Opta Match Facts Preview: Ireland v Scotland

Opta bring you all the team and player facts you need as the build-up continues to Ireland’s Rugby World Cup opener against Scotland in Yokohama tomorrow (kick-off 4.45pm local time/8.45am Irish time).

IRELAND v SCOTLAND – TEAM FORM & FACTS:

– Ireland have won six of their last seven games against Scotland, including their last two on the bounce

– This will be just the second meeting between Ireland and Scotland at the Rugby World Cup, with their only previous encounter ending in a 24-15 win to Scotland in October 1991

– Ireland have won eight of their last 10 Rugby World Cup games. However, they will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2007 after ending their 2015 campaign with a 43-20 quarter-final loss to Argentina

– Scotland have won only five of their last 10 Rugby World Cup matches (L5). They have not picked up a victory over tier one opposition at the tournament since they defeated Italy 18-16 at the 2007 edition

– Scotland have opened each of their last four Rugby World Cup campaigns with a win, including a 45-10 triumph over this year’s hosts Japan at the 2015 edition

– Ireland have won the opening match of their last five Rugby World Cup tournaments. They had lost their opening game at two of the three previous World Cups

– Scotland averaged the most metres gained (458) and the most defenders beaten (29) per game during the 2019 Six Nations, while their scrum success rate (96%) was also the highest of any side in the competition

– Ireland averaged the fewest missed tackles per game (18) of any team during the 2019 Six Nations, while Scotland averaged the most (29 per game)

– Greig Laidlaw (695) is five points away from 700 for Scotland in Test rugby. Only Chris Paterson (809 points) has scored more than him

– Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale gained the most metres (395 from 42 carries) of any player during the 2019 Six Nations. He also beat the most defenders (23)

IRELAND – PLAYER NOTES:

– Rory Best will win his 121st cap, becoming the outright 13th most-capped player in Test history. It will be his 99th start in an Ireland jersey

– In the last 10 years just two tier one props have beaten five-plus defenders in a match – Tadhg Furlong (v Argentina in 2017 & Australia in 2018) and Dave Kilcoyne (v Italy & Wales in 2019) managing it twice each

– Tadhg Beirne has won 56 turnovers in the PRO14 since the beginning of 2017/18, 10 more than any other player, with 38 of those coming via jackals

– Jacob Stockdale has scored 16 tries in just 21 Test appearances, already moving into Ireland’s top 10 try scorers of all-time, level with Ronan O’Gara and one behind both Brendan Mullin and Andrew Trimble

– Jack Carty was the top points scorer in the PRO14 last season, scoring 157 points for Connacht. He also made the joint-fifth most try assists (10, level with Scotland’s Ali Price)

SCOTLAND – PLAYER NOTES:

– Stuart Hogg is set to win his 70th cap for Scotland. He is the first player to reach that tally of caps for Scotland before turning 28

– Finn Russell has assisted seven tries in international rugby in 2019, more than any other player who could feature at this year’s Rugby World Cup

– Darcy Graham has scored five tries in seven Tests for Scotland – each of his five tries have come when he has started the game though (five starts and two replacement appearances)

– John Barclay will win his 75th cap, moving level with Gordon Bulloch in ninth place on Scotland’s all-time caps list, two behind Nathan Hines and Jason White (77 caps)

– Jonny Gray has missed just 19 of 726 attempted tackles in his Scotland career, a tackle success rate of 97%

IRELAND v SCOTLAND – SQUAD COMPARISONS:

Squad Average Age: Ireland 27 years 337 days / Scotland 28 years 305 days
Starting XV Average Age: Ireland 28 years 127 days / Scotland 29 years 187 days

Squad Average Height (cm): Ireland 187 / Scotland 187
Starting XV Average Height (cm): Ireland 187 / Scotland 187

Squad Average Weight (kg): Ireland 104 / Scotland 103
Starting XV Average Weight (kg): Ireland 104 / Scotland 102
Starting Forwards Total Weight (kg): Ireland 895 / Scotland 888

Starting XV Caps: Ireland 679 / Scotland 630
Replacement Caps: Ireland 117 / Scotland 151