The Lows

Taking over after a home defeat to Scotland, despite heartening performances Gatland's reign begins with five successive defeats to complete championship wooden spoon/whitewash and then series defeat in South Africa. Ireland are knocked out of World Cup in quarter-final play-off by Argentina in Lens (Paul Wallace shows his disappointment afterwards, right) and follow that up by conceding a record 50 points to England. After steady upturn in fortunes, Ireland suffer near record defeat in 32-10 defeat to Scotland last September in re-arranged game after foot-and-mouth truncates last season's campaign.

The Highs

Victory in Wembley over Wales in February '99 ends seven-match losing streak in championship. The following season Ireland end 12-year winless sequence to Scots with record 44-22 win, follow it up with record 60-13 win over Italy and end 17-year winless run against French and 26-year losing sequence in Paris when Brian O'Driscoll scores three tries in 27-25 win. The 83-3 win over USA in sumer tour of 2000 is all-time record Irish win.

Ireland achieve first back-to-back wins over France since 1972-73. Victory over England (pictured below) ensures first Anglo-French double in same season since 1983, and first win over England in seven years, and highest championship finish (second) in 16 years. Finishes reign with record high of 29 points in defeat to All Blacks.

Ireland Under Gatland

P 38 W 18 D 1 L 19

Mar 7th, 1998: France 18 Ireland 16 Stade de France

Mar 21st, 1998: Ireland 21 Wales 30 Lansdowne Road.

Apr 4th, 1998: England 35 Ireland 17 Twickenham.

Jun 13th, 1998: Sth Africa 37 Ireland 13 Bloemfontein.

Jun 20th, 1998: Sth Africa 33 Ireland 0 Pretoria.

Nov 14th, 1998: Ireland 70 Georgia 0 Lansdowne Road.

Nov 21st, 1998: Ireland 53 Romania 35 Lansdowne Road.

Nov 28th, 1998: Ireland 13 Sth Africa 27 Lansdowne Road.

Feb 6th, 1999: Ireland 9 France 10 Lansdowne Road.

Feb 20th, 1999: Wales 23 Ireland 29 Wembley.

Mar 6th, 1999: Ireland 15 England 27 Lansdowne Road.

Mar 20th, 1999: Scotland 30 Ireland 13 Murrayfield.

Apr 10th,1999: Ireland 39 Italy 30 Lansdowne Road.

Jun 12th, 1999: Australia 46 Ireland 10 Ballymore.

Jun 19th, 1999: Australia 32 Ireland 26 Perth.

Aug 28th, 1999: Ireland 32 Argentina 24 Lansdowne Road.

Oct 2nd, 1999: Ireland 53 USA 8 Lansdowne Road.

Oct 10th, 1999: Ireland 3 Australia 23 Lansdowne Road.

Oct 15th, 1999: Ireland 44 Romania 14 Lansdowne Road.

Oct 20th, 1999: Ireland 24 Argentina 28 Lens.

Feb 5th, 2000: England 50 Ireland 18 Twickenham.

Feb 19th, 2000: Ireland 44 Scotland 22 Lansdowne Road.

Mar 4th, 2000: Ireland 60 Italy 13 Lansdowne Road.

Mar 19th, 2000: France 25 Ireland 27 Stade de France.

Apr 1st, 2000: Ireland 19 Wales 23 Lansdowne Road.

Jun 3rd, 2000: Argentina 34 Ireland 23 Buenos Aires.

Jun 10th, 2000: USA 3 Ireland 83 New Hampshire.

Jun 17th, 2000: Canada 27 Ireland 27 Markham.

Nov 11th, 2000: Ireland 78 Japan 9 Lansdowne Road.

Nov 19th, 2000: Ireland 18 Sth Africa 28 Lansdowne Road.

Feb 3rd, 2001: Italy 22 Ireland 41 Stadio Flaminio.

Feb 17th, 2001: Ireland 22 France 15 Lansdowne Road.

Jun 2nd, 2001: Romania 3 Ireland 37 Bucharest.

Sep 22nd, 2001: Scotland 32 Ireland 10 Murrayfield.

Oct 13th, 2001: Wales 6 Ireland 36 Millennium Stad.

Oct 20th, 2001: Ireland 20 England 14 Lansdowne Road.

Nov 11th, 2001: Ireland 35 Samoa 8 Lansdowne Road.

Nov 17th, 2001: Ireland 29 N. Zealand 40 Lansdowne Road.