Ireland report card: All 34 Nations Championship players rated

Ireland emerged from an inaugural Nations Championship campaign with two wins from three, beating Australia and Japan before falling short against New Zealand at Eden Park.

There were positives to leave Andy Farrell encouraged: Joe McCarthy’s physical authority, Hugo Keenan’s return to form and the emergence of Nick Timoney and Sean Jansen offer a succession plan in the back-row.

Yet familiar concerns remain. The lineout malfunctioned far too often, the scrum could charitably be described as barely competent, and several senior figures looked like a summer off would have done them the world of good.

So, with competition intensifying ahead of a pre-Rugby World Cup season, here is how we rated all 34-Ireland players who featured across July.

Loosehead Props

Nations Championship

Northern Hemisphere

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

France

3

2

1

0

12

2

Scotland

3

2

1

0

11

3

England

3

2

1

0

10

4

Ireland

3

2

1

0

10

5

Wales

3

1

2

0

5

6

Italy

3

0

3

0

0

Southern Hemisphere

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

South Africa

3

3

0

0

15

2

New Zealand

3

3

0

0

15

3

Australia

3

1

2

0

8

4

Argentina

3

1

2

0

7

5

Japan

3

1

2

0

4

6

Fiji

3

0

3

0

0

Jeremy Loughman – 6.5
A hard player to rate, given he played a total of just eight minutes against Australia before being taken off with injury, then got 13 minutes against New Zealand. The Munster prop has shown again that he can do a job for Ireland when called upon.

Billy Bohan – 6
Made his debut off the bench against Japan. Again, it is hard to read too much into it, but he certainly did not look out of place at this level during his 26 minutes on the field in Newcastle.

Hookers

Dan Sheehan – 6.5
Deputised as captain gamely in the place of the injured Caelan Doris. However, the lineout malaise reared its ugly head for Ireland once again during this Nations Championship, and he needs to be at least partially culpable in that area. Teams are also more aware of the threat he poses as a ball carrier, and increasingly he has not hit his straps in that department as he may have liked.

Ronan Kelleher – 6
As with Sheehan, Ireland’s never-ending set-piece issues colour his rating here. He has not been more or less at fault in this area than any others, however, and he remains a remarkable luxury to bring off the bench. The question for Kelleher is whether or not he can deliver on the promise of his early career and whether or not he can mount a credible threat to Sheehan’s stranglehold on the position.

Tom Stewart – 6
Only saw action off the bench against Japan. While he was unable to fully repair a malfunctioning lineout that plagued Ireland throughout the tour, he did manage to get over the line late to put some polish on the scoreboard.

Tighthead Props

Tadhg Furlong – 6
Started against both Australia and New Zealand, providing a marginally more solid scrum platform than Ireland had often enjoyed of late, although that is really not saying a great deal. ‘Jukebox’ contributed around the park, with some classy hands in midfield. Other than a total breakdown of Western society, he will go to Australia in 14 months as Farrell’s first choice tighthead.

Tom O’Toole – 5
Found himself again operating on the loosehead side against Australia under serious pressure at scrum time before grabbing his first Ireland try against Japan. Bigger picture, you feel that the question marks over his scrummaging remain unanswered and that he failed to build on a bright showing in the Six Nations.

Thomas Clarkson – 5.5
Struggled at scrum time off the bench against Australia but rescued his afternoon with a vital 76th-minute try from close range. Started against Japan, where some early scrum success could not disguise the pressure the Brave Blossoms eventually generated. A reasonable shift off the bench in Auckland rounded out a mixed campaign. Desperately needs to step out from under the long shadow cast by Furlong, but at the moment his scrummaging remains too suspect, even if he is excellent around the park.

Sam Illo – 7
Made his debut off the bench against Japan and, initially at least, Ireland’s scrum noticeably improved before the opposition’s revamped front row began exerting pressure of their own. An encouraging first impression in a difficult set-piece context for the 121kg Connacht front-rower.

Locks

Joe McCarthy – 8.5
Has become key to Ireland as a source of go-forward and has proven beyond doubt that he has the physical frame and attitude to go toe-to-toe with the world’s best in his department. His erstwhile discipline issues seem to have also largely been put to bed too.

James Ryan – 5
A difficult tour for Ryan, who looks tired and whose efforts were bedevilled by constant errors, especially when on the ball. The graft is there – it always is – but this might have been a series in which he would have been better off being rested. He must hold his hand up too for Ireland’s lineout woes.

Tadhg Beirne – 8
Another standout for Ireland this July, be it at blindside or when called into the second row. While he did not blow the roof off, his performance rarely dropped below excellent. At 34 years old, Andy Farrell will be left with a substantial void when Beirne decides to retire.

Cormac Izuchukwu – 6
Too little action for a substantive rating. As stated earlier, if Ryan had been given a well-deserved rest, Izuchukwu could have seen some more badly needed game time.

Back Rows

Jack Conan – 7.5
Ireland’s Mr Consistent, in the best sense of that expression, he played more minutes than any other forward this July. He was so often the guy to pull out a big play or try when Ireland needed it most. At 33, however, there is only so long he can hold off the likes of Timoney, Prendergast and Jansen.

Josh van der Flier – 7
Responded strongly to an early defensive lapse against Australia by taking Sheehan’s offload brilliantly to score. Spent long periods firefighting against New Zealand after shipping a shot to the head. This was nowhere near the best of Van der Flier, who has been consistently excellent for so long.

Cian Prendergast – 7
Only featured against Australia but made it count. Conceded an early penalty and was involved in a lineout unit that malfunctioned badly, but crashed over for Ireland’s opening try and was prominent with ball in hand throughout. Demands further opportunities.

Nick Timoney – 8
Has consistently delivered for Ireland since being given his shot, and the Nations Championship only cemented his position in the pecking order. Pushing for a starting spot.

Sean Jansen – 7.5
Remarkable against Japan but faded into the background in his cameo off the bench against his native New Zealanders in Auckland. Showed he has all the tools to be an operator at this level.

Bryn Ward – 6
Just 19 minutes against Japan for Ward. We never really got to see what he could do with his bruising 115kg frame.

Scrum-halves

Jamison Gibson-Park – 7
The glue that holds this Ireland team together and arguably more like a classic French half-back in the guise of a petit general. Typically lively against Australia, reclaiming a high ball impressively and scoring a well-taken try following some sharp heads-up rugby. However, he endured a frustrating evening against New Zealand, where his service was not consistently sharp and poor decisions crept in, albeit behind a pack that did him few favours.

Craig Casey – 7
Received anything but an armchair ride from the pack in his start against Japan. Made a few poor decisions and fell off too many tackles, but deserves credit for a crucial try-saving intervention alongside James Ryan. Had little opportunity to influence proceedings in a six-minute cameo against the All Blacks.

Nathan Doak – 6
Helped shore things up off the bench against Japan. A short, controlled cameo rather than a sustained audition for the Ulster scrum-half, which was a shame given he offers such a different look to JGP and Casey.

Fly-halves

Sam Prendergast – 6.5
Where to begin with Prendergast? He once again mixed the good with the sublime and, at times, the god-awful this July. This tour felt like a tentative step forward for the Leinsterman, but when Jack Crowley returns from injury, it will be game on for the 10 slot all over again, such was the erratic nature of Prendergast’s Nations Championship. His inability to defend the ten channel remains a concern.

Ciaran Frawley – 6
A tough series. Handed his first Ireland start at fly-half against Japan but never appeared comfortable against their ferocious line speed, making too many errors. His opportunity off the bench against New Zealand was derailed after taking a nasty accidental knee to the head, leaving him permanently in and out of the blood bin.

Harry Byrne – 5
With just 22 minutes off the bench against Japan, it is hard to fairly rate Byrne. He eclipsed Prendergast for periods of the season for Leinster, but in Ireland camp he seems very much an afterthought.

Centres

Stuart McCloskey – 6
His effort level never dipped against Australia, where a break helped lay the platform for Keenan’s try, and he brought physicality to Ireland’s attack against Japan with direct, abrasive carrying. However, he endured a nightmare first half against New Zealand, where an appalling no-look pass gifted Will Jordan a try. He failed to build on an exceptional Six Nations.

Garry Ringrose – 7
Another player long overdue a rest. Was reasonably sharp defensively against the Wallabies, producing lovely hands for Gibson-Park’s try and a delicious pop pass that released Keenan. Started poorly against New Zealand with a dropped pass and a choked attack, but responded with a big turnover. The 31-year-old is starting to give ‘beaten-up family SUV that has been driven into the ground’ vibes.

Bundee Aki – 4.5
Aki’s inclusion was a really odd call from Farrell. What purpose does it serve to spring a 36-year-old from the bench, not least given the need for Ireland to blood new talent? An experienced operator, yes, but what value does that bring in a team riddled with ageing veterans? He looked off the pace when he did feature.

Robbie Henshaw – 6
He may be a few years younger than Aki, but the 33-year-old’s selection begs all the same questions. He arguably addressed criticism of his attacking threat by bulldozing over for a try against Japan in his first start since last November, but, again, the Athlone man is very much a known quantity, so what value was his selection for 80 minutes against a very average Japan side?

Back Three

Hugo Keenan – 8
A real return to form for Keenan, who built on a strong end to the season for Leinster following a bit of a mid-career lull. He was by no means perfect, but looked sharp in both attack and defence.

Jamie Osborne – 6.5
Leinster’s inability to play him in one position may be starting to tell at Test level for Ireland. He seems to have lost a little bit of confidence. A talented footballer who you fear could become the victim of his own versatility. Did little wrong this Nations Championship, but he has not hit the heights that saw him called up to the British & Irish Lions 12 months ago.

Jimmy O’Brien – 5
The game largely passed him by against Australia, and he never really managed to get going with ball in hand against New Zealand after returning from a blood injury. Looked more dangerous against Japan with an excellent aerial take and a sharp half-break, but is capable of much more. His terrific form for Leinster never boarded the plane.

Jacob Stockdale – 5.5
Quietly got through a lot of work against Japan. Produced a couple of decent kick-chase moments and generally showed good street smarts in the backfield. He did little wrong, but it still feels hard to reconcile the all-action 2018 version of Stockdale with the current one.

Robert Baloucoune – 7
Another player we did not see enough of, given that an unforeseen injury saw him pulled from the starting XV against Australia. He did not see much ball against the All Blacks, so we never got to see the X-factor that was so evident during the Six Nations.