Opta Facts: Women’s Rugby World Cup – France v Ireland

Familiar opponents France stand between Ireland and a prized place in the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals, as the teams prepare to clash at Sandy Park in Exeter on Sunday afternoon. Tickets are available to buy here.

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Scott Bemand’s side opened this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations with a promising performance against France in Belfast, bouncing back to draw within two points before a late surge saw les Bleues win 27-15.

Sunday’s much-anticipated rematch, which kicks off at 1pm and is live on RTÉ One and BBC Two, could mark Aoife Wafer’s return from a knee injury. Stats Perform preview France v Ireland with their Opta Facts below:

– France have won each of their last eight matches against Ireland, all by margins of 12 points or more, with their last defeat to the girls in green coming in February 2017

– France have won each of their previous four Rugby World Cup clashes with Ireland by an average margin of 24 points. However, their only previous meeting in the knockout rounds was deciding by just seven points, during the 2014 Bronze final in Paris

– France have won two of their previous three World Cup quarter-finals (L1), with their 99-0 win at this stage against Japan in 1994 remaining the largest by any team in a knockout fixture. Only England have (9) have progressed to more semi-finals than les Bleues (8)

– France won all three of their pool matches at England 2025 by a combined margin of 150 points, scoring 26 tries and conceding just two in the process – the joint fewest of any team

– Ireland lost their only previous Rugby World Cup quarter-final (76-0 v USA in 1994). They have progressed to the semi-finals once previously, though, in France in 2014

– France have conceded the fewest defensive 22-metre entries of any team in this year’s Rugby World Cup (11), while only England (53) have recorded more attacking 22-metre entries than the French (49)

– France won at least six more turnovers than any other side during the pool stages (29). However, only two teams have conceded fewer turnovers this year than Ireland (36, behind Australia and Scotland)

– Ireland have the third highest lineout success rate of any team at this year’s World Cup (89%), while France have the second lowest (65%). Nonetheless, no team has stolen more opposition lineouts than the French (6, also Australia)

– France back rower Charlotte Escudero has won more turnovers than any other player at England 2025 (7), while her team-mate Gabrielle Vernier ranks first among backs (5). Escudero was also the only player to make more than 20 tackles during the final round of pool games (28)

– Ireland out-half Dannah O’Brien was the only player to make 30+ kicks in play (51) or gain 1000+ kicking metres (1559) during the pool stages. Ireland retained possession from four of her kicks, more than any other player in the tournament