Ireland player ratings: High-flying wingers inspire Andy Farrell’s side to victory over England

Jared Wright
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Ireland wingers James Lowe, Mack Hansen and Keith Earls during teh Rugby World Cup -up match against England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

Ireland wingers James Lowe, Mack Hansen and Keith Earls during the Rugby World Cup -up match against England.

Following Ireland’s 29-10 victory over England in the Rugby World Cup warm-up match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, here’s our player ratings.

15 Hugo Keenan: An early blunder, but that is a real rarity for him. That didn’t hurt Keenan’s game at all, as he recovered to produce a trademark performance at full-back. Always a threat in possession and a cool head at the back. 7

14 Mack Hansen: He put in a scrumptious kick for Garry Ringrose’s try before the break and was sharp defensively. He adds so much to the Ireland attack as he pops up all in areas of the pitch and was rewarded with a try of his own. The brilliant winger was deservedly named the player of the match. 8

Solid centres

13 Garry Ringrose: Took his try well, kept the threatening Joe Marchant quiet and mixed up his attack well. Like most of his teammates, he got the job done with little fuss. 7

12 Bundee Aki: Powerhouse carries in the midfield as he regularly got over the advantage line and ran a good support line to score the game’s opening try. He managed to keep Manu Tuilagi at bay for most of the game and spent 10 minutes on the sidelines after a head clash with Lowe. He threw a great pass out for Keith Earls to score in the latter stages of the game. 8

11 James Lowe: Like Hansen, Lowe was heavily involved on attack as he ventured infield, popping up in tricky positions for the England defence to handle. He kept his width well to get his name on the scoresheet, as his kicking was crucial for the side too. 7

Accurate half-backs

10 Ross Byrne: While Ireland had a sluggish start, the fly-half marshalled the attack until his substitution in the latter stages of the game. He made good decisions with ball in hand, but the real concern will be his accuracy off the tee, missing three of his four shots at goal. 7

9 Jamison Gibson-Park: A solid 66-minute shift from the scrum-half who kept the tempo high attack. It was a smart, accurate and efficient display from the intelligent number nine as he continues to thrive in the starting XV. 7

Busy back-rowers

8 Cian Prendergast: Andy Farrell hailed the warrior spirit of the Connacht loose forward earlier this week, and he certainly showed that today with a combative and lively performance. He was busy on both sides of the ball and at the breakdown. His ability to play across the back-row will certainly done his World Cup hopes the world good. 8

7 Josh van der Flier: Another busy shift from the world-class flanker who led the way defensively, making 13 tackles and won a turnover. He had 11 attacking contributions as he gained 29 metres from his six carries. 7

6 Peter O’Mahony: The veteran blindside flanker made crucial carries in the build-up to Ireland’s first two tries. He sent Aki charging over with a well-timed pass, and was a safe lineout option. 8

Tight five

5 James Ryan: A bit of a quiet game from the stand-in captain but not a poor one. He cleared out rucks well and made his tackles while also making a clever turnover and put a kick in to put pressure on England. He did concede three penalties. Solid without being excellent. 6

4 Tadhg Beirne: The top tackler in the game as he landed 16 hits. The second-rower also came up with a turnover and was a key link man for Ireland’s attacking structures with seven passes and just one carry. He was a pest at the breakdown and another safe lineout jumper. 8

3 Tadhg Furlong: The tighthead prop made some bulking runs into the England defence, drawing in defenders. At scrum time, he held his own in a tight battle with Ellis Genge. 7

2 Dan Sheehan: Subbed off just before the break. The excellent hooker had a quiet game for his high standards, but it was a tidy shift making his tackles and carrying strongly. 5

1 Andrew Porter: Another long cameo from the loosehead prop who played 70 metres at the Aviva. He fronted up on defence and was a crucial player in creating quick attacking ball with his breakdown work. Like Furlong, he was sound in the scrum. 7

Replacements: Earls was a standout off the bench with a lively shift where he looked to make a mark on his 100th appearance and did so by grabbing a try in his milestone game. Finlay Bealham also made good contributions when he replaced Furlong. 7

READ MORE: Billy Vunipola red carded as ruthless Ireland ease past poor England

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