Ireland player ratings: Mack Hansen man of the match in victorious debut
After a strong 29-7 win in Dublin, here’s how the Irish players performed in their Six Nations opener versus Wales.
15 Hugo Keenan: Marked his 17th consecutive Test start with a faultless display. The Leinsterman was safe at the back and did what was expected of him on attack and defence. 8/10
14 Andrew Conway: The Munsterman was a genuine attacking threat who produced two clinical second-half finishes to take the game away from the outclassed visitors. 8
13 Garry Ringrose: Scored arguably the try of the game and was a constant thorn in Wales’ side on attack. He ran good angles and combined well with Aki on his inside. 8
12 Bundee Aki: Justified his selection ahead of Robbie Henshaw with the first try of the Six Nations early on in the affair. A battering ram with ball in hand who tested the Welsh defence throughout with some strong carries. 8
11 Mack Hansen: Named man of the match in the stadium on a convincing start at Test level, which included an assist. The Connacht flyer kept Wales’ defence busy with some barnstorming runs. 9
10 Johnny Sexton: Although the 36-year-old squandered a couple of kicks in blustery conditions, he impressed on attack and drove the hosts on. 8
9 Jamison Gibson-Park: The Leinster scrum-half was lively throughout and kept the ball moving quickly to keep Wales constantly occupied. 7
8 Jack Conan: Continues to be a revelation since returning to the Test arena 12 months ago. Conan was a willing ball carrier, who kept Wales’ defence busy during a 53-minute shift. 8
7 Josh Van der Flier: Another hard-working afternoon for the flanker to keep his side in the ascendancy. Made his mark with some fine carries and also caught the eye on defence. 8
6 Calean Doris: Wreaked havoc almost every time he touched the ball to underline his burgeoning reputation. Worked well in tandem with Conan and Van der Flier. 8
5 James Ryan: A menace to Wales’ defence and kept the hosts on top at the line-out and also put his body on the line on defence. 8
4 Tadhg Beirne: The Munster second-row quietly goes about his business but was once again exceptional. Did well as a ball carrier and also shone in the line-outs. 8
3 Tadhg Furlong: Outstanding once again to emphasise his status as arguably the world’s finest tighthead. Apart from shining in the execution of his core duties, Furlong also defended well. 9
2 Ronan Kelleher: Part of an imposing forward pack which picked up where it left off in the autumn. Impressed with accurate throw-ins at the line-outs and was strong on defence. 8
1 Andrew Porter: Immense all afternoon, with some crucial contributions in the scrum and put in some big hits especially at close quarters. 9
Replacements: Andy Farrell’s substitutes were solid but not required to change the course of a one-sided contest. 7
READ MORE: Wales player ratings: Taine Basham the standout in poor Six Nations display against Ireland
