– Ireland have won five of their last eight meetings with Spain (L3), this after losing their first three matches against las Leonas. This will be the teams’ first encounter at a Rugby World Cup
– Five of the last nine fixtures between Ireland and Spain have been decided by fewer than three points, including each of their last two clashes – an 8-7 win for Spain in a Rugby World Cup qualifier in 2021, and a 15-13 triumph for Ireland at WXV3 in 2023
– Ireland have won eight of their last nine Rugby World Cup pool games (L1). Last week’s 28-point victory over Japan in the opening round was their biggest win at the start of a campaign
– Ireland have lost seven of their eight matches against European opposition in the Rugby World Cup since the beginning of the 2006 edition (W1), including the last four in a row, this after winning four of their six such fixtures between 1994 and 2002 (L2)
– Spain have won just one of their last seven Rugby World Cup games against European nations (L6), after winning four of their initial five such fixtures in the tournament. They did beat European opposition in the pool phase during their last tournament appearance (22-8 v Italy in 2017)
– Ireland slotted over each of their six kicks at goal against Japan, with Dannah O’Brien in unerring form. No other team attempted as many kicks without missing at least one during the 2025 Rugby World Cup’s first round
– Spain conceded just two penalties against New Zealand last Sunday, at least two fewer than any other team in the opening round of the tournament in England
– Spain made the most tackles during the Rugby World Cup’s opening weekend (246), although they recorded the lowest tackle success rate (80.1%), while Ireland had the third best rate (91.7%), behind Scotland (94.6%) and England (91.8%)
– Ireland’s Eve Higgins carried for 197 metres from her 10 carries against Japan, an average of 19.7 metres per carry, the best rate of any player to run with the ball more than once during the tournament’s opening round
– Alba Capell made 27 tackles for Spain against New Zealand, no player made more across the Rugby World Cup’s first few days of action (level with Morwenna Talling and Emily Chancellor)