Head-To-Head: Ireland v Australia

See below for a statistical preview of Sunday’s GUINNESS Series match between Ireland and Australia at Croke Park (kick-off 3pm).

GUINNESS SERIES 2009: Sunday, November 15 

IRELAND v AUSTRALIA, Croke Park, 3pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC Two)

IRELAND: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll (capt), Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary; Cian Healy, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Leo Cullen, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Keith Earls.

AUSTRALIA: Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, James Horwill, Mark Chisolm, Rocky Elsom (capt), David Pocock, Wycliff Palu.

Replacements: Tatafu Polota Nau, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Luke Burgess, Ryan Cross, James O’Connor.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Andrew Small (England)
Television Match Official: Geoff Warren (England)

Head-To-Head:

Played – 27 
Ireland Won – 8 
Australia Won – 19

Previous Meetings:

November 12, 1927 – Tour Match – Ireland 3 Australia 5, Lansdowne Road
December 6, 1947 – Tour Match – Ireland 3 Australia 16, Lansdowne Road
January 18, 1958 – Tour Match – Ireland 9 Australia 6, Lansdowne Road
January 21, 1967 – Tour Match – Ireland 15 Australia 8, Lansdowne Road
May 13, 1967 – Tour Match – Australia 5 Ireland 11, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
October 26, 1968 – Tour Match – Ireland 10 Australia 3, Lansdowne Road
January 17, 1976 – Tour Match – Ireland 10 Australia 20, Lansdowne Road
June 3, 1979 – Tour Match – Australia 12 Ireland 27, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
June 16, 1979 – Tour Match – Australia 3 Ireland 9, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
November 21, 1981 – Tour Match – Ireland 12 Australia 16, Lansdowne Road
November 10, 1984 – Tour Match – Ireland 9 Australia 16, Lansdowne Road
June 7, 1987 – Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final – Australia 33 Ireland 15, Concord Oval, Sydney
October 20, 1991 – Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final – Ireland 18 Australia 19, Lansdowne Road
October 31, 1992 – Tour Match – Ireland 17 Australia 42, Lansdowne Road
June 5, 1994 – Tour Match – Australia 33 Ireland 13, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
June 11, 1994 – Tour Match – Australia 32 Ireland 18, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
November 23, 1996 – Tour Match – Ireland 12 Australia 22, Lansdowne Road
June 12, 1999 – Tour Match – Australia 46 Ireland 10, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
June 19, 1999 – Tour Match – Australia 32 Ireland 26, Subiaco Oval, Perth
October 10, 1999 – Tour Match – Ireland 3 Australia 23, Lansdowne Road
November 9, 2002 – Tour Match – Ireland 18 Australia 9, Lansdowne Road
June 7, 2003 – Tour Match – Australia 45 Ireland 16, Subiaco Oval, Perth
November 1, 2003 – Rugby World Cup Pool A – Australia 17 Ireland 16, Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
November 19, 2005 – Tour Match – Ireland 14 Australia 30, Lansdowne Road
June 24, 2006 – Tour Match – Australia 37 Ireland 15, Subiaco Oval, Perth
November 19, 2006 – Tour Match – Ireland 21 Australia 6, Lansdowne Road
June 14, 2008 – Tour Match – Australia 18 Ireland 12, Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

Biggest Wins And Margins:

Ireland: Points: 27-12, 1979 First Test; Margin: 27-12, 1979 First Test; 21-6, 2006 Tour Match

Australia: Points & Margin: 46-10, 1999 First Test 

Individual Records In The Series:

Most Points In A Match: Ireland 19 (Ollie Campbell, 1979 First Test); Australia 25 (Elton Flatley, 2003 Tour Match)

Most Tries In A Match: Ireland 2 (Colin Paterson, 1979 First Test); Australia 3 (Tiaan Strauss, 1999 First Test)

Top Points Scorers – Ireland v Australia:

64 – Michael Lynagh
58 – Ronan O’Gara
41 – Matthew Burke
34 – Elton Flatley
30 – David Humphreys
28 – Ollie Campbell, Paul McLean

Top Try Scorers – Ireland v Australia:

4 – Chris Latham, David Campese
3 – Tiaan Strauss, Tim Horan, George Gregan
2 – Colin Patterson, Peter Clohessy, Kevin Maggs, Brian O’Driscoll

Most Appearances – Ireland v Australia:

9 – George Gregan
8 – Malcolm O’Kelly, Brian O’Driscoll
7 – Keith Wood, Girvan Dempsey, Peter Stringer, Ronan O’Gara, David Wilson, Matthew Burke, George Smith

Ireland – Form Guide From Start Of The 2008 Six Nations:

Won 16-11 v Italy home (Six Nations)
Lost 26-21 v France away (Six Nations)
Won 34-13 v Scotland home (Six Nations)
Lost 16-12 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Lost 33-10 v England away (Six Nations)
Lost 21-11 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 18-12 v Australia away (Summer Tour)
Won 55-0 v Canada home (Autumn Series)
Lost 22-3 v New Zealand home (Autumn Series)
Won 17-3 v Argentina home (Autumn Series)
Won 30-21 v France home (Six Nations)
Won 38-9 v Italy away (Six Nations)
Won 14-13 v England home (Six Nations)
Won 22-15 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Won 17-15 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Won 25-6 v Canada away (Summer Tour)
Won 27-10 v USA away (Summer Tour)

Australia – Form Guide From Start Of The 2008 Test Season:

Won 18-12 v Ireland home (Summer Series)
Won 34-13 v France home (Summer Series)
Won 40-10 v France home (Summer Series)
Won 16-9 v South Africa home (Tri Nations)
Won 34-19 v New Zealand home (Tri Nations)
Lost 39-10 v New Zealand away (Tri Nations)
Won 27-15 v South Africa away (Tri Nations)
Lost 53-8 v South Africa away (Tri Nations)
Lost 28-24 v New Zealand home (Tri Nations)
Lost 19-14 v New Zealand neutral (Bledisloe Cup)
Won 30-20 v Italy away (Autumn Tour)
Won 28-14 v England away (Autumn Tour)
Won 18-13 v France away (Autumn Tour)
Lost 21-18 v Wales away (Autumn Tour)
Won 31-8 v Italy home (Summer Series)
Won 34-12 v Italy home (Summer Series)
Won 22-6 v France home (Summer Series)
Lost 22-16 v New Zealand away (Tri Nations)
Lost 29-17 v South Africa away (Tri Nations)
Lost 19-18 v New Zealand home (Tri Nations)
Lost 32-25 v South Africa home (Tri Nations)
Won 21-6 v South Africa home (Tri Nations)
Lost 33-6 v New Zealand away (Tri Nations)
Lost 32-19 v New Zealand neutral (Bledisloe Cup)
Won 18-9 v England away (Autumn Tour) 

Ireland – Most-Capped Players: 

94 John Hayes
93 Brian O’Driscoll
92 Ronan O’Gara
92 Malcolm O’Kelly
91 Peter Stringer
82 Girvan Dempsey
72 David Humphreys
70 Kevin Maggs
69 Mike Gibson
66 Marcus Horan
65 Simon Easterby

Ireland – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

919 Ronan O’Gara
560 David Humphreys
308 Michael Kiernan
296 Eric Elwood
217 Ollie Campbell
195 Brian O’Driscoll

Ireland – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

36 Brian O’Driscoll
29 Denis Hickie
20 Shane Horgan
19 Girvan Dempsey
18 Geordan Murphy
17 Brendan Mullin
15 Keith Wood
15 Kevin Maggs
14 George Stephenson
14 Ronan O’Gara

Australia – Most-Capped Players:

139 George Gregan
107 George Smith
102 Stephen Larkham
101 David Campese
86 John Eales
86 Joe Roff
81 Matthew Burke
80 Tim Horan
80 Stirling Mortlock
79 Nathan Sharpe
79 Phil Waugh
79 David Wilson

Australia – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

911 Michael Lynagh
878 Matthew Burke
536 Matt Giteau
489 Stirling Mortlock
315 David Campese
260 Paul McLean
244 Joe Roff
200 Chris Latham

Australia – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

64 David Campese
40 Chris Latham
30 Tim Horan
30 Joe Roff
30 Lote Tuqiri
29 Matthew Burke
29 Stirling Mortlock

World Rugby All-Time Top Points Scorers: 

1108 Jonny Wilkinson (1041-England, 67-Lions)
1090 Neil Jenkins (1049-Wales, 41-Lions)
1010 Diego Dominguez (983-Italy, 27-Argentina)
967 Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
966 Dan Carter (New Zealand)
919 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
911 Michael Lynagh (Australia)
893 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
878 Matt Burke (Australia)
758 Stephen Jones (Wales)
738 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
733 Gavin Hastings (667-Scotland, 66-Lions)

World Rugby All-Time Top Try Scorers: 

64 David Campese (Australia)
50 Rory Underwood (49-England, 1-Lions)
49 Doug Howlett (New Zealand)
48 Shane Williams (46-Wales, 2-Lions)
46 Christian Cullen (New Zealand)
45 Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand)
44 Jeff Wilson (New Zealand)
41 Gareth Thomas (40-Wales, 1-Lions)
40 Chris Latham (Australia)

Note: Daisuke Ohata scored 69 tries for Japan, but not all against major international opposition

The ‘100 Caps’ Club: 

139 George Gregan (Australia)
119 Jason Leonard (114-England, 5-Lions)
118 Fabien Pelous (France)
111 Philippe Sella (France)
107 George Smith (Australia)
103 Gareth Thomas (100-Wales, 3-Lions)
102 Stephen Larkham (Australia)
102 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
101 David Campese (Australia)
101 Alessandro Troncon (Italy)
99 Brian O’Driscoll (93-Ireland, 6-Lions)