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Leinster player ratings vs Lions | 2023/24 URC
Leinster player rating: After their statement win against La Rochelle, Leinster were brought down to earth with a bump in Johannesburg in the URC.
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In a humbling match for Leo Cullen’s men, here’s how the players rated:
1. Cian Healy – 4/10
One burst up the field aside, it was a tough day at the office for the veteran. Taken off just after halftime.
2. Lee Barron – 5
Found himself outmatched in lineouts and rucks, with the Lions exploiting every error.
3. Thomas Clarkson – 5
Managed to hold his ground at times, but was largely overwhelmed by the Lions’ aggressive scrummaging. Struggled in the thin Jo’burg air.
4. Ross Molony – 4
Had difficulty organizing the lineout and couldn’t impose his physicality as the Lions dominated aerially.
5. Jason Jenkins – 4
Failed to make a significant impact on a return to home soil, with the Lions’ pack getting the best of the tight exchanges.
6. Diarmuid Mangan – 4
Looked off the pace at this altitude and struggled to keep up with the dynamic Lions’ back row.
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7. Scott Penny – 7
One of the few bright spots, Penny was energetic and effective at the breakdown, showing resilience despite the team’s struggles. Leinster’s best carrier.
8. Max Deegan – 6
A competent performance from Deegan despite Leinster being on the back foot for much of the game. If he wants to kick on his career you suspect he must leave Leinster, as he’s too good to be a third choice.
9. Luke McGrath – 5
Had a challenging day with slow service and pressure that the Lions capitalized on, disrupting Leinster’s flow.
10. Harry Byrne – 5
Despite the unfavourable scoreline, Byrne tried to spark his team’s attack, showing initiative and creativity under pressure. However, his efforts were largely thwarted and some blame must rest on his shoulders given Leinster’s lack of direction.
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11. Andrew Osborne – NA
Substituted early due to injury, Osborne had limited opportunities to shine before being removed.
12. Charlie Ngatai – 5
Showed patches of his ability, but the Lions’ midfield defence was too robust to allow any real impact.
Territory
34%
32%
10%
23%
33%
Territory
66%
13. Liam Turner – 4
A disallowed try aside, there were too many errors from Turner. Found it difficult to find space and break lines, with the Lions’ shutting down options.
14. Rob Russell – 4
Lacked service and opportunities, largely invisible against a rampant Lions’ backline.
15. Ciaran Frawley – 7.5
Despite the team’s overall performance, Frawley showed composure at the back and was reliable under high balls and in counter-attacks. Went over for two tries against the run of play.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. John McKee – 5
Came on to stabilize but faced similar challenges as the starting hooker against a relentless Lions.
17. Michael Milne – 4
Like the rest of the front row, struggled to make an impact in the scrum, ceding over 30kg to replacement tighthead Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who ate him for dinner.
18. Michael Alaalatoa – 5
Couldn’t turn the tide in the scrum, with the Lions maintaining their upper hand.
19. Conor O’Tighearnaigh – 5
Limited impact and couldn’t shift the momentum in Leinster’s favour.
20. Rhys Ruddock – 5
Brought experience, but it wasn’t enough to thwart the Lions’ dominance.
21. Cormac Foley – 5
Had minimal impact in changing the game’s pace against a well-organized Lions defence.
22. Sam Prendergast – 7
Coming off the bench, Prendergast brought a much-needed spark to Leinster’s play in the second half. His urgency provided a clear uplift, helping to shift the momentum for the visitors.
23. Ben Brownlee – 4
Struggled to get into the game during his limited minutes on the pitch. Getting swapped aside by Emmanuel Tshituka didn’t help his rating.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to comments