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Who will be replacing Ireland's ageing golden generation if they don't make RWC 2027
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Ireland player ratings vs South Africa | Quilter Nations Series 2025
By Ian Cameron at Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Ireland player ratings: It’s a credit to Ireland’s tenacity and guts that they stayed in this one as long as they did, but this match felt at times like watching a drowning man desperately trying to keep his head above water as wave after wave threatened to pull him below the surface.
The scoreline of 24-13 may have flattered Ireland, although the home side certainly finished the stronger of the two.
Here’s how we rated the players:
1. Andrew Porter – 4.5
Up against the formidable 136kg frame of Thomas du Toit, and he came off second best. Not much better in the loose, where he ceded a penalty after getting isolated by Bok jackallers in the 3rd minute. In his defence, he was less at fault than Furlong and Du Toit’s clear boring in went unpunished. Ironically, it was to be Porter who suffered the first front-row yellow.
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2. Dan Sheehan – 6.5
The lineout nightmare – and it is a nightmare at this stage – continues. The first went astray, and it directly led to the Boks’ first try. It wasn’t to be the last, with the set-piece feeling like a 50:50 on Ireland throws. It wasn’t all bad from Sheehan; it never is, as he hit back for Ireland’s first try four minutes before the break.
3. Tadhg Furlong – 4
He’s on the other end of the experience scale from Boan Venter, but you wouldn’t know it from the scrum contests, where he was frankly mullered. He gave it socks in the loose but it’s hard to look past the pasting Ireland suffered up front. He’s Ireland’s greatest ever tighthead but the awkward truth is he’s no longer able to cut it at the set-piece at this level.
4. James Ryan – 3
Unable to catch the first lineout throw from Sheehan and his yellow clearout on Malcolm Marx nullified Tadhg Beirne’s try moments later. Was replaced by Cian Prendergast. One turnover aside, a poor showing.
5. Tadhg Beirne – 7
Seemed to have scored Ireland’s first five-pointer before a TMO review scrubbed it. Was between himself and Van der Flier for Ireland’s standout forward, but they were pushing the proverbial piano up the stairs against the Bok pack.
6. Ryan Baird – 7
Baird failed to register more than a mild tremor on the rugby Richter Scale in the first forty, but saved Ireland’s bacon with a telling breakdown steal at 51 minutes that sacked a near-certain Bok try and successfully ruined a Bok lineout minutes later to help Ireland gain a rare foothold in enemy territory.
7. Josh van der Flier – 7
The Boks targeted the breakdown ruthlessly and Ireland’s jackaler in chief was fighting a losing battle on that front. Still proved an effective carrier for Ireland in a game where any forward momentum was at a premium.
8. Caelan Doris – 7
Back at No.8 after moonlighting as an openside against the Wallabies, Doris mixed it with the Bok bruisers. Led the Ireland tackling stats, although he was a tad quieter on the carrying front.
9. Jamison Gibson-Park – 7
A tough day at the office behind a pack that was under constant backwards pressure at the breakdown. Still, he battled on. He was the glue that helped this Irish side hang in a contest they had no right to be in. Was the unfortunate recipient of a Sacha hand-off as the Bok raced over from 20 metres out.
10. Sam Prendergast – 5.5
Arguably the biggest game of Prendergast’s career to date and he came out swinging with a side-step on his opposite number Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. It was downhill from there though, as his kicking was at best hit and miss, while his goalkicking was also off. His yellow card didn’t help matters, even if Ireland’s first try came during his sin-bin. A 71st-minute fumble nearly saw the Boks seal the deal, but Ireland were in full ‘jouer’ mode trying to save the game. This should have suited Prendergast but his pass selection veered dangerously into the reckless. His tackling was good though!
11. James Lowe – 7
A brilliant and meaty opening segment from Lowe, he was emblematic of the never say attitude that kept Ireland from sinking in this one. Plenty of dog and led Ireland in metres made.
12. Bundee Aki – 5.5
A couple of rumbles towards the line off of limited ball for the veteran, but he couldn’t make a dent in the South African wall. Called on to deputise in the scrum Esterhuizen style.
13. Garry Ringrose – 6
Added value here after a bumpy November for the centre, with some decent kicking from hand and a combative approach to inter-player relations with the Boks.
14. Tommy O’Brien – 5
Shipped a big and very questionable shot from Feinberg-Mngomezulu but did well to bounce back from it. A kick straight into touch on 24 minutes wasn’t a great look either. A selfless tackler, he came off the wrong side of a huge collision with Canan Moodie but got the benefit of the doubt from the referee after coming out of it the worse for wear. A few too many errors to score any higher, it was a steep learning curve for the Test rookie.
15. Mack Hansen – 7
Gave as good as got with limited time on the ball and beat more than a few Bok defenders. Scrapped away all night.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Ronan Kelleher – 6
Couldn’t mend the madhouse that is Ireland’s lineout.
17. Paddy McCarthy – 6.5
Couldn’t quite fully shore up Ireland’s scrum but brought some robust carrying in the loose and won an important turnover.
18. Finlay Bealham – 6
The scrum got a little better with Bealham on, but anything was going to be an improvement on Furlong. Popped up in attack the odd time.
19. Cian Prendergast – 6.5
On for Ryan, but spilt a kick-off reception right after his brother landed a much-needed penalty on 43 minutes. Made up for it with a try-saving breakdown jackal on 57 minutes.
20. Jack Conan – 7
This might been a match that Conan should have started, given his wealth of experience against the Boks and his strong Test showing for the Lions in Australia. Brought plenty of biff as the Boks started to fade.
21. Craig Casey – NA
Came on for Garry Ringrose late. Not on long enough to rate, although he did add zip.
22. Jack Crowley – 6.5
Came on to a huge roar from the Aviva Stadium only to be yellow-carded shortly thereafter. Played most of the game at fullback or wing after Prendergast returned from the bin. One aerial fumble aside, was a safe pair of hands in defence and with the clearing boot.
23. Tom Farrell – NA
Not on long enough to rate.
