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Ireland player ratings vs France | 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations
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Ireland player ratings vs France | 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations
By Ian Cameron at Stade de France, Paris
Ireland player ratings: Andy Farrell’s men flew to Paris with few giving them a chance of securing a rare Six Nations’ Test win on French soil and so it ultimately played out in what was a largely one-sided 36-14 beatdown in Saint-Denis.
Worryingly for Ireland, the contest had an undeniable end-of-an-era vibe to it. Ireland weren’t so much dreadful as simply outclassed.
Here’s how we rated the Ireland players:
1. Jeremy Loughman – 6
To say Loughman was under the microscope at the Stade de France would be an understatement. That said, up against Dorian Aldegheri, the Munsterman held up relatively well, initially at least. Was used as a carrying option to little effect and lost the ball on one occasion.
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2. Dan Sheehan – 5
Struggled to get into the game. Ireland’s lineout functioned reasonably well and Sheehan deserves credit for his role in that. Teams are seemingly getting a lot better at neutralising his running threat.
3. Thomas Clarkson – 5.5
Although a British & Irish Lions tourist, this was just Clarkson’s second Guinness Six Nations start. Under pressure but survived the early scrum exchanges with Jean-Baptiste Gros. Again, as with Loughman, far from a disaster, although he started to creak alarmingly before being taken off.
4. Joe McCarthy – 4.5
A deflated figure. Struggled to put a dent in the French pack in the opening forty, where it was largely one-way traffic. An awkward fumble or two, and had the general air of someone who didn’t look up to the task at hand.
5. Tadhg Beirne – 6
Spent his evening chasing Frenchmen around the Stade de France. A few game carries and marshalled the lineouts well.
6. Cian Prendergast – 6
Thrown in the deep end at the Stade de France, Prendergast provided a solid option at the lineout. This was by far the most enormous challenge of his nine Test caps to date, but he can hold his head up high given the context.
7. Josh van der Flier – 6
Was on mop-up duty on Aisle 4 for the most part, one strong carry near the French line aside. Lead Ireland for tackles alongside Beirne.
8. Caelan Doris – 6
Tried to rally Ireland with a few semi-penetrative carries, but Ireland were unable to hold onto the ball long enough for any of them to tell.
9. Jamison Gibson-Park – 6
Scrapped for everything despite being perennially on the backfoot in this one. Was at six and sevens in defence, but he wasn’t the only one. Played the latter part of the match out of position.
10. Sam Prendergast – 4.5
Kicked decently out of hand, even if he had a rash volley in the lead up to France’s first try. There was more madness to follow when he intercepted a pass, ran it over his own line before throwing a hospital pass to a bewildered Tommy O’Brien, before missing a tackle on Jalibert in the next French attack. Kicks straight into touches were to follow. Had his moments in attack but steers Ireland like a drunken F1 driver – plenty of skill but liable to appalling lapses in judgement. Improved as Ireland enjoyed a short-lived second-half purple patch.
11. Jacob Stockdale – 4
His first Six Nations game in four years, Stockdale failed to take a high ball with his first touch and it ended with France making 50 metres and very nearly scoring a try, but he refused to fold, and continued to throw himself into the air with abandon. Missed a cover tackle on Louis Bielle-Biarrey, which was a stretch to make. Tried to be useful, but it’s not immediately clear what exactly Stockdale brings to the table at this level anymore.
12. Stuart McCloskey – 6
A solid, meaty presence in the midfield if nothing else and enjoyed one excellent carry on 57 minutes. Plodding might be a tad unkind description for the Ulsterman but Ireland desperately need new blood in the midfield. McCloskey feels very much like a stopgap, even if this display had its moments.
13. Garry Ringrose – 5
Largely an onlooker in the first half, with Ireland’s backline at times resembling a panic-stricken engine room in a submarine that’s about to be torpedoed. Chased shadows all evening and looked off the pace.
14. Tommy O’Brien – 6
Proved a menace to the French cover on the right flank when he saw the ball and was probably Ireland’s only meaningful threat in an otherwise pedestrian backline. A load of turnovers blotted his copybook here though.
15. Jamie Osborne – 6.5
Opened his account with an excellent touchfinder to settle the nerves and did okay on what was a busy night at the office. Remains one of the few good news stories from this backline.
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16. Ronan Kelleher – 6
Part of a replacement bench that refused to let the game slip into humiliation territory.
17. Michael Milne – 7.5
Very much part of the Ireland fightback and took his try well.
18. Finlay Bealham – 6
Scrums didn’t get any worse with Bealham on, which was its own mini victory here.
19. James Ryan – 6
An improvement on McCarthy, although that wasn’t saying a great deal on this occasion.
20. Jack Conan – 6
An uphill battle to turn things around but Conan did his job.
21. Nick Timoney – 7.5
Took his try well after cutting a decent inside line and generally looked useful. A man trying to prove a point and very much doing it.
22. Craig Casey – NA
23. Jack Crowley – 6
A few decent touches after coming on and playing out of his position.
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