Head-To-Head: Ireland v France

2013 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Saturday, March 9

IRELAND (4th) v FRANCE (6th), Aviva Stadium, 5pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC One)

IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster); Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (capt).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster).

FRANCE: Yoann Huget (Toulouse); Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), Maxime Medard (Toulouse); Frederic Michalak (Toulon), Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne); Thomas Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont Auvergne), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Christophe Samson (Castres Olympique), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse) (capt), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

Replacements: Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Vincent Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), Luc Ducalcon (Racing Metro 92), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Antonie Claassen (Castres Olympique), Maxime Machenaud (Racing Metro 92), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon).

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes, Greg Garner (both England)
Television Match Official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

Head-to-Head:

Played – 90
Ireland Won – 29
France Won – 55
Drawn – 6

France have won eleven of the last 13 meetings between the sides including victories at the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups. Ireland’s win was at the start of their 2009 Grand Slam season.

The six draws so far were in 1950 (3-3 in Paris), 1965 (3-3 in Dublin), 1971 (9-9 in Dublin), 1979 (9-9 in Dublin), 1985 (15-15 in Dublin) and 2012 (17-17 in Paris)

Ireland v France: IRFU Stats Vault

Biggest Wins:

Ireland: Points: 30-21, 2009 Six Nations; Margin: 24-0, 1913 Five Nations

France: Points: 45-10, 1996 Five Nations; Margin: 44-5, 2002 Six Nations

Individual Records In The Series:

Most Tries In A Match: Ireland 3 (Joe Quinn 1913, Brian O’Driscoll 2000); France 3 (Christian Darrouy 1963, David Venditti 1967, Vincent Clerc 2007)

Most Points In A Match: Ireland 17 (Michael Kiernan 1989, Ronan O’Gara 2001 and 2007); France 26 (Thierry Lacroix (1995 RWC)

Ireland v France Since 2000:

Played – 17
Ireland Won – 4 (2000, 2001, 2003, 2009)
France Won – 12 (2002, 2003 RWC, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2007 RWC, 2008, 2010, 2011×3)
Drawn – 1 (2012)

Ireland – Form Guide From Start Of The 2012 Six Nations:

Lost 23-21 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Won 42-10 v Italy home (Six Nations)
Drew 17-17 v France away (Six Nations)
Won 32-14 v Scotland home (Six Nations)
Lost 30-9 v England away (Six Nations)
Lost 42-10 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 22-19 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 60-0 v New Zealand away (Summer Tour)
Lost 16-12 v South Africa home (Autumn Series)
Won 46-24 v Argentina home (Autumn Series)
Won 30-22 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Lost 12-6 v England home (Six Nations)
Lost 12-8 v Scotland away (Six Nations)

France – Form Guide From Start Of The 2012 Six Nations:

Lost 30-12 v Italy home (Six Nations)
Won 23-17 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Drew 17-17 v Ireland home (Six Nations)
Lost 24-22 v England home (Six Nations)
Lost 16-9 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Lost 23-20 v Argentina away (Summer Tour)
Won 49-10 v Argentina away (Summer Tour)
Won 33-6 v Australia home (Autumn Series)
Won 39-22 v Argentina home (Autumn Series)
Won 22-14 v Samoa home (Autumn Series)
Lost 23-18 v Italy away (Six Nations)
Lost 16-6 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Lost 23-13 v England away (Six Nations)

International Championship All-Time Records:

Points –
557 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
546 Jonny Wilkinson (England)
467 Stephen Jones (Wales)
406 Neil Jenkins (Wales)
403 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
288 Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
270 David Humphreys (Ireland)

Tries –
26 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
24 Ian Smith (Scotland)
22 Shane Williams (Wales)
18 Cyril Lowe (England)
18 Rory Underwood (England)
18 Gareth Edwards (Wales)

Caps –
63 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
58 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
56 Mike Gibson (Ireland)
54 John Hayes (Ireland)
54 Jason Leonard (England)
53 Willie John McBride (Ireland)
53 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
51 Martyn Williams (Wales)
50 Philippe Sella (France)
50 Rory Underwood (England)
50 Stephen Jones (Wales)

Ireland – Most-Capped Players:

128 Ronan O’Gara
123 Brian O’Driscoll
105 John Hayes
98 Peter Stringer
93 Donncha O’Callaghan
92 Malcolm O’Kelly
85 Paul O’Connell
82 Girvan Dempsey
73 Gordon D’Arcy
72 David Humphreys
72 David Wallace
72 Geordan Murphy
70 Kevin Maggs

Ireland – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

1083 Ronan O’Gara
560 David Humphreys
308 Michael Kiernan
296 Eric Elwood
282 Jonathan Sexton
245 Brian O’Driscoll
217 Ollie Campbell
158 Tom Kiernan

Ireland – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

46 Brian O’Driscoll
29 Denis Hickie
26 Tommy Bowe
21 Shane Horgan
19 Girvan Dempsey
18 Geordan Murphy
17 Brendan Mullin
16 Ronan O’Gara
15 Kevin Maggs
15 Keith Wood

France – Most-Capped Players:

118 Fabien Pelous
111 Philippe Sella
98 Raphael Ibanez
93 Serge Blanco
89 Olivier Magne
86 Damien Traille
84 Sylvain Marconnet
82 Imanol Harinordoquy
78 Abdelatif Benazzi
76 Aurélien Rougerie
75 Julien Bonnaire
74 Lionel Nallet

France – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

380 Christophe Lamaison
373 Dimitri Yachvili
367 Thierry Lacroix
354 Didier Camberabero
346 Frederic Michalak
285 Morgan Parra
267 Gerald Merceron
265 Jean-Pierre Romeu
252 Thomas Castaignede
233 Serge Blanco
214 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
200 Jean-Patrick Lescarboura

France – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

38 Serge Blanco
34 Vincent Clerc
32 Philippe Saint-Andre
30 Philippe Sella
26 Philippe Bernat-Salles
26 Emile Ntamack
25 Christophe Dominici
23 Christian Darrouy
23 Aurélien Rougerie
20 Yannick Jauzion
20 Patrice Lagisquet

World Rugby All-Time Top Points Scorers:

1385 Dan Carter (New Zealand)
1246 Jonny Wilkinson (1179-England, 67-Lions)
1090 Neil Jenkins (1049-Wales, 41-Lions)
1083 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
1010 Diego Dominguez (27-Argentina, 983-Italy)
970 Stephen Jones (917-Wales, 53-Lions)
967 Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
911 Michael Lynagh (Australia)
893 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
878 Matt Burke (Australia)
809 Chris Paterson (Scotland)

World Rugby All-Time Top Try Scorers:

64 David Campese (Australia)
60 Shane Williams (58-Wales, 2-Lions)
50 Rory Underwood (49-England, 1-Lions)
49 Doug Howlett (New Zealand)
47 Bryan Habana (South Africa)
47 Brian O’Driscoll (46-Ireland, 1-Lions)
46 Christian Cullen (New Zealand)
46 Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand)
44 Jeff Wilson (New Zealand)
41 Gareth Thomas (40-Wales, 1-Lions)
40 Chris Latham (Australia)

(Note: Daisuke Ohata scored 69 tries for Japan, but not all against major international opposition)

The ‘100 Caps’ Club:

139 George Gregan (Australia)
130 Ronan O’Gara (128-Ireland, 2-Lions)
129 Brian O’Driscoll (123-Ireland, 6-Lions)
119 Jason Leonard (114-England, 5-Lions)
118 Fabien Pelous (France)
116 Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
116 Nathan Sharpe (Australia)
111 Philippe Sella (France)
111 John Smit (South Africa)
110 George Smith (Australia)
110 Victor Matfield (South Africa)
110 Stephen Jones (104-Wales, 6-Lions)
109 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
107 John Hayes (105-Ireland, 2-Lions)
104 Martyn Williams (100-Wales, 4-Lions)
103 Gareth Thomas (100-Wales, 3-Lions)
102 Gethin Jenkins (97-Wales, 5-Lions)
102 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
102 Stephen Larkham (Australia)
102 Keven Mealamu (New Zealand)
101 David Campese (Australia)
101 Alessandro Troncon (Italy)
101 Andrea Lo Cicero (Italy)
100 Mils Muliaina (New Zealand)