Rugby World Cup 2015: Quarter-finals - The stats you need to know

Conrad Smith during an All Blacks' training session in Swansea. Photo / Brett Phibbs

All the key stats on the four Rugby World Cup 2015 quarter-final match-ups.

SOUTH AFRICA V WALES, 4AM SUNDAY, CARDIFF

- This will be just the second meeting between the sides at the World Cup with South Africa beating Wales by a point in the pool stages four years ago.
- Wales have beaten a Tri-Nations team just once in the World Cup, Australia in 1987, losing their last eight against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the tournament.
- Wales won their last game against South Africa but had lost 16 in a row against the Springboks before that, a run dating back to the turn of the century.
- Wales have never won two in a row against the Boks, having beaten them just twice overall in Test rugby (L27 D1).
- South Africa have won three of the five quarter-finals they have contested at the Rugby World Cup, however those two defeats have come recently, 2011 and 2003.
- A win for Wales would see them reach the semi-finals in back-to-back World Cups for the first time.
- The only three players to qualify for the quarter-finals and play every minute of the pool stages represented one of these two teams, Gareth Davies, Francois Louw and Bryan Habana.
- Bryan Habana needs one more try to stand alone as the leading try scorer in RWC history, he is currently tied with Jonah Lomu on 15.
- Wales managed the best goal kicking success rate in the pool stages, converting 92% of their penalty goal or conversion attempts into points, Dan Biggar slotted 15/16 and Rhys Priestland 7/8.
- Damian de Allende ended the pool stages as the player to notch up more defenders beaten (18) than anyone else, it was twice as many as any Wales player managed (Gareth Davies - 9).

NEW ZEALAND V FRANCE, 8AM SUNDAY, CARDIFF

- This will be the seventh time these sides have met in the Rugby World Cup, making it the most played fixture in the history of the competition.
- Both these sides have progressed to the semi-finals in six of seven World Cups; France were the victors the only time the All Blacks were knocked out at the quarter-final stage of a tournament.
- The Millennium Stadium is the only World Cup venue New Zealand have lost at more than once (2007 v France & 1999 v South Africa).
- New Zealand have won their last six however at the Millennium Stadium, with their last loss in Cardiff coming against France in 2007.
- The All Blacks can equal Australia's record of 12 consecutive wins in the Rugby World Cup if they beat France.
- New Zealand are just three tries away from recording their 300th in the Rugby World Cup, no other side has reached 200 (Australia - 198).
- Ben Smith gained 306 metres over the gainline in the Pool Stages, more than any other player to qualify for the quarter-finals.
- New Zealand were one of four teams to win all their scrums on their own put in during the Pool Stages (27/27).
- The All Blacks are one of three teams, along with Ireland and South Africa, to open the try scoring in all of their games in this World Cup; France failed to open the try scoring just once, against Ireland.
- Thierry Dusautoir has won the third most turnovers in the tournament so far (8), despite playing just three of France's four games.

IRELAND V ARGENTINA, 1AM SUNDAY, CARDIFF

- Argentina have progressed past the quarter-finals just once in the Rugby World Cup, in 2007 when they eventually finished third.
-However Ireland are yet to progress past the quarter-final stage at a World Cup, falling at this stage in five of seven World Cups.
- Argentina defeated Ireland in both years in which the Irish failed to make the quarter-finals, winning in the quarter-final playoffs in 1999 before emerging victorious in Pool D in 2007.
- Overall the sides have met three times at the World Cup, with Argentina winning on two occasions and Ireland one; their most recent meeting (2007) saw a winning margin of 15 points however the two games before that were both settled by fewer than five.
- The Pumas' 2007 World Cup win was their last against Ireland, with the Irish winning all five Tests since then by an average margin of 15 points.
- Ireland have won on their last three trips to the Millennium Stadium and have lost just three times there in total (W8); their most recent three wins there have all come since August.
- In contrast the Pumas have lost four of their last five at the Cardiff venue.
- Ireland have scored the opening try in all four of their World Cup games this year, Argentina just twice.
- Ireland averaged the most carries per game (148) in the Pool Stages, however Argentina ranked top for metres gained (672), clean breaks (15), defenders beaten (35) and offloads (18).
- Ireland had the best ruck success in the Pool Stages (97%) and thus spent the longest time in possession per game (21m 45s).

AUSTRALIA V SCOTLAND, 4AM SUNDAY, TWICKENHAM

- Scotland have not progressed beyond the quarter-finals at the Rugby World Cup since 1991.
-Two tries for Australia would see them record their 200th in the RWC; only New Zealand have scored more tries in the competition.
-This will be the second RWC meeting between these sides having met at the same stage in 2003, a game which Australia won 33-16 and in which Matt Giteau featured as a replacement fly-half.
- Australia have won 17 of their last 19 Test matches against Scotland, however those two defeats have come in their last three meetings (2012 & 2009). Both of those wins for Scotland saw neither team reach double figures in the match.
- Scotland have won just four times in 47 Tests at Twickenham with the last of these victories coming in 1983 (also 1971, 1938 & 1926).
- Conversely, Australia have won their last two at Twickenham and are looking to win three on the bounce at the home of England for the first time ever.
-David Pocock won more turnovers (10) than any other player in the pool stages, despite playing in just three matches (219 minutes).
- Scotland made more tackles (592) than any other side in the pool stages, and still maintained the third best success rate (90%).
- Individually Richie Gray completed 45/45 tackles for Scotland; no player from any team made more without missing at least one in the pool stage.
- Scotland conceded fewer turnovers (43) than any other team in the pool stages.