RUGBY:The Irish captain heads into tomorrow's game requiring only one try to equal Ian Smith's remarkable record, writes GERRY THORNLEY

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL heads into tomorrow’s encounter with France requiring only one try to equal the record for the championship of 24 tries, which was set by the Flying Scotsman, Ian Smith, in 1933.

Smith amassed his two dozen tries in just 31 championship appearances on the wing at the phenomenal strike rate of three tries every four Tests, made even more remarkable given the try ratio per match was so much lower in the 1920s and 30s. The Irish captain scored his 23rd try in last Saturday’s win over Italy in what was his 51st championship encounter.

By coincidence, Scotland host Wales on Saturday, 87 years after Smith scored a hat-trick on his debut in the same fixture. In the 1925 tournament Smith scored a Championship record-equalling eight tries in just two matches – he crossed four times against France and repeated the feat a fortnight later against Wales.

Born in Melbourne in 1903, and brought up in New Zealand, Smith was educated at Winchester and qualified to play for Scotland through family connections in the Borders. He was a main player in the “Immortals” – the first Scottish side to win the Grand Slam in 1925 – and although in the deciding match with England Smith was marked out of the contest, he gained his revenge by scoring nine tries in eight subsequent matches against England.

Smith was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 1924, and in 1933 he captained the Scotland side which won the Triple Crown in Dublin, eventually defeating the Irish 8-6 after the first match was cancelled amid ferocious blizzards.

It was Smith’s last international.

Whereas Smith was most prolific against England, O’Driscoll has scored more of his tournament tries (six) against France than any of the other countries.

Meanwhile, the gap between Jonny Wilkinson and Ronan O’Gara as the championship’s leading points scorer narrowed to two points at the weekend. With both confined to replacement appearances, Wilkinson landed a conversion to take his tournament tally to 532, before O’Gara’s match-winning drop goal took his haul to 530.

ALL-TIME CHAMPIONSHIP (Five and Six Nations) POINTS SCORERS: Jonny Wilkinson 532; Ronan O’Gara 530; Stephen Jones 456; Neil Jenkins 406; Chris Paterson 372.