Head-To-Head: Ireland v Italy

2014 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Saturday, March 8

IRELAND (1st) v ITALY (6th), Aviva Stadium, 2.30pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC One/RTÉ Radio 1)

IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

ITALY: Luke McLean (Benetton Treviso); Angelo Esposito (Benetton Treviso), Michele Campagnaro (Benetton Treviso), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre); Luciano Orquera (Zebre), Tito Tebaldi (Ospreys); Alberto de Marchi (Benetton Treviso), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre) (capt), Joshua Furno (Biarritz Olympique), Paul Derbyshire (Benetton Treviso), Robert Barbieri (Benetton Treviso).

Replacements: Davide Giazzon (Zebre), Michele Rizzo (Benetton Treviso), Lorenzo Cittadini (Benetton Treviso), Antonio Pavanello (Benetton Treviso), Manoa Vosawai (Benetton Treviso), Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Andrea Masi (London Wasps).

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Pascal Gauzere (France), Greg Garner (England)
Television Match Official: Geoff Warren (England)

Head-To-Head:

Played – 22
Ireland Won – 18
Italy Won – 4

Ireland v Italy: IRFU Stat Zone

Ireland had won 17 matches in succession against Italy before losing in Rome last March; Italy won three times between 1995 and 1997 before their entry into the RBS 6 Nations Championship

Ireland v Italy In The Six Nations:

2000 Ireland won 60-13, Dublin
2001 Ireland won 41-22, Rome
2002 Ireland won 32-17, Dublin
2003 Ireland won 37-13, Rome
2004 Ireland won 19-3, Dublin
2005 Ireland won 28-17, Rome
2006 Ireland won 26-16, Dublin
2007 Ireland won 51-24, Rome
2008 Ireland won 16-11, Dublin
2009 Ireland won 38-9, Rome
2010 Ireland won 29-11, Dublin
2011 Ireland won 13-11, Rome
2012 Ireland won 42-10, Dublin
2013 Italy won 22-15, Rome

Biggest Wins:

Ireland: Points & Margin: 61-6, 2003 Rugby World Cup Warm-Up

Italy: Points: 37-29, 1997 Friendly Match, 37-22, 1997 Friendly Match; Margin: 37-22, 1997 Friendly Match

Individual Records In The Series:

Most Points In A Match: Ireland 30 (Ronan O’Gara 2000); Italy 27 (Diego Dominguez 1997)

Most Tries In A Match: Ireland 4 (Denis Hickie 2003); Italy 2 (Paolo Vaccari 1997)

Ireland – Form Guide From Start Of The 2013 Six Nations:

Won 30-22 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Lost 12-6 v England home (Six Nations)
Lost 12-8 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Drew 13-13 v France home (Six Nations)
Lost 22-15 v Italy away (Six Nations)
Won 15-12 v USA away (Summer Tour)
Won 40-14 v Canada away (Summer Tour)
Won 40-9 v Samoa home (Autumn Series)
Lost 32-15 v Australia home (Autumn Series)
Lost 24-22 v New Zealand home (Autumn Series)
Won 28-6 v Scotland home (Six Nations)
Won 26-3 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Lost 13-10 v England away (Six Nations)

Italy – Form Guide From Start Of The 2013 Six Nations:

Won 23-18 v France home (Six Nations)
Lost 34-10 v Scotland away (Six Nations)
Lost 26-9 v Wales home (Six Nations)
Lost 18-11 v England away (Six Nations)
Won 22-15 v Ireland home (Six Nations)
Lost 44-10 v South Africa away (Quadrangular Tournament)
Lost 39-10 v Samoa neutral (Quadrangular Tournament)
Lost 30-29 v Scotland neutral (Quadrangular Tournament)
Lost 50-20 v Australia home (Autumn Series)
Won 37-31 v Fiji home (Autumn Series)
Lost 19-14 v Argentina home (Autumn Series)
Lost 23-15 v Wales away (Six Nations)
Lost 30-10 v France away (Six Nations)
Lost 21-20 v Scotland home (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 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
63 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland)
56 Mike Gibson (Ireland)
54 John Hayes (Ireland)
54 Jason Leonard (England)
53 Willie John McBride (Ireland)
53 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
52 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy)
51 Martyn Williams (Wales)
50 Philippe Sella (France)
50 Rory Underwood (England)
50 Stephen Jones (Wales)

Ireland – Most-Capped Players:

131 Brian O’Driscoll
128 Ronan O’Gara
105 John Hayes
98 Peter Stringer
94 Donncha O’Callaghan
92 Malcolm O’Kelly
90 Paul O’Connell
82 Girvan Dempsey
77 Gordon D’Arcy
73 Rory Best
72 David Humphreys
72 David Wallace
72 Geordan Murphy
70 Kevin Maggs
69 Mike Gibson

Ireland – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

1083 Ronan O’Gara
560 David Humphreys
333 Jonathan Sexton
308 Michael Kiernan
296 Eric Elwood
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

Italy – Most-Capped Players:

104 Martin Castrogiovanni
104 Sergio Parisse
103 Andrea Lo Cicero
102 Marco Bortolami
101 Alessandro Troncon
97 Mauro Bergamasco
89 Mirco Bergamasco
86 Gonzalo Canale
83 Carlo Checchinato
83 Salvatore Perugini
83 Alessandro Zanni
81 Fabio Ongaro
80 Andrea Masi

Italy – All-Time Leading Points Scorers:

983 Diego Dominguez
483 Stefano Bettarello
294 Luigi Troiani
260 Ramiro Pez
256 Mirco Bergamasco

Italy – All-Time Leading Try Scorers:

25 Marcello Cuttitta
22 Paolo Vaccari
21 Carlo Checchinato
21 Manrico Marchetto
19 Alessandro Troncon
17 Mirco Bergamasco
17 Serafino Ghizzoni
17 Massimo Mascioletti

World Rugby All-Time Top Points Scorers:

1442 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)
53 Bryan Habana (South Africa)
50 Rory Underwood (49-England, 1-Lions)
49 Doug Howlett (New Zealand)
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 Brian O’Driscoll (131-Ireland, 8-Lions)
139 George Gregan (Australia)
130 Ronan O’Gara (128-Ireland, 2-Lions)
124 Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
119 Jason Leonard (114-England, 5-Lions)
118 Fabien Pelous (France)
116 Nathan Sharpe (Australia)
111 Philippe Sella (France)
111 John Smit (South Africa)
111 George Smith (Australia)
110 Victor Matfield (South Africa)
110 Stephen Jones (104-Wales, 6-Lions)
110 Keven Mealamu (New Zealand)
109 Chris Paterson (Scotland)
108 Gethin Jenkins (103-Wales, 5-Lions)
107 John Hayes (105-Ireland, 2-Lions)
107 Tony Woodcock (New Zealand)
104 Martyn Williams (100-Wales, 4-Lions)
104 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy)
104 Sergio Parisse (Italy)
103 Gareth Thomas (100-Wales, 3-Lions)
103 Andrea Lo Cicero (Italy)
102 Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
102 Stephen Larkham (Australia)
102 Marco Bortolami (Italy)
101 David Campese (Australia)
101 Alessandro Troncon (Italy)
100 Mils Muliaina (New Zealand)
100 Dan Carter (New Zealand)