Leinster player ratings: Rieko Ioane ‘still finding his feet’ despite first try as ‘exceptional’ bench rescues stale hosts

Following a 24-20 triumph over Ulster in the United Rugby Championship clash at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, here are the player ratings for Leinster.

15 Ciarán Frawley: Made one nice break in the first half and then a hugely important catch on his own line in the second period, but there was once again a lack of connection with the playmakers. 6

14 Joshua Kenny: The talented youngster rarely had a chance to stretch his legs in the first half and had his hands full with the in-form Werner Kok, but that changed later on and he finished his try nicely. 7

Still finding his feet

13 Rieko Ioane: Showed his ability on a few occasions, including a superb finish for his try and a lovely drift on the pass to open the space out wide, but he also received some big shots from the visitors. 6

12 Charlie Tector: Was not too evident during his stint on the field and was replaced early in the second period, with Harry Byrne coming on in his place. 5

11 James Lowe: Didn’t have a great day against Leicester Tigers last weekend and, quite frankly, Lowe wasn’t much better for Leinster here. Was rather embarrassed by Tom Stewart for the hooker’s try with the wing being shrugged off about three times before the score. 5

10 Sam Prendergast: Rather poor from the fly-half, who in the first half in particular had a bit of a shocker. Prendergast’s kicking from hand was absolutely woeful and wasted so many good positions. He improved slightly in the second but it certainly wasn’t a display to write home about. 4

9 Luke McGrath: It’s not the fluid Leinster we have become accustomed to over the years and McGrath had a tough time at the base of the ruck as Ulster applied plenty of pressure. 5

Captain’s performance

8 Jack Conan (c): Led by example as he never shirked the work and there were some excellent rumbles into contact. Ulster shaded the back-row battle in the first half but Conan and co. took control after the break. 8

7 Scott Penny: Similar to Conan, it didn’t quite go for him in the first half, but he grew in influence and his breakdown turnover set up the position for the decisive try. 7

6 Alex Soroka: Got away with a possible high shot in the build up to an Ulster try but it was probably the correct call from Andrew Brace before he was replaced early in the second period. 5

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5 James Ryan: Going to tackle school obviously helped… For the second time in a month, Ryan was carded for a poor cleanout as he tucked his shoulder into the neck area of a visiting forward. This time it was yellow but, if Ryan had made full contact with his opponent’s head, it could have been another red, which rather makes a mockery of World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme. 5

4 Brian Deeny: Solid enough in the set-piece but the early changes told a story as Ulster were winning the physical battles at close quarters. 5

Set-piece dominance

3 Rabah Slimani: Scrummaged well and had Wallabies star Angus Bell going backwards in the set-piece. Like Deeny he was sacrificed just after the break, but Slimani could be proud of his efforts. 7

2 Gus McCarthy: Part of a front-row going forward but McCarthy didn’t make a huge contribution in the loose with Ulster very much on top in the first half. 6

1 Jack Boyle: Similar to his front-row colleagues with the set-piece strong, but it wasn’t a huge factor in the contest while he was on the field. 6

Replacements: With six internationals on the bench to Ulster’s zero, it was perhaps unsurprising that they made the difference in the second half. The McCarthy brothers, Paddy and Joe, were absolutely exceptional and did some wonderful work at close quarters, while Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan and Max Deegan also showed their class. 9

READ MORE: Leinster v Ulster and Cardiff v Scarlets: Result, match details, stats, line-ups