Wales player ratings vs Ireland
Wales were unable to pile further misery on an Ireland squad licking their wounds at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, as they fell to a 22-17 defeat on home soil.
Warren Gatland’s men were profligate in the first of their back-to-back fixtures with Ireland and the Kiwi will be hoping for a much improved display when a likely first-choice side heads to Dublin for the return game next weekend.
Here, RugbyPass runs the rule over a disappointing display for their second-string players in Cardiff.
- Hallam Amos – 6
A responsible outing from Amos, who dealt well with Ireland’s kicking game and a had a couple of forays as a counter-attacker. He will be frustrated by how lateral he got in the transition from Wales’ second half lineout steal, though.
- Owen Lane – 7
Grabbed a much-deserved try in the second half and was Wales’ most effective operator in the back line. He frequently came off his wing at the set-piece and looked for work in the midfield, making an important cover tackle on Jacob Stockdale and showing impressive strength to use the touchline and stay in field in tackles.
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1167818230410416130?s=20
- Scott Williams – 6
Williams didn’t provide the overall attacking impetus he would have liked, although his defence was strong and his decision-making prevented Ireland from having a number of breakaways that could have led to tries. Lovely back-handed offload nearly created a try.
- Owen Watkin – 4.5
An early knock-on when he took his eyes off the ball seemed to set the tone. He lost the physical battle with Bundee Aki on a couple of occasions and when he did have success running back against the grain, he ended up being turned over.
- Steff Evans – 5
Evans was quiet by his usual standards. He chased industriously and had a couple of counter-attacks, although the majority of Wales’ positive attacking play came when the ball was moving to the other wing.
- Jarrod Evans – 5.5
A mixed bag from the fly-half, who was accurate with one of his two kicks at goal. He had some nice moments, including a perfectly weighted cross-field kick for Lane, although they were mitigated by lateral play in the back line and a missed kick for touch, not to mention the impact of his replacement.
- Aled Davies – 5
Started off strongly with a measured box kick, although his kicking from hand was less effective as the game went on. He wasn’t able to have the sniping or incisive passing influence he would have wanted.
- Rhys Carre – 6
The debutant had a couple of goes at John Ryan at the scrum and, apart from picking up one penalty, dealt well with the Munsterman. Carre stepped up as a first receiver and was one of Wales’ go-to ball-carriers. A decent 40 before being replaced by Rob Evans.
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1167823680300376065?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
- Ryan Elias – 5.5
The hooker was busy in the loose, carrying regularly for his side, although first-half lineout errors blighted his game somewhat. He ended up connecting on three of his throws, with the group looking much more coherent in the second half.
- Samson Lee – 5
Lee came under pressure from Dave Kilcoyne at the scrum at the beginning and end of the first half, coughing up two penalties, although he was able to deliver a number of solid set-pieces against the in-form Irishman in between that. Only had the first half, then made way for Leon Brown. Struggled against Andrew Porter when reappearing as a result of a yellow card.
- Adam Beard – 6
The lock wouldn’t have helped his case for partnering Alun Wyn Jones in the engine room with his first half display, as he fumbled a lineout and threw a nothing offload that led to an Ireland turnover. He looked more like his usual self in the second half, though, and was an effective target on the throw and grew into the game as a ball-carrier.
- Bradley Davies – 5.5
A quiet game for Davies. He was targeted for the only successful lineout – quick throws aside – from Wales in the first half and provided reliable fringe defence without troubling the game offensively.
- Aaron Shingler – 5
A wild offload gifted Stockdale a try in the first half and the flanker struggled to impact the game positively. He grew into the game in the second half with a lineout steal and some strong tackling.
- James Davies – 6.5
One of the more impressive Welsh players on the pitch at the Principality. He latched on for two turnovers at the contact area and was busy helping deliver ball-security for Wales in attack.
- Josh Navidi – 6
Not Navidi’s best game in a Welsh jersey by any stretch of the imagination. His missed tackle on Kilcoyne will be dwelt on, although he did tackle and carry with relatively good effect.
???????? "Rhys Patchell "changed the game massively" @samwarburton_ assesses the No 10's chances of making @WelshRugbyUnion's #RWC squad#C4Rugby #WALvIRE pic.twitter.com/AlYO8RYmvg
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) August 31, 2019
Replacements
- Elliot Dee – 6
The lineout worked smoothly with Dee on the field. He came close to a try with a clever blindside break from the maul, although he knocked on as he stretched for the try line.
- Rob Evans – 5
Not the cameo Evans would have wanted, as he knocked on shortly after coming on and was put under significant pressure by Tadhg Furlong at the scrum, including Wales conceding a penalty try following a scrum close their line.
- Leon Brown – 4
Unfortunately for Brown, he summed up Wales’ scrum problems, conceding two penalties and a yellow card at the set-piece after his half-time arrival.
- Jake Ball – 6
Brought some much-needed physicality in the tackle after coming on and was successfully targeted at the lineout. He was lucky that his risky pass in his own half didn’t end up in a try for Ireland, as Aki tackled the recipient in the air.
- Aaron Wainwright – 6
Didn’t have too much influence after arriving, although he did provide Wales with an extra lineout option.
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1167826371986501633
- Tomos Williams – 6.5
Williams delivered tempo and precision after replacing Davies and helped spark Wales’ second half resurgence.
- Rhys Patchell – 8
Patchell brought excellent impact, despite spending the first 20 minutes of the second half with Ireland dominating possession. He was composed, played well on the gain-line and organised his back line well. He also tackled strongly on his own try line, kicked big touch-finders and was successful with his two shots at goal.
- Jonah Holmes – 6
Like Evans, it was a quiet outing for Holmes on the left wing, as Wales prospered more moving the ball to the right.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Starts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
2 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
2 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot 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
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 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 comments