Ireland report card: Rating all 35 players used in the Six Nations

Ireland leave the Six Nations with a Triple Crown in the bag and only a Thomas Ramos kick between them and the championship.

Yet after that horror show in Round 1 against France in Paris, Ireland have somehow emerged in a surprisingly healthy place. Injuries forced Andy Farrell to think outside the box, blood new faces and reshape combinations, and the squad looks deeper and more durable because of it.

Here is our rating of each of the 34 players, a score which is as much about their personal context and where they sit in the selection pecking order, as it is about how they actually performed on the pitch.

Jeremy Loughman – 6.5
Some predicted his downfall but it never materialised. A low-key hero of Ireland’s Six Nations before injury cut his game time short. Shored up his side of the scrum as best he could, given the burgeoning crisis at loosehead, which he too eventually fell victim to. Showed he’s a handy carrying option too.

Tom O’Toole – 8
Impossible not to notice that Ireland’s best scrummaging performances came against Wales and then Scotland, with tighthead specialist O’Toole doing a superb job moonlighting on the other side of the scrum. Will be fascinating to see where the pecking order shakes out once Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle return to fitness. Hard to fault O’Toole, even when you ignore the positional context.

Michael Milne – 6
Precious little game time to make a claim, but he certainly didn’t rule himself out of the equation. His exposure to the Ireland camp and the game time he did get, albeit slight, will no doubt stand to him.

Dan Sheehan – 6.5
A slow start for the normally stellar Sheehan, but he found his way back to form in the end. Has set an impossibly high standard for himself so far in his career, so being sub-par this campaign is hardly the greatest indictment.

Ronan Kelleher – 7
He doesn’t offer the carrying abilities of Sheehan but he’s an incredibly reliable option – whether starting or coming off the bench. Deserves credit for Ireland’s now functioning lineout.

Tom Stewart – 6
Just the 17 minutes against Wales, with Sheehan and Kelleher hogging the game time at hooker.

Tadhg Furlong – 5.5
An amazing performance against Scotland couldn’t quite paper over the cracks of what was a problematic campaign for Furlong. His scrummaging frequently threatened to – and on some occasions did – implode. Was majestic against Scotland on all fronts but it ran very much against the run of form in the tournament.

Thomas Clarkson – 5.5
Was this Clarkson’s chance to jump an ageing Furlong in the pecking order? If it was, then it was an opportunity missed. As with Furlong, his scrummaging remains a concern.

Finlay Bealham – 5
Got a marginal amount of time to shine in the 2026 Six Nations, playing a total of just 55 minutes off the bench against France and England, and unused against Scotland. The 34-year-old’s time with Ireland is in its autumn years but you fancy Australia in 2027 is still a real possibility.

Tadhg Beirne – 9
His value to this team, whether at blindside or in the engine room, is hard to overstate. Farrell’s MVP this tournament and an absolute nightmare over the ball for opposition packs.

James Ryan – 8
A real return to form for Ryan, whose combative side returned to the fore, buoyed by a superb tour with the British & Irish Lions last summer. Injury cut his run short but the streets won’t forget.

Joe McCarthy – 7.5
Bounced back from an opening night no-show against the French in Paris back in February. When he’s on it, he’s looking like a world-class second-row. Just needs to nail consistency.

Cormac Izuchukwu – 6.5
Impressed against Italy but injury – a HIA during an Ulster training session – once again robbed him [and Ireland] of a decent run in the shop window. Desperately unlucky, although it’s difficult to break into an all-Lion locking department.

Edwin Edogbo – 7
He only played 11 minutes, but he showed he has the power to mix at this level. Has shed the weight that he needed to after a long injury lay-up prior to this season.

Darragh Murray – 8
Made his debut off the bench against Scotland but what a cameo it was. Eight might seem like a high score but he couldn’t have put his hand up any higher. Scored a try, charge down and lineout steal in the space of 26 minutes against Scotland.

Cian Prendergast – 6
Started against France but then got just 18 minutes off the bench against England after Jack Conan’s illness opened up a void in the back-row. While he didn’t look out of his depth, he didn’t quite stick his head above the parapet in the manner he – nor maybe Farrell – may have liked.

Nick Timoney – 8
Prendergast’s loss may have been Timoney’s gain, as the Ulsterman was one of the success stories of Ireland’s efforts. Proved beyond doubt that he belongs at this level and he can bang with the best of them in terms of physicality.

Caelan Doris – 8
A return to form for Ireland’s swashbuckling captain. His ability to give Ireland go forward, no matter what the quality of the ball he receives, is a testament to his abilities. Seems to strike the right tone with his interactions with referees too.

Josh van der Flier – 7.5
Another indispensable part of Ireland’s back-row unit, Van der Flier’s ability to spoil, steal and generally slow down opposition ball is a huge weapon for Ireland. A tad quieter on the carrying stakes this campaign but otherwise a fine Six Nations.

Jack Conan – 7.5
A consistent performer off the bench or starting, the only criticism of Conan might be that the occasional game can pass him by. With that said, even his less flashy performances tend to be thoroughly effective. Man of the match against Wales.

Jamison Gibson-Park – 7.5
His England performance stands out but it wasn’t quite a vintage Six Nations for JGP. That said, his box kicking and ability to make things happen still leave most halfbacks in the shade.

Craig Casey – 6
Has the Munsterman done enough to convince his critics that he’s a long-term option at scrum-half for Ireland? The jury remains out on that. 41 minutes as a starter against Italy was as good as it got for Casey, with just 17 minutes off the bench against France and England collectively. Unused against Scotland, which is never a good look. Nathan Doak is breathing down his neck.

Nathan Doak – 6.5
Very little time in the shop window for Doak, but what we saw of him leaves you wanting more. The fact that he is a goal kicker really adds a string to his bow (not least given Jack Crowley’s issues in that department); and he offers the size at halfback that Ireland have missed since Conor Murray hung up his boots.

Jack Crowley – 7
Won the No.10 battle, so that’s put to bed for now at least. Has shown growth as a playmaker and game manager, even if the occasional wobble and miscue still haunt him. Needs a run of games, but this campaign will rightly juice his confidence no end.

Sam Prendergast – 4.5
Hard to see how this Six Nations could have gone much worse for Prendergast, who has ceded the No.10 jersey to the aforementioned Crowley. Has been unable to address the glaring issues with his game: namely his tackling woes and a seeming inability to temper his ultra-high-risk playing style. He’ll be back for sure, he’s too talented not to be.

Stuart McCloskey – 8.5
Suddenly, you can’t imagine an Ireland midfield without him. The Ulsterman’s Indian Summer has been revelatory. At times, the 32-year-old has seemed nearly unrecognisable from previous iterations. A pasty-faced Sonny Bill Williams, happy to truck it up or throw the assist for a vital try. There’s a way to go yet, but looks every bit a nailed starter at 12 in Australia.

Garry Ringrose – 6
The curious case of Garry Ringrose. It’s been a mixed tournament for the Leinsterman stalwart, whose usually solid defence has creaked, while it seems an aeon since he posed an attacking threat. He never stopped fighting.

Bundee Aki – 5.5
It speaks to the coaching ticket’s trust in Aki that he was drafted straight back into the 23 for Scotland after serving his ban for abusing a referee during a URC match. His absence opened the door to McCloskey, which he won’t be in a hurry to close anytime soon. Terrible timing for the 35-year-old Aki.

Tom Farrell – 5
Will no doubt be massively disappointed to have played just 11 minutes this campaign, which came against Wales in Round 4, and must feel like McCloskey has stolen his life. The return of Robbie Henshaw could yet limit his involvement further still, despite him having done little wrong in green.

James Lowe – 6.5
Showed he is still a problem for defences, even if he doesn’t quite have the pace of Ireland’s new breed of winger. His overall skillset makes him a valuable asset regardless of the cruel march of time.

Jacob Stockdale – 6
Back in the fold and clearly loving life as an Ireland international. It might seem ungenerous, but whether or not he poses a genuine threat to defences at this level might be questionable and the defensive issues that saw him miss out on the 2023 Rugby World Cup haven’t been totally addressed. With that said, it’s the best version of Stockdale we’ve seen in some time.

Robert Baloucoune – 8
A real find, for want of a better word, after injury stalled his development in recent years. Has the size and athleticism to panic any defender, his attempt to gas Henry Arundell on the outside speaking volumes about his confidence and ability. His defence needs to catch up but that’s fixable.

Tommy O’Brien – 8
A poor night in Paris aside, he’s carried his form with Leinster onto the Test stage, and, as with Baloucoune, brings the pace that Ireland have so sorely lacked. Not the final product just yet, but has that ‘try greed’ that all the best wingers have.

Ciaran Frawley – 7
Has assumed the role of utility back, a must-have for every Test team these days given the popularity of the 6:2 split. Ireland’s Swiss Army Knife has done little wrong and plenty right and seems to have won back the trust of the coaching ticket. Likely to play more rugby at ten for new side Connacht next year, so this could be a holding pattern for the 28-year-old.

Jamie Osborne – 7.5
Found his way over the line four times, three of which were very similar tries cut off superb running lines. Against that excellence, he’s had plenty of wayward moments too. Very much a case of more good than bad, but he might have a battle on his hands for the jersey when Hugo Keenan returns.