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Opta Facts: Men’s Six Nations – Ireland v England

Opta Facts: Men’s Six Nations – Ireland v England

James Lowe touched down twice for Ireland against England during last year's Guinness Men's Six Nations encounter at Twickenham Stadium ©INPHO/Andrew Fosker

Check out the Opta Facts, provided by Stats Perform, as Ireland get ready to launch their Guinness Men’s Six Nations title defence against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 4.45pm – live on Virgin Media One/ITV1/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Radio 5 Live).

– England won their most recent Test match against Ireland (23-22 in March 2024) after losing four in a row previously

– Steve Borthwick’s side were behind at half-time in that game. It was the first time this fixture had been won by the team who trailed at the break since the 1996 Five Nations (England 28-15 Ireland)

– Ireland have won each of their last three home matches against England, including two in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations

– Only twice before have they enjoyed longer winning runs against England on Irish soil – a four-match winning streak from 2005 to 2011, and a run of six wins between 1897 and 1907

– Ireland and England both have a 72% win rate in the opening round of the Men’s Six Nations, having each won 18 round 1 fixtures. That is more than any other team in the Championship

– Ireland have lost just two of their last 29 home fixtures in the Six Nations (W25, D2), a run stretching back to the end of the 2013 campaign

– However, one of their two defeats in that run came against England in their opening clash of the Championship in 2019 (also v France in 2021)

– England trailed at half-time in each of their five matches in last year’s Six Nations. It was the first time they have trailed at the break in every match of a campaign since the 1974 Five Nations

– However, they won three of those matches, and no side has ever recorded as many second half comebacks in an edition of the Championship

– Ireland and England had identical lineout records during last year’s Six Nations, each winning 62 of 68 throws (91%), the joint-best rates of any sides last year

– Ireland also won a higher share of their opponents’ throws than any other nation (21%), and boasted the Championship’s best scrum success rate (93%)

– England made an average of 29.9 kicks in play across their Test matches in 2024, the most of any tier 1 Men’s team

– Borthwick’s charges retained possession from 17% of their kicks in last year’s Six Nations, the highest rate in the Championship, while Ireland had the lowest rate (6%)

– Ireland and England each made 48 attacking 22m entries in the 2024 Six Nations, the most of any of team in last year’s Championship

– However, England scored the fewest points per entry of any team (2.1), while Ireland scored the second most (2.8, Scotland – 2.9)

– Ireland’s James Lowe was the only player to gain over 300 metres in the 2024 Six Nations (371), and scored both of Ireland’s tries when they faced England in the penultimate round of last year’s Championship

– Lowe has racked up four tries in five outings against England, including one in their last meeting in Dublin in August 2023

– Maro Itoje, England’s captain for the 2025 Six Nations, won at least three more turnovers than any other player in tier 1 Men’s rugby in 2024 (15), and also ranked first among all such players for both attacking (300) and defensive (137) ruck hits last year