Ireland player ratings: Caelan Doris exceptional in otherwise mediocre display from the world number one side

Colin Newboult 19 Nov 2022 11:00 AM

Following a 13-10 triumph over Australia in their Autumn Nations Series Test in Dublin on Saturday, here are the player ratings for Ireland.

15 Hugo Keenan: Reasonably solid from the ever-reliable full-back but didn’t make many inroads with ball in hand. 6

14 Mack Hansen: Some good things but not enough to really make an impression against a strong Australian defence. 6

13 Garry Ringrose: Not as his best, although he rarely makes a mistake. 6

12 Stuart McCloskey: Strong in the carry and created a few holes, which his team-mates failed to take advantage of. Was replaced midway through the second half but was one of Ireland’s better players. 7

11 Jimmy O’Brien: Not as prominent as in previous matches this November. 5

10 Jack Crowley: A mixed bag, perhaps as expected. Played with confidence and was vocal, but a few mistakes here and there. 6

9 Jamison Gibson-Park: Did a solid job behind an Ireland pack that struggled to dominate. Some decent kicks in behind the Australian defence, although service could have been quicker. 6

World-class display from Ireland’s number eight

8 Caelan Doris: How Ireland needed Doris on Saturday. The number eight was the one player to really step up. Produced several barnstorming carries, one of which led to their only try, and also defended superbly. 9

7 Josh van der Flier: Busy around the field and superb in defence, although not his most impactful 80 minutes this month. 7

6 Peter O’Mahony (c): Quiet as the Australian pack got to work on their Irish counterparts. Was replaced early in the second period. 5

5 James Ryan: Great work ethic but he’s had better days. 6

4 Tadhg Beirne: Some key interventions and was busy throughout his time on the field. 7

3 Tadhg Furlong: Delighted everyone with his clearance kick but the only thing to really shout about as the Aussie forwards fronted up. 6

2 Dan Sheehan: Ireland’s best front-row as he showed his footwork and carrying prowess on occasion. Set-piece was also solid. 7

1 Andrew Porter: Another player to find the going tough against the visitors. 6

Replacements: It was more of the same from the replacements really. Craig Casey lifted the tempo, Bundee Aki was physical and Ross Byrne kicked the winning penalty but, on the other hand, the replacement front-row struggled. 6

Australia