Opta Facts: U-20 Men’s Six Nations – Wales v Ireland

The Ireland Under-20 Men’s team (sponsored by PwC) face their second away trip of the U-20 Men’s Six Nations when they take on Wales at Rodney Parade on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm – live on Virgin Media Three/Virgin Media Play/BBC iPlayer/S4C). Stats Perform preview the game with their Opta Facts.

– Ireland have won their last six Under-20 Men’s Six Nations matches against Wales, scoring an average of 40 points per game in that run. It comes after Wales had won the preceding six clashes in this match-up

– Ireland have lost just one of their last 17 matches in the U-20 Six Nations (W15, D1), a round 1 loss to England at the start of the month

– Only once in the last six editions of the competition have the Ireland U-20 Men lost multiple matches, losing to England and France in 2021

– Wales beat Italy in the final round of the 2024 U-20 Six Nations, their most recent home game in the Championship

– They have not won back-to-back home fixtures in the competition since 2017-2018 (excluding the 2021 Championship which was played entirely in Cardiff)

– Ireland are unbeaten in their last 12 away games (excluding 2021) in the U-20 Six Nations, scoring 30-plus points in each of their last seven such matches

– Wales have not played an U-20 Men’s Six Nations match at Rodney Parade since 2008 when they played all three of their home encounters at the Newport venue, winning all three with the likes of Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, and Justin Tipuric involved

– Ireland have committed 2-plus tacklers from over two thirds (68%) of their carries in the 2025 U-20 Six Nations, the best rate of any team

– Wales’ rate is 50%, the lowest of any side, however Ireland also have the lowest gainline success rate (55%) to date

– Wales have won 20 turnovers so far in this year’s U-20 Six Nations, the most of any team and at least twice as many as all of the other sides apart from Italy (13)

– Five different Wales players have won three or more turnovers. They are Harry Thomas (4), Dan Gemine, Elijah Evans, Evan Minto, and Harry Beddall (all 3)

– Ireland have managed an average attacking ruck speed of just 2.97s so far, almost half a second quicker than any other team (Scotland, 3.42s). In defence, however, they have allowed quicker ball (3.3s) than any other side

– Ireland out-half Sam Wisniewski has made more kicks in play (22) and made more kicking metres (658) than anyone else in the 2025 U-20 Six Nations so far

– 14 of Wisniewski’s 22 kicks have been territorial kicks, but he has also made the joint most cross-field kicks (4) of any player (also Matthew Urwin)

– Wales’ Harry Thomas is the top try scorer in the 2025 U-20 Six Nations so far, crossing four times – twice against France in round 1, and twice against Italy in round 2. He also ranks joint top for most turnovers won (4), alongside Scotland’s Fergus Watson