Ireland are on the verge of setting a new home-winning record as they prepare to take on France in round two of the Six Nations.
The two sides are hot favourites to win the Championship and collide at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
New home record awaits Ireland
For Andy Farrell’s charges, the game provides the opportunity to set a new record for the most consecutive home victories.
Ireland have won their last 12 games in a row at home, and a triumph over France this weekend will better their best-ever run at home in their history.
The Autumn Nations Series success over Australia equalled their existing record of 12, set between November 2016 and a defeat to England in February 2019 under the tutelage of Joe Schmidt.
The last time Ireland lost a home Test match was back in 2021 when they fell to a 15-13 defeat to France; it is also the only time Farrell has lost a home Test since taking over from Schmidt after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
During this period, Ireland have beaten the other four Six Nations sides at home as well as Georgia, Japan, USA, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
In fact, Farrell has won 18 of the 19 Tests he has taken charge of Ireland at home in the Six Nations.
Ireland’s most successful coach
His overall record makes him the most successful permanent coach of Ireland in the professional era, winning 24 of his 31 Test matches, giving him a win percentage of 77 per cent.
In his last 20 Tests, Ireland have lost just twice, including the defeat to New Zealand at Eden Park last year and the loss to France.
Ireland have been an incredible force on home soil over the past decade, suffering four defeats in their last 50 Tests at home since the end of 2013.
Besides the most recent loss to France in 2021, Wales in 2015, New Zealand in 2016 and England in 2019 are the only teams to have tasted victory in Dublin.
Ireland do face an arduous task this weekend, though, as they come up against the only team they have failed to defeat under Farrell’s guidance.
France dominate recent head-to-heads
In the three meetings between Ireland and France since the start of the World Cup cycle, Les Bleus have come out on top.
France emerged 35-27 victors in Paris in 2020 before securing a narrow 15-13 win in Dublin in 2021 and were 30-24 winners last year.
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For the first time since the World Rugby rankings were introduced, the top two ranked sides face off in the Six Nations, with Ireland putting the top spot on the line in the encounter.
France sit in second place and arrive at the Aviva on a 14-Test winning streak, last tasting defeat on July 17, 2021 against Australia in Brisbane.
Their run includes nine home wins and five away victories, and they are chasing their record of seven away Test wins in a row, set back in 2004 and 2005.
Saturday’s clash between the two form sides in World Rugby promises to be a thriller, with winning runs on the line and the top spot in the world rankings.
Will Fabien Galthie taste defeat against Ireland the first time, after beating them seven times as a player and three times as head coach, or will Farrell finally claim a win over Les Bleus, having lost once as a player, with England, and three times as head coach of Ireland?