6 Nations
Ireland Player Ratings vs Wales
After Ireland’s hammering at the hands of Wales here are the player ratings
Ireland were put to the sword by Wales in the final round of this year’s Six Nations and here are the player ratings.
1. Cian Healy (2) – With the team as a whole failing to impress Healy gave away a couple of cheap penalties and will need to compose himself better in such high intensity games.
2. Rory Best (5) – In his final Six Nations performance Best put in a solid display at line-out time and showed great awareness with a short line-out at one point. Unfortunate to see an Irish legend have to bow out on such a low.
3. Tadhg Furlong (4) – Never really got going, had a bad day at the office but everyone knows the talent he has and is certain to start during the World Cup.
4. Tadhg Beirne (3) – He had the chance to impress with Iain Henderson missing through injury and did anything but. He was nowhere near his usual high-intensity standards and will be fighting to secure a ticket to Japan.
5. James Ryan (6) – The one shining light for Ireland as he made the hard yards and continued to rally on even when Ireland were scoreless in with the clock in red. Never seems to have a bad day at the office.
6. Peter O’Mahony (4) – When his team needed him in Cardiff he was nowhere to be seen. A strange performance from all but the No 6 showed none of his usual leadership and lacked his normal intensity.
7. Sean O’Brien (2) – You would be forgiven if you didn’t notice he was on the pitch. He was taken off after 52 minutes for Jack Conan and will struggle to get back into the team especially with his move to London Irish in the Summer.
8. CJ Stander (5) – Carried the ball well but was lacking power, possibly due the performance he put in against the French last week. Below par but fought until the end.
9. Conor Murray (2) – He has struggled for form all tournament and did nothing to impress his critics with this display. The rain didn’t help but the other scrum-halves will see a small window of opportunity for the No 9 jersey if this continues.
10. Johnny Sexton (4) – Frustrated all day as Wales closed him down almost every time he touched the ball. Had a moment if brilliance with a cross-field kick for Jacob Stockdale but that was cancelled out by a kick-off straight out of play. Doesn’t look himself and accepted being replaced by Jack Carty unlike in Rome.
11. Jacob Stockdale (6) – Although he didn’t score a try he made a lot of metres when he had the ball in hand. Looked as though he was in on a couple of occasions only to be denied by a solid Welsh defence. Will hope for better days from the rest of the teams so that he gets more chances.
12. Bundee Aki (2) – He is in big trouble when Robbie Henshaw returns. He provided the team with little to nothing and will need some massive performances for Connacht to be in with a chance of contesting for the inside centre position come Japan.
13. Garry Ringrose (4) – Had a couple of promising moments but was given nothing to feed off by his comrades. It was hard to see after his incredible display last weekend but has a Champions Cup quarter-final to look forward to with Leinster and is only improving.
14. Keith Earls (3) – Never got going and looked a shadow of his normal energetic self. Hasn’t had too poor a tournament but will want to forget today.
15. Rob Kearney (2) – Can’t remember him getting the ball more than once and although not entirely his fault it was still a terrible showing. One of his worst in green and with Larmour’s try after coming on, he will be under pressure to keep hold of the full-back jersey.
Replacements (6) – Some of them made you wonder what could have been if they were on from the start. Jack Carty showed some great imagination with his kicks and Jordan Larmour attacked with intent and was rewarded with his try. Jack Conan impressed once more from the bench and has put himself in contention for a starting berth at No 8. Overall, a decent performance from the subs on a poor day for the country.
Management (1) – In Schmidt’s final Six Nations match as head coach it was one of their worst displays ever. It wasn’t helped by the conditions with the roof open, a decision, made by the Irish and one can only wonder what if it had been closed. Schmidt will bounce back but it is not the way he would have wanted to end his 6 Nations tenure in charge. A big few months await.
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Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
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Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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