Harlequins player ratings vs Leinster | Investec Champions Cup 2025/26

Harlequins player ratings: It was never likely to be an even fight. Harlequins arrived in Dublin without several of their headline acts and quickly lost former England tighthead Harry Williams after just 20 minutes.

Yet for all the mismatch on paper and despite a 45-28 final score, they produced a performance built on stubborn resolve rather than damage limitation.

1. Boris Wenger – 5
Had a nightmare at the early scrums as Clarkson got the initial nudge. Penalised for holding on, struggled to settle, and was replaced on 61 minutes. Not an easy assignment in Dublin but a rough outing nonetheless.

2. Jack Walker – 6.5
One of Quins’ few steadying presences up front. His darts were consistent, even when Leinster contested heavily, and he fought hard in contact. Kept competing.

3. Harry Williams – 5
Lasted just 20 minutes before departing and did not return. In that time, he absorbed plenty of traffic and gave Quins some ballast but was under real pressure from the off. A tough day cut short.

4. Kieran Treadwell – 6
Lost the grunt battle with Joe McCarthy and company but never shirked a carry or tackle. Lineout work was competent. A dogged shift.

5. Stephan Lewies – 6
Like Treadwell, ended up on the wrong side of most collisions but never relented. Industrious around the fringe, stuck his tackles and kept the lineout functional.

6. Zach Carr – 5
Had a Dublin baptism he won’t savour. Missed too many tackles, was absolutely monstered once by Joe McCarthy, and found himself regularly shoved backwards. There’s talent here, but this was a hard lesson.

7. Will Evans – 7
The Duracell bunny in all but sponsorship. Popped up everywhere, ran sharp early lines, and made the break that created Cleaves’s try. Also contributed some costly errors that handed Leinster cheap possession, but his work-rate kept Quins afloat.

8. Tom Lawday – 7.5
One of Quins’ best. Tackled like a barn cat on caffeine, turned over loose ball, and carried with bravery. Turned over too much possession in contact but still a standout in adversity.

9. Will Porter – 6
Did as much as could reasonably be expected behind a retreating pack. Box-kicked under pressure, took good decisions, and kept shape when everything was chaotic. Replaced on 51.

10. Jarrod Evans – 6
It was tough going. With slow ball and Leinster hunting him down, he struggled to influence the game beyond his goal-kicking. Shown a yellow card on the hour, which didn’t help Quins’ cause. A night to file under “survived”.

11. Cadan Murley – 7
Fought hard in the air, in contact and in cover. One of Larmour’s most persistent adversaries, refusing to give the Leinster wing an easy metre. Not much ball to attack with but never stopped grafting.

12. Luke Northmore – 8
Quins’ best back by a distance. Powered past flimsy Leinster cover for his early try, bossed his collisions, set up Cleaves brilliantly with a crisp inside ball, and repeatedly bailed his side out in the backfield. A class performance in a losing cause.

13. Oscar Beard – 6.5
Starved of possession until he finally got space late on and scorched 70 metres untouched for a consolation score. Safe under the high ball, kicked well out of hand, defended tidily. Took the chance he was given.

14. Cassius Cleaves – 8
Quins can score from anywhere and Cleaves proved it. A brilliant midfield one-two with Northmore off a lineout exploded Leinster’s defence and he finished the move under the posts. Lively all evening and remains one of Quins’ brightest young talents.

15. Cameron Anderson – 6
A tough examination under Leinster’s high-ball pressure. Competed admirably, scrambled well, but struggled to impose himself in attack. Not a game where fullbacks thrive, given the scraps he was living off.

REPLACEMENTS – 6
A mixed bag but they largely stabilised things, with George Turner’s tidy darts and added bite, Will Hobson and Pedro Delgado inching the scrum closer to parity, and Joe Launchbury supplying the bulk and nous that kept the maul upright. Lucas Schmid brought industry, Lucas Friday fresh legs, while Jamie Benson steered play competently late on. Bryn Bradley carried well in limited touches.