All the stats and facts for the World Cup quarter-final between New Zealand and Ireland in Tokyo on Saturday.
– Since RWC 2015, only two countries have beaten the All Blacks more than once: Australia and Ireland.
– Ireland failed to beat New Zealand in their first 28 attempts, but have now won two of their last three encounters with them.
– Ireland can become the fifth northern-hemisphere team to beat the All Blacks at least three times, following France (12), England (7), the British & Irish Lions (7) and Wales (3).
– Ireland clinched their first victory over New Zealand in Chicago, United States, on 5 November 2016. Ireland won 40-29.
– From the current Ireland squad, Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Conor Murray and Robbie Henshaw all scored tries in that match. From the current All Blacks squad, TJ Perenara, Scott Barrett and Ben Smith scored tries.
– Ireland also beat New Zealand 16-9 in Dublin on 17 November 2018. This was the most recent meeting between these teams.
WORLD CUP TEAMS (Quarter-finals)
– In 104 Test matches during Steve Hansen’s tenure as head coach, the All Blacks have been restricted to a single-digit score once. That was during the 16-9 defeat by Ireland in 2018.
– New Zealand won their only previous RWC encounter with Ireland. That was a 43-19 win at Ellis Park on 27 May 1995, in a pool phase match at RWC 1995. Jonah Lomu scored the first two of his record 15 RWC tries in that match.
– New Zealand are the only World Cup opponents Ireland have faced yet never beaten.
– Once before, Ireland met the reigning world champions in a World Cup match. In 2003, they faced Australia and lost.
– New Zealand have not lost a World Cup match since 2007, when they lost 20-18 to France in the quarter-finals.
– Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton start together for Ireland for the 56th time, breaking the all-time record of 55 for Ireland, set by Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara between 2000 and 2015.
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
