Whoever becomes Ireland's next head coach will face the daunting task of a trip to Paris to wrap up their first Six Nations campaign.
The coaching issue, of course, along with many other highly pertinent areas of concern in Irish rugby, remains up in the air. For now, the solid certainty of a fixture list will have to stand as some solace.
The fixtures for the 2014 and 2015 Six Nations championships have given Ireland a seemingly comfortable start in 2014 with home games against Scotland and Wales before the tightly packed challenge of a trip to Twickenham precedes a trip to Paris, with a home tie against Italy sandwiched between.
In 2015 the picture is significantly easier on the eye, with a trip to Rome followed by consecutive home games against France and England.
RBS Six Nations Fixture Schedule
2014 & 2015 Championships
ALL TIMES GMT (add one hour for France/Italy home matches)
2014
1/2 February
Wales v Italy Sat 2.30
France v England Sat 5.00
Ireland v Scotland Sun 3.00
8/9 February
Ireland v Wales Sat 2.30
Scotland v England Sat 5.00
France v Italy Sun 3.00
21/22 February
Wales v France Fri 8.00
Italy v Scotland Sat 1.30
England v Ireland Sat 4.00
8/9 March
Ireland v Italy Sat 2.30
Scotland v France Sat 5.00
England v Wales Sun 3.00
15 March
Italy v England Sat 12.30
Wales v Scotland Sat 2.45
France v Ireland Sat 5.00
2015
6/7 February
Wales v England Fri 8.05
Italy v Ireland Sat 2.30
France v Scotland Sat 5.00
14/15 February
England v Italy Sat 2.30
Ireland v France Sat 5.00
Scotland v Wales Sun 3.00
28/1 February/March
Scotland v Italy Sat 2.30
France v Wales Sat 5.00
Ireland v England Sun 3.00
14/15 March
Wales v Ireland Sat 2.30
England v Scotland Sat 5.00
Italy v France Sun 3.00
21 March
Italy v Wales Sat 12.30
Scotland v Ireland Sat 2.30
England v France Sat 5.00
Image: The Six Nations Trophy
©INPHO/James Crombie
