Peter O’Mahony’s Six Nations milestone appearance on the horizon

Peter O’Mahony is set to make his 50th appearance in the Six Nations Championship if the Ireland captain is named to lead the team against Italy in Sunday’s match at the Aviva Stadium (3pm), fostering an even stronger link with Azzurri rugby teams, so to speak.

It’s an appropriate fixture for him to reach the milestone on the basis that he simultaneously made his Irish and Six Nations debut against the Italians at Lansdowne Road, almost 12 years ago to the day, on February 25th, 2012.

The Corkman was the only new cap as Ireland romped to a 42-10 victory thanks to tries from Tommy Bowe (2), Keith Earls, Tom Court and Andrew Trimble. Johnny Sexton kicked three penalties and four conversions. There are two other survivors from that match who are still part of the current Ireland squad, prop Cian Healy and scrumhalf Conor Murray.

O’Mahony replaced Sean O’Brien in the 58th minute with the home side leading 23-10. He made a first start in his third cap against Scotland, crossed for his first try in his 36th appearance in the tournament on February 22nd, 2022, at the Aviva Stadium.

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His link with all things Italy though also included the Six Nations game where he ended up on the wing, the then head coach Declan Kidney’s last match in charge. Injuries denied Ireland the services of Paul O’Connell, Johnny Sexton, Simon Zebo, Gordon D’Arcy, Eoin Reddan and Fergus McFadden in Rome that day.

It got worse during the game, Keith Earls limped off, Luke Marshall had to retire due to a concussion, Luke Fitzgerald, a replacement limped off, Brian O’Driscoll received a yellow card and amid all the carnage, O’Mahony was dispatched to the wing – the pre-game chat had been how he’d played there for Cork Constitution at club level – where he played 50 minutes.

He admitted in the aftermath: “It was a mad one all right. I certainly never saw myself playing 50 minutes on the wing for Ireland in a Six Nations game.” Ireland, who finished the game with 14 players after Conor Murray received a yellow card, lost 22-15, their only defeat to the Italians to date in a Six Nations game.

Speaking of statistics, some Opta Facts, provided by Stats Perform, from last weekend’s matches where Ireland beat France in Marseille and Italy came up three points short against England at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome proved to be interesting in looking ahead to Sunday.

In an attacking capacity Ireland and Italy each made six line breaks apiece a number that was joint-most, along with Wales, who enjoyed a tour de force second half performance in Cardiff having been 27-0 down. Italy also had the highest tackle evasion rate of any team last time out (22 per cent), something that won’t have pleased England’s defence coach, Felix Jones.

The Sandycove native, who was part of the Springboks coaching group that claimed successive World Cups, joined Steve Borthwick’s set-up at defence coach – he was attack coach with South Africa. It was his first game in charge, so a lack of cohesion was to be understood especially in the first half. England improved after the break.

Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy (2.0) conceded fewer points per defensive 22 entry than any other side last weekend, while Ireland scored more points per attacking 22 entry than any other team last weekend (4.2). At least one of those two metrics will have to give at the Aviva stadium on Sunday.

There were other categories in which the two countries excelled in the opening round of fixtures. Ireland (32 per cent) and Italy (30 per cent) moved the ball beyond the first receiver from a greater share of their attacking phases than any other teams, while they were also the only two teams to attack the openside of the pitch from 90 per cent+ of their attacking phases with Ireland at 91 per cent, and Italy, 92 per cent.

There were also some individual high points. Ireland’s Joe McCarthy crossed the gain-line from a greater percentage of his carries than any other forward to carry on five plus occasions (89 per cent), while secondrow partner Tadhg Beirne was the only forward to make multiple line breaks (two).

Italy’s Monty Ioane beat more defenders than any other player in the opening round of the Six Nations (six), while team-mate Tommaso Menoncello beat over twice as many defenders as any other centre last time out (five).

But perhaps the last word to O’Mahony who is set to become the ninth Irish player to reach the 50 Six Nations appearances milestone, either on Sunday or beyond.