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

It is top against bottom in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations on Saturday afternoon, as reigning champions Ireland travel to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to play Wales (kick-off 2.15pm). Check out the Opta Facts, provided by Stats Perform.

– Ireland have won seven of their last eight Tests against Wales, including the last three in a row – with those three victories all coming by more than 20 points

– Wales have won four of their last five home games against Ireland in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations (L1). However, their lone defeat in that spell came in their most recent meeting at the Principality Stadium in 2023

– Ireland will be aiming to win consecutive away games against Wales in the Championship for the first time since 2007-2009

– Wales have lost 14 of their last 15 fixtures in the Men’s Six Nations, including their last eight in a row. Only once before have they lost as many consecutive games in any iteration of the Championship (eight between 1994 and 1996)

– Overall Wales have suffered 14 losses in a row across all competitions, which represents their worst ever run

– Ireland have won 18 of their last 20 matches in the Men’s Six Nations (L2), averaging 4.1 tries per game in that run and securing 14 try-scoring bonus points

– Ireland’s last three encounters with Wales in the Championship have seen them outscore their opponents by four tries to one in each match

– Wales have scored just 15 points across their first two outings of 2025, their lowest tally after two rounds in a single Championship since Italy joined the Men’s Six Nations in 2000 (previously 17 in 2023)

– Ireland have had just 47% possession across their opening two games of this year’s Men’s Six Nations. Only Italy have had a lower figure (44%)

– However, Ireland have enjoyed more territory (56%) than any other team, and have made more entries into the opposition 22 (22) than anyone else

– Wales have conceded the most (26) and been awarded the fewest (14) penalties of any side in this year’s Men’s Six Nations. 11 of the penalties they have conceded have come at the ruck, where only Ireland (12) have conceded more

– Wales’ Taulupe Faletau made 13 carries against Italy in round 2. In doing so, he became just the third player to reach 500 carries in Men’s Six Nations history, after Sergio Parisse (785) and Stuart Hogg (541)

– Ireland’s James Lowe is the only player to register more than 100 post-contact metres (103) so far in the tournament, while Wales captain Jac Morgan has made the most in-contact metres (49) of any player

– Cian Healy has made 66 appearances in the Men’s Six Nations. He will equal Alun Wyn Jones (67) for the second most appearances in Championship history if he plays in this game, with just Italy legend Sergio Parisse (69) to catch