Leinster player ratings vs Sale | 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup

Leinster player ratings: Leo Cullen’s men went into this Investec Champions Cup quarter-final with Sale Sharks as unbackable favourites, but they took their time to hit their straps against the awkward Gallagher PREM outfit.

Conditions were initially wet thanks to some Dublin showers. Leinster looked like much the better side against an awkward Sale, but their normally ruthless streak evaded them in the first half.

The Sharks, for their part, dominated the scrum and did their best to make life difficult for the home side. Leinster eventually cut loose, their superior attack ultimately punishing Sale for ill-discipline to round out the match 43-13.

Here’s the Leinster player ratings:

1. Alex Usanov – NA
A baptism of fire became something closer to a European nightmare. Making his first Champions Cup start, Usanov popped up on his first scrum and was promptly penalised before being put under further pressure moments later. His night ended after just four minutes with injury, robbed of the chance to settle or show anything like his true level.

2. Dan Sheehan – 8.5
Looked alive from the opening whistle. Pounced on loose ball after loose ball, punished minor Sale errors and carried with real venom. His try was as inevitable as it was well taken, smashing between two defenders on a lovely inside line. Added a key assist later and was one of Leinster’s tone-setters throughout.

3. Tadhg Furlong – 5.5
A tough afternoon at the coalface. After two strong outings against Edinburgh and the Scarlets, his scrum troubles returned here with two first-half penalties conceded as Leinster went into survival mode. Lifted a little after the break but still well below his imperious best before departing on 54 minutes.

4. Joe McCarthy – 7.5
Straight into the thick of it and very much in the wars early, picking up a head wound that forced a blood replacement. His carries still bent the line when he had the chance, although his night was stop-start and disrupted.

5. James Ryan – 8
Back in after injury and immediately influential. Excellent on both sides of the ball, particularly in the air where he was a constant presence at kick-offs and lineouts. Also drew a yellow card after absorbing a high hit from Simon McIntyre, underlining his value in tight exchanges.

6. Ryan Baird – 8.5
Back in the back row after locking last week and played like a man delighted to have space to roam. Stole a lineout on 50 minutes, was heavily involved in the build-up to tries and finished superbly for one of his own – a winger’s line more than a back-rower’s. Vintage Baird.

7. Josh van der Flier – 7.5
Rugby IQ operating at a level most around him couldn’t quite reach. Alert enough to highlight Dan du Preez’s illegal one-handed knock-on which led to a yellow card, and relentless around the breakdown.

8. Jack Conan – 7.5
Quietly effective early before growing into the contest as conditions improved. His double pump to put Baird away for Leinster’s third try was top class and his work rate in defence never dipped. A very solid European knock.

9. Jamison Gibson-Park – 6.5
Not his sharpest start, missing a few tackles and occasionally leaving room around the fringes for Sale’s back row to probe. Improved markedly after the break with much smarter kicking and better rhythm as Leinster accelerated.

10. Harry Byrne – 7
Guilty of some aimless kicking in the first half as Leinster struggled to convert dominance into points. Far more composed after the interval, with slicker passing as the pitch dried and better decision-making. Finished with several assists to his name.

11. Rieko Ioane – 8
Shifted to the wing and initially looked a little uncertain under the high ball, twice making hard work of routine takes. Put that behind him emphatically with a superb 40-metre break early in the second half and a try off Keenan and Sheehan’s clever work.

12. Jamie Osborne – 7.5
A mixed afternoon. Made a crunching ‘man-and-ball’ tackle on O’Flaherty that brought the Aviva to life but also spilled ball under no real pressure and was a little quieter than Leinster would have wanted in attack. Grabbed a late try to bump the score.

13. Garry Ringrose – 7
Back from a brief layoff and looked tidy if not spectacular in the first half. His break early in the second period ripped Sale open and directly led to Keenan’s try. Defensively sound and back to his well-rounded self.

14. Tommy O’Brien – 8
A joy to watch. His steal and kick ahead epitomised the street-smart rugby that makes him so effective. Took his try well after capitalising on chaos near the Sale line and very nearly had a second if not for a marginal forward pass.

15. Hugo Keenan – 9
Back to his imperious best. Absolute king in the air, relentlessly secure under the high ball despite Sale’s insistence on kicking to him. Took his try beautifully and played a huge role in Ioane’s score. One disputed “error” didn’t detract from an outstanding performance.

Replacements – 7
Deegan was excellent during his initial blood replacement and solid thereafter despite one late misjudged pass. Penny brought real energy, Kelleher hit the ground running, and the bench as a whole maintained Leinster’s tempo as the game broke open.