In the 17 seasons since the Six Nations Championship began in 2000, the Ireland team have played 85 matches, winning 56, losing 26 and drawing three, collecting a reasonable amount of silverware – three championships, four Triple Crowns and a Grand Slam in 2009.
For the purposes of this column, it was decided to break it down to a collective tally in the odd and even years from 2000-2016, based on the fact that the fixtures list, in terms of opponents if not venues, remains a constant.
In the even years from 2000, Ireland play Scotland, Wales and Italy at home while travelling to London and Paris and in the odd years they play three matches away from Dublin, hosting England and France. Prior to this season’s championship, and for the period in question, there have been nine campaigns for Irish teams in the even years and eight in the odd.
Ireland has winning records against four of the five teams, the most clearcut against Italy with 16 wins and just a single defeat, followed by Scotland (13-4), Wales (10-6-1) and England (9-8) with just France having the measure of Ireland teams (6-9-2) from 2000-2016.
The most striking statistic is that Ireland have won almost the same number of matches at home (28) as away (27) in terms of the cumulative totals for the odd and even years, albeit having played five fewer matches in the odd years.
However that’s where the similarity ends as the winning ratio when Ireland teams host Wales, Scotland and Italy is 81 per cent (played 27, won 22, lost four, drawn 1) as against 63 per cent (16-10-5-1) when England and France are the visitors to Dublin.
When Ireland have to travel to London and Paris they manage to win 33 per cent (18-6-11-1) but that jumps to 71 per cent (24-17-7) when Wales, Italy and Scotland host the Irish team.
Obvious strength
The obvious strength of English and French rugby at times is reflected in the Six Nations roll of honour from 2000-2016. England have won five championships, two Grand Slams including last season, and four Triple Crowns. France also have five championship titles to their name and three Grand Slams. So on that basis Ireland are always going to struggle in the even years when they have to play at Twickenham and the Stade de France.
It should be noted that Wales can match France’s tally of three Grand Slams, while also cobbling together three Six Nations Championships and the same number of Triple Crowns.
Ireland have managed a clean sweep of wins in their home matches on seven occasions, four in even years, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2014 (against Wales, Scotland and Italy) and on three occasions, 2001, 2009, 2015 beat France and England in Dublin. Last season they didn’t lose a match at the Aviva stadium, beating Scotland and Italy but drawing with Wales.
This corresponds with prevailing in all three matches on the road, Cardiff, Murrayfield and Rome on three occasions in the odd numbered years; 2003, 2007 and 2009. Only once have Ireland lost all three games in the Six Nations away from home and that was in the 2013 season.
For those who prefer to delve through history as an augury of future events, the Ireland team won a Grand Slam, two of four Triple Crowns and two Six Nations Championships in an odd numbered year, like the current one; the exceptions, the 2014 Championship and the 2004 and 2006 Triple Crowns.
