Ireland player ratings vs England | 2024 Guinness Six Nations
Ireland player ratings: No Irish side has ever gone to Twickenham as such heavy favourites, but this contest played out more like an England-Ireland game of old, with Ireland desperately trying to keep their head above water against a tidal wave of white jersey in west London.
Here’s how we rated the Ireland players.
1. Andrew Porter – 6
Porter put in a commendable shift, especially noticeable in the sheer volume of work he completed off the ball. England put Ireland’s scrum under considerable pressure, but Porter generally held up his side of the bargain.
2. Dan Sheehan – 5
Sheehan faced a relatively tough day at the office with ball in hand, with England’s frenzied defence effectively containing his usually dynamic impact around the park. Despite this, his lineout work remained solid. Looked decidedly more human here.
3. Tadhg Furlong – 5
Didn’t get it all his own way against a pumped-up Ellis Genge and failed to dominate the Bristolian battler as many might have expected. His ball-carrying runs, a source of momentum for Ireland in the past, were non-existent here.
4. Joe McCarthy – 4
Despite his best efforts, McCarthy found himself in the considerable shadows cast by the performances of Maro Itoje and George Martin, whose dominance around the park – in the first half especially – set a benchmark that McCarthy struggled to match.
5. Tadhg Beirne – 8
Saved Ireland’s bacon so many times. Beirne was omnipresent, making key lineout steals and proving to be a nuisance at the breakdown. His ability to read the game and make pivotal plays, whether in defence or linking up in attack, underscored his value to this Irish outfit.
6. Peter O’Mahony – 3
O’Mahony – so often a figure of leadership and intensity on the field – had a surprisingly quiet game, blending into the background more than making his mark. Getting sin-binned for a 57th-minute professional foul didn’t help matters.
7. Josh van der Flier – 7.5
Van der Flier was a bundle of energy, covering every blade of grass with his tireless running and defensive work. His speed to the breakdown and accuracy in the tackle area was crucial in slowing down England’s ball. Not at fault here.
8. Caelan Doris – 6.5
Showed bursts of the form that have made him such a crucial player for Ireland. Despite his efforts and moments of brilliance, he couldn’t single-handedly shift the momentum in Ireland’s favour and was roundly out shone by Ben Earl.
9. Jamison Gibson-Park – 7.5
Gibson-Park’s service was reliable, but the spark he often provides was dimmed against a vigilant English defence. His tactical kicking game varied in effectiveness, struggling to consistently relieve pressure or pin the opposition back. Did brilliantly when asked to cover on the wing.
10. Jack Crowley – 5
It started ignominiously for the Munsterman with a missed tackle on Ollie Lawrence, but he grew into the battle as the game wore on. The 24-year-old managed the game to the best of his ability, yet he struggled to unlock the English defence with his decision-making put under considerable pressure. It might sound harsh on Crowley, but it’s perhaps on days like this one that Johnny Sexton’s absence is most keenly felt.
11. James Lowe – 8.5
Lowe showcased his exceptional kicking game, finding space and placing his kicks with precision, a silver lining in an otherwise challenging match. In attack he found opportunities hard to come by, living off scraps, but scored in the corner on 44 minutes with Ireland’s first meaningful attack. He was called on again to finish in very similar circumstances in the 72nd minute and didn’t disappoint.
12. Bundee Aki – 8
Aki was a powerful presence in the midfield, breaking tackles and making hard yards with every carry – nearly ending Ollie Chessum’s afternoon with one thunderous run. His defensive efforts were equally impactful. One or two errors aside, a really strong showing.
13. Robbie Henshaw – 7.5
Some immense defensive moments in the midfield stood out – his experience and calmness under pressure were vital in managing the game’s flow and stymying England’s rabid attack. It wasn’t enough but there was no lack of effort.
14. Calvin Nash – NA
Nash got speed-bumped in the 5-minute mark and looked to have sustained a stinger injury to his shoulder. He was taken off for a HIA and didn’t return.
15. Hugo Keenan – 6.5
Keenan was subjected to immense pressure by England from the outset, a challenge he faced head-on. His shift to the wing didn’t aid his cause, placing him in less familiar territory under already difficult conditions.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Ronan Kelleher – 6
Kelleher brought fresh energy when he came on, yet his impact at the lineout and in open play didn’t significantly alter Ireland’s fortunes.
17. Cian Healy – 5
Healy’s introduction aimed to bolster the scrum and bring experience to the forward pack. While he battled hard in the trenches, any expected shift in scrummaging dynamics didn’t materialize.
18. Finlay Bealham – 5
Despite his best efforts, he struggled to make a noticeable difference against a determined opposition.
19. Iain Henderson – 7
Henderson’s entry into the game marked a significant improvement in the lineout, an area where Ireland had previously struggled. Against that, his 74th-minute not rolling away penalty could have cost Ireland dearly.
20. Ryan Baird – 5
Despite his efforts he was unable to significantly influence the overall direction of the game.
21. Jack Conan – 7
Conan’s impact was immediate, with powerful carries that continued to challenge the tiring England defence.
22. Conor Murray – 4
Murray’s game management was off the mark in this outing, with a tendency to slow down the play at times when Ireland desperately needed to inject pace. Additionally, his usually reliable box-kicking game was less effective, with some kicks failing to find their intended targets
23. Ciaran Frawley – 6
Caught cold after coming on with just five minutes on the clock but took to the challenge after some shaky moments. Forced off with a HIA and didn’t return.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments