Opta Facts: Guinness Men’s Six Nations – Ireland v Wales

Fresh from a record win away to England, Ireland (sponsored by Vodafone) resume their Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign with a Friday night clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 8.10pm). Check out the Opta Facts, provided by Stats Perform, below.

– Ireland have won their last four Guinness Men’s Six Nations matches against Wales, their best run in this fixture since winning four in a row between 2001 and 2004. In fact, they have never won five consecutive games against Wales in any iteration of the Championship

– Ireland are unbeaten in their last six home Six Nations clashes with Wales (W5, D1), winning their last four in a row, both their longest unbeaten run and longest winning streak at home to Wales in Championship history

– It is almost three years exactly since Wales won in the Men’s Six Nations, picking up a 29-17 victory in Rome against Italy in March 2023

– Since then Wales have lost 14 consecutive matches in the tournament. Only Italy (36 between 2015 and 2022) have lost more games in a row in the Men’s Six Nations in the professional era

– Wales have lost 23 of their 25 Tests since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, only beating Japan in that span (twice)

– Wales have lost their grip on five half-time leads during this run, including against Scotland in round 3 (leading 17-5 at half-time before eventually losing 26-23) and in their last meeting with Ireland twelve months ago (losing 27-18 after leading 13-10 at the break)

– Ireland have won 22 of their last 24 home games against European opposition, with France the only Six Nations team to beat them in that period (2021 and 2025), a run which dates back to 2019

– Ireland have moved the ball wide from 12.5% of their phases to date in the 2026 Men’s Six Nations, the highest rate of any team and almost double the rate Wales have achieved (6.3%), which is the lowest of any side

– Wales (4) and Ireland (3) have scored more tries originating from a tap penalty than any other team in this year’s Six Nations. That accounts for 80% of the tries Wales have scored (4/5), and 30% of Ireland’s (3/10)

– Ireland have won a competition-high 24 turnovers in the 2026 Championship so far, with half of those being jackals, five more than any other side. Individually, only Scotland’s Rory Darge (5) has won more jackals than Ireland forwards Tadhg Beirne (4) and Caelan Doris (3)

– Jamison Gibson-Park is in line to win his 50th Ireland cap if he features on Friday night. It would be his sixth appearance against Wales. He has won four of his previous five against them, and provided a try assist in each of his last three games against the Welsh

– Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins made the most tackles (55) and hit the most attacking rucks (98) of any player during the first three rounds of this year’s Six Nations. Only Jac Morgan (88) made more tackles than Jenkins (78) in the 2025 Championship

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