Aviva Stadium – Five Years Of Irish Rugby

Today marks five years since the official opening of the Aviva Stadium. We take a look at some Irish rugby facts and figures since that fantastic day.

May 14, 2010 was a big day for Irish sport and for Irish rugby in particular. It marked the official opening of the Aviva Stadium by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD.

There have been some great days for Irish rugby in the five years since including Brian O’Driscoll’s last home international, the Ireland Women’s team’s first game in the stadium, the electrifying atmosphere against New Zealand and many more.

The first game, though, took place a few months after the official opening in July 2010.

That match saw a combined Ulster/Leinster team beat Connacht/Munster as a host of rising young stars lined out in the new stadium.

A number of players who featured in that first game have gone on to play at provincial level and five of them have been capped for Ireland at Test level:

Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Iain Henderson and Martin Moore.

In the intervening five years, Ireland have played 26 games.

Ireland’s Aviva Stadium Record (November 2010-March 2015):

– Played 26, Won 15, Lost 10, Drew 1
– Points For 655, Points Against 477, Tries Scored 66

– Ireland have won their last eight Tests at the Aviva Stadium since February 2014

– Ireland lost six of their first nine Tests at the Aviva Stadium between November 2010 and February 2012. Only four defeats in 17 Tests at the Aviva Stadium since February 2012

– 15 wins (v Samoa (2), Argentina (2), England (2), Italy (2), Scotland (2), Wales, South Africa, Georgia, Australia, France)

– 10 defeats (v South Africa (2), New Zealand (2), France (2), England (2), Wales, Australia)

– 1 draw (v France)

– Tommy Bowe scored the first try for Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, touching down in the 23-21 defeat to South Africa in November 2010. The first international try scorer at the ground was the Springboks’ Juan Smith. Morne Steyn was the first points scorer in a Test match at the Aviva

– The first Irish points scorer at the Aviva Stadium was Jonathan Sexton with a penalty in that 2010 game against South Africa. Sexton tops the list of Irish points scorers so far at the Aviva Stadium:

256: Jonathan Sexton (5 tries, 27 conversions and 59 penalties in 22 games)
45: Tommy Bowe (9 tries in 18 games)
42: Ronan O’Gara (1 try, 8 conversions and 7 penalties in 14 games)
34: Paddy Jackson (1 try, 7 conversions and 5 penalties in 5 games)
28: Ian Madigan (5 conversions and 6 penalties in 9 games)

– The list of Irish try scorers at the Aviva Stadium so far is headed up by Tommy Bowe who has scored 9 tries in 18 international outings at the ground. The try scorers’ list in full is as follows:

9: Tommy Bowe
5: Jonathan Sexton
4: Jamie Heaslip, Fergus McFadden, Andrew Trimble
3: Rob Kearney, Rory Best, Simon Zebo
2: Stephen Ferris, Brian O’Driscoll, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Richardt Strauss, Dave Kearney, Felix Jones
1: Ronan O’Gara, Gordon D’Arcy, Tomas O’Leary, Keith Earls, Tom Court, Eoin Reddan, Craig Gilroy, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Chris Henry, Paddy Jackson, Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Rhys Ruddock, Dave Kilcoyne, Stuart Olding, Robbie Henshaw

Related Links –
 
Taoiseach Officially Opens Aviva Stadium

Aviva Stadium – A Numbers Game