matches in a row: four times against Australia, and once each against New Zealand, Argentina and Samoa. They remain bookies favourites, at 5/6 on with most bookies. Ireland are evens.

Conditions in Cardiff are good: try and chilly, with bright sunshine pouring into this glorious stadium - no need for the roof to be closed today. Fairly light wind of 7mph, so kickers have no excuses today.

Reigning champions Wales are pretty much at full strength, with all their stars - the likes of George North, Jamie Roberts and Sam Warburton - fit and raring to try and secure another Grand Slam.

Big news in the teams is that Brian O'Driscoll is back in the side, but not as captain: the legendary centre gives up the armband after ten years, with Jamie Heaslip taking over.