Head-To-Head: Ireland v Wales

See below for a statistical preview of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations match between Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 3pm).

2012 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sunday, February 5

IRELAND v WALES, Aviva Stadium, 3pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC One)

IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster).

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), George North (Scarlets); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Rhys Gill (Saracens), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (capt), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Dave Pearson, Stuart Terheege (both England)
Television Match Official: Geoff Warren (England)

Head-to-Head:

Played – 117
Ireland Won – 47
Wales Won – 64
Drawn – 6

The six drawn games were in 1890 (one goal each), 1929 (5-5), 1951 (3-3), 1962 (3-3), 1974 (9-9) and 1991 (21-21)

Ireland v Wales: IRFU Stats Vault

Biggest Wins:

Ireland: Points & Margin: 54-10, 2002 Six Nations

Wales: Points: 34-9, 1976 Five Nations; Margin: 29-0, 1907 Four Nations

Individual Records In The Series:

Most Points In A Match: Ireland 22 (David Humphreys 2002); Wales 20 (Neil Jenkins 1998)

Most Tries In A Match: Ireland 3 (Robert Montgomery 1887); Wales 3 (Johnnie Williams 1907, 1910; Bryn Williams 1920)

Ireland v Wales In The Six Nations:

2000: Wales won 23-19, Lansdowne Road; 2001: Ireland won 36-6, Millennium Stadium; 2002: Ireland won 54-10, Lansdowne Road; 2003: Ireland won 25-24, Millennium Stadium; 2004: Ireland won 36-15, Lansdowne Road; 2005: Wales won 32-20, Millennium Stadium; 2006: Ireland won 31-5, Lansdowne Road; 2007: Ireland won 19-9, Millennium Stadium; 2008: Wales won 16-12, Croke Park; 2009: Ireland won 17-15, Millennium Stadium; 2010: Ireland won 27-12, Croke Park; 2011: Wales won 19-13, Millennium Stadium

Ireland – Form Guide From Start Of The 2010 Six Nations:

Won 29-11 v Italy home (Six Nations)
Lost 33-10 v France away (Six Nations)
Won 20-16 v England away (Six Nations)
Won 27-12 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Lost 23-20 v Scotland home (Six Nations)
Lost 66-28 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 22-15 v Australia away (Summer Tour)
Lost 23-21 v South Africa home (Autumn Series)
Won 20-10 v Samoa home (Autumn Series)
Lost 38-18 v New Zealand home (Autumn Series)
Won 29-9 v Argentina home (Autumn Series)
Won 13-11 v Italy away (Six Nations)
Lost 25-22 v France home (Six Nations)
Won 21-18 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Lost 19-13 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Won 24-8 v England home (Six Nations)
Lost 10-6 v Scotland away (World Cup Warm-Up)
Lost 19-12 v France away (World Cup Warm-Up)
Lost 26-22 v France home (World Cup Warm-Up)
Lost 20-9 v England home (World Cup Warm-Up)
Won 22-10 v USA neutral (World Cup Pool C)
Won 15-6 v Australia neutral (World Cup Pool C)
Won 62-12 v Russia neutral (World Cup Pool C)
Won 36-6 v Italy neutral (World Cup Pool C)
Lost 22-10 v Wales neutral (World Cup Quarter-Final)

Wales – Form Guide From Start Of The 2010 Six Nations:

Lost 30-17 v England away (Six Nations)
Won 31-24 v Scotland home (Six Nations)
Lost 26-20 v France home (Six Nations)
Lost 27-12 v Ireland away (Six Nations)
Won 33-10 v Italy home (Six Nations)
Lost 34-31 v South Africa home (Summer Test)
Lost 42-9 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 29-10 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 25-16 v Australia home (Autumn Series)
Lost 29-25 v South Africa home (Autumn Series)
Drew 16-16 v Fiji home (Autumn Series)
Lost 37-25 v New Zealand home (Autumn Series)
Lost 26-19 v England home (Six Nations)
Won 24-6 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Won 24-16 v Italy away (Six Nations)
Won 19-13 v Ireland home (Six Nations)
Lost 28-9 v France away (Six Nations)
Lost 31-28 v Barbarians home (Summer Test)
Lost 23-19 v England away (World Cup Warm-Up)
Won 19-9 v England home (World Cup Warm-Up)
Won 28-13 v Argentina home (World Cup Warm-Up)
Lost 17-16 v South Africa neutral (World Cup Pool D)
Won 17-10 v Samoa neutral (World Cup Pool D)
Won 81-7 v Namibia neutral (World Cup Pool D)
Won 66-0 v Fiji neutral (World Cup Pool D)
Won 22-10 v Ireland neutral (World Cup Quarter-Final)
Lost 9-8 v France neutral (World Cup Semi-Final)
Lost 21-18 v Australia neutral (World Cup Bronze Final)
Lost 24-18 v Australia home (Winter Test)

International Championship All-Time Records:

Points –
551 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
546 Jonny Wilkinson (England)
467 Stephen Jones (Wales)
406 Neil Jenkins (Wales)
403 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
288 Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
270 David Humphreys (Ireland)

Tries –
25 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
24 Ian Smith (Scotland)
22 Shane Williams (Wales)
18 Cyril Lowe (England)
18 Rory Underwood (England)
18 Gareth Edwards (Wales)

Caps –
56 Mike Gibson (Ireland)
56 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
55 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
54 John Hayes (Ireland)
54 Jason Leonard (England)
53 Willie John McBride (Ireland)
53 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
51 Martyn Williams (Wales)
50 Philippe Sella (France)
50 Rory Underwood (England)
50 Stephen Jones (Wales)

Ireland – Most-Capped Players:

117 Brian O’Driscoll
116 Ronan O’Gara
105 John Hayes
98 Peter Stringer
92 Malcolm O’Kelly
82 Girvan Dempsey
82 Paul O’Connell
80 Donncha O’Callaghan
72 David Humphreys
72 David Wallace
72 Geordan Murphy
70 Kevin Maggs
69 Mike Gibson

Ireland – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

1075 Ronan O’Gara
560 David Humphreys
308 Michael Kiernan
296 Eric Elwood
240 Brian O’Driscoll
217 Ollie Campbell
161 Jonathan Sexton
158 Tom Kiernan

Ireland – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

45 Brian O’Driscoll
29 Denis Hickie
21 Shane Horgan
19 Girvan Dempsey
19 Tommy Bowe
18 Geordan Murphy
17 Brendan Mullin
16 Ronan O’Gara
15 Kevin Maggs
15 Keith Wood

Wales – Most-Capped Players:

104 Stephen Jones
100 Gareth Thomas
99 Martyn Williams
94 Colin Charvis
92 Gareth Llewellyn
87 Neil Jenkins
87 Shane Williams
83 Gethin Jenkins
76 Dwayne Peel
75 Adam Jones
72 Ieuan Evans

Wales – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

1049 Neil Jenkins
917 Stephen Jones
326 James Hook
304 Paul Thorburn
290 Shane Williams
211 Arwel Thomas
200 Gareth Thomas

Wales – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

58 Shane Williams
40 Gareth Thomas
33 Ieuan Evans
22 Colin Charvis
20 Gareth Edwards
20 Gerald Davies
20 Tom Shanklin

World Rugby All-Time Top Points Scorers:

1250 Dan Carter (New Zealand)
1246 Jonny Wilkinson (1179-England, 67-Lions)
1090 Neil Jenkins (1049-Wales, 41-Lions)
1075 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
1010 Diego Dominguez (27-Argentina, 983-Italy)
970 Stephen Jones (917-Wales, 53-Lions)
967 Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
911 Michael Lynagh (Australia)
893 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
878 Matt Burke (Australia)
809 Chris Paterson (Scotland)

World Rugby All-Time Top Try Scorers:

64 David Campese (Australia)
60 Shane Williams (58-Wales, 2-Lions)
50 Rory Underwood (49-England, 1-Lions)
49 Doug Howlett (New Zealand)
46 Christian Cullen (New Zealand)
46 Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand)
46 Brian O’Driscoll (45-Ireland, 1-Lions)
44 Jeff Wilson (New Zealand)
41 Gareth Thomas (40-Wales, 1-Lions)
40 Chris Latham (Australia)
40 Bryan Habana (South Africa)

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

The ‘100 Caps’ Club:

139 George Gregan (Australia)
123 Brian O’Driscoll (117-Ireland, 6-Lions)
119 Jason Leonard (114-England, 5-Lions)
118 Fabien Pelous (France)
118 Ronan O’Gara (116-Ireland, 2-Lions)
111 Philippe Sella (France)
111 John Smit (South Africa)
110 George Smith (Australia)
110 Victor Matfield (South Africa)
110 Stephen Jones (104-Wales, 6-Lions)
109 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
107 John Hayes (105-Ireland, 2-Lions)
103 Gareth Thomas (100-Wales, 3-Lions)
103 Martyn Williams (99-Wales, 4-Lions)
103 Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
102 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
102 Stephen Larkham (Australia)
101 David Campese (Australia)
101 Nathan Sharpe (Australia)
101 Alessandro Troncon (Italy)
100 Mils Muliaina (New Zealand)