Match Stats Preview: Ireland v Wales

Click here for a match stats preview of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash between Ireland and Wales (Lansdowne Road, kick-off 3.00pm).

…Shane Williams and Denis Hickie jump for a ball during the sides’ 2005 meeting at the Millennium Stadium…

RBS 6 NATIONS: Sunday, February 26

IRELAND v WALES, Lansdowne Road, 3.00pm

6 NATIONS RECORDS:
Matches Played: Ireland 32, Wales 32
Matches Won: Ireland 22 (68%), Wales 14 (43%)
Matches Lost: Ireland 10 (31%), Wales 17 (53%)
Most Wins In A Season: Ireland 4 (three times), Wales 5 (one time)
Total Points Scored: Ireland 872, Wales 754
Total Points Conceded: Ireland 699, Wales 891
Total Tries Scored (Average Per Match): Ireland 89 (2.8), Wales 71 (2.2)
Total Tries Conceded (Average Per Match): Ireland 71 (2.2), Wales 85 (2.7)
Overall 6 Nations Ranking (Points): Ireland 3rd (44 Points), Wales 4th (29)

CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS:
IRELAND –
Championship Wins: 10
Grand Slams: 1
Triple Crowns: 6

Highest Score: 60 (60-13 v Italy, 2000)
Biggest Win: 47 (60-13 v Italy, 2000)
Highest Score Conceded: 50 (18-50 v England, 2000)
Biggest Defeat: 40 (6-46 v England, 1997)
Most Appearances: 56 Mike Gibson (1964-1979)
Most Points In Matches: 275 David Humphreys (1996-2005)
Most Points In A Match: 30 Ronan O’Gara (v Italy, 2000)
Most Tries In A Match: 3 by 7 players – last being Brian O’Driscoll (v Scotland, 2002)
Most Conversions In A Match: 6 Ronan O’Gara (v Italy, 2000)
Most Penalties In A Match: 6 Ollie Campbell (v Scotland, 1982), Ronan O’Gara (v Italy, 2000), David Humphreys (v Wales, 2002)
Most Drop Goals In A Match: 2 Billy McCombe (v France, 1975), Eric Elwood (v England, 1993), David Humphreys (v Wales, 1999)

WALES –
Championship Wins: 23
Grand Slams: 9
Triple Crowns: 17

Highest Score: 49 (49-14 v France, 1910)
Biggest Win: 35 (49-14 v France, 1910)
Highest Score Conceded: 60 (26-60 v England, 1998)
Biggest Defeat: 51 (0-51 v France, 1998)
Most Appearances: 45 Gareth Edwards (1967-1978)
Most Points In Matches: 406 Neil Jenkins (1991-2001)
Most Points In A Match: 28 Neil Jenkins (v France, 2001)
Most Tries In A Match: 4 on 2 occasions – Willie Llewellyn (v England, 1899), Maurice Richards (v England, 1969)
Most Conversions In A Match: 8 Jack Bancroft (v France, 1910)
Most Penalties In A Match: 7 Neil Jenkins (v Italy, 2000)
Most Drop Goals In A Match: 3 Neil Jenkins (v Scotland, 2001)

CHAMPIONSHIP HEAD TO HEAD – ALL-TIME –
Played: 106
Ireland Won: 41
Wales: 59
Drawn: 6

CHAMPIONSHIP HEAD TO HEAD – AT HOME –
Played: 55
Ireland Won: 26
Wales Won: 26
Drawn: 3

BIGGEST POINTS WIN –
Ireland 54 Wales 10 (2002)
Wales 34 Ireland 9 (1976)

CURRENT FORM –
IRELAND –
Last Ten Matches: WLLWWLLWWL
Points Scored: 270; Points Conceded: 247
Tries Scored: 29; Tries Conceded: 23

WALES –
Last Ten Matches: WWWWLWLWLW
Points Scored: 310; Points Conceded: 219
Tries Scored: 35; Tries Conceded: 26

2006 6 NATIONS: TEAM STATS (After 2 matches):
IRELAND –
Tries: 6
Conversions: 6/6
Penalties: 5/7
Drop Goals: 0/0

Scrums Won: 13
Scrums Lost: 1
Lineouts Won: 42
Lineouts Lost: 6
Penalties Conceded: 15
Drives From Rucks: 62
Passes From Rucks: 81
Mauls Won: 11
Ball Won In Open Play: 154
Ball Won In Opponent’s 22: 45
Set Piece Ball Won: 81

Kicks To Touch: 20
Errors From Kicks: 9
Offloads In Tackle: 41
Tackles Made: 79
Tackles Missed: 18
Total Errors Made: 44
Turnovers Won: 14
Free Kicks Awarded: 4
Passed Completed: 322
Possession Kicked: 49

WALES –
Tries: 4
Penalty Try: 1
Conversions: 5/5
Penalties: 2/3
Drop Goals: 0/1

Scrums Won: 15
Scrums Lost: 1
Lineouts Won: 31
Lineouts Lost: 6
Penalties Conceded: 24
Drives From Rucks: 40
Passes From Rucks: 54
Mauls Won: 6
Ball Won In Open Play: 100
Ball Won In Opponent’s 22: 13
Set Piece Ball Won: 60

Kicks To Touch: 20
Errors From Kicks: 3
Offloads In Tackle: 34
Tackles Made: 164
Tackles Missed: 13
Total Errors Made: 28
Turnovers Won: 15
Free Kicks Awarded: 7
Passed Completed: 251
Possession Kicked: 42

DID YOU KNOW?
* The first international between Ireland and Wales was back in 1882. Wales won by two goals, and two tries to nil, which in today’s language means four tries, with two conversions.

* Wales beat Ireland at the Millennium Stadium last March to claim their first Grand Slam since 1978.

* The two sides both made their first ever World Cup appearance when they met at Athletic Park, Wellington, New Zealand in 1987. Wales ran out 13-6 winners, with Cardiff centre Mark Ring scoring the only try of the game.

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