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Irish player ratings vs France - 2021 Six Nations

Ireland players leave the field dejected /Getty

Irish player ratings: They say forwards win rugby matches but this was maybe a case of Ireland’s backs being unable to capitalise on their pack’s dominance.

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Ireland paid the price for a scrappy, directionless start and were ultimately unable to contain a clinical French side in Dublin.

IRELAND PLAYER RATINGS

15. HUGO KEENAN – 7
Like the caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, Keenan looks like he’s always been Ireland’s fullback. Not only is he a safe pair of hands, he seems to convert every touch of the ball into a potential attacking opportunity.

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Owen Farrell honest about England rugby title chances after Italy win | Six Nations 2021

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Owen Farrell honest about England rugby title chances after Italy win | Six Nations 2021

14. KEITH EARLS – 5
Spent his afternoon kick chasing and as is the depressing trend for Northern Hemisphere three-quarters, saw very little ball in attack – looked dangerous the odd time he did.

13. GARRY RINGROSE – 6
The Rolls Royce of Ireland’s backline remains a calm head, even when all around him is falling apart. Did well with nothing but dirty ball and made an impressive 68 carry metres, second only to Keenan in the Irish ranks. France marshalled Ringrose and his comrades well.

12. ROBBIE HENSHAW – 5.5
He acted as first receiver so often in the first half that you could be forgiven for thinking he was wearing the 10 jersey. Ireland’s form player was asked to shoulder too much here.

11. JAMES LOWE – 6
His ability to effortlessly hoof the ball up the field was deployed as a major defensive weapon for Ireland, his massive quads clearly a major element of project ‘Mind Billy Burns’. A huge presence on the field but started to wain in the final third and his defence is still a work-on.

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10. BILLY BURNS – 5
After the headlines this week, it was perhaps unsurprising that he took time to settle, shanking a kickable 18th-minute penalty, before correcting the error a few minutes later. Ireland were too eager to shelter Burns from responsibility and it cost them any attacking direction. A few up-and-unders aside, a crisp pass in the lead-up to an early attack was all there was to judge him on, but it can’t be ignored that Ireland looked at sea in a group effort to protect him. Left for a HIA shortly after half time and didn’t return.

9. JAMISON GIBSON PARK – 5.5
Failed to control an errant ball which lost Ireland a promising attacking platform in France’s 22. At times Ireland felt like a car careening out of control, such was the lack of direction offered between Ireland’s 9 – 10 – 12 axis in the first half. A few too many missed tackles and unforced errors, but he played better off the more familiar Ross Byrne.

1. CIAN HEALY – 6
A typically solid shift from the grizzled centurion. The ageing prop remains a wall in defence and a consistent winner of collisions for the men in green, other than his brutal friendly fire incident with Henderson, which left him floored and bloodied.

Ireland player ratings

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2. ROB HERRING – 5
Lucky that a knock-on didn’t lead to an intercept for Gael Fickou. Deserves credit for Ireland’s setpiece dominance but needs to contribute more around the park to make a long term claim for the jersey.

3. ANDREW PORTER – 7.5
Porter’s low scrummaging technique really upset Cyril Baille, with the Leinster tighthead really going after the Frenchmen. Powerful in defence. Furlong will struggle to dislodge him.

4. TADHG BEIRNE – 6.5
Beirne and Ruddock dominated the lineout early on. The Munsterman’s ability over the ball shone again with three turnovers won but against that were three penalties conceded. Still one of Ireland’s best performers.

5. IAIN HENDERSON – 7.5
A first-minute charge down echoed Itoje’s efforts against Scotland a week before; Henderson it seemed – who had yet to lose to the French – was up for this one. Ireland matched France up-front and the Ulsterman lead from the front.

6. RHYS RUDDOCK – 6
The hulking Leinster workhorse had a point to prove coming into this one, having been overlooked by Farrell in the past. Carried competently and an ever-dependable defender.

Ireland player ratings
Iain Henderson /PA

7. JOSH VAN DER FLIER – 5
A couple of decent carries aside, it was a quiet afternoon for van der Flier, who struggled to impose himself on proceeding.

8. CJ STANDER – 7
After a sluggish start, Stander left the field with a staggering 93 metres chalked up. That figure maybe flatters to deceive, as it wasn’t quite the high watermark that he set against Wales last week.

REPLACEMENTS
16. RONAN KELLEHER – 7.5
Super-sub Kelleher blasted his way over for his first Test try moments into the game. Putting real pressure on Herring now for a starting spot.

17. ED BYRNE – 5
Has been quietly grafting away at Leinster for years. A relatively modestly sized prop, the loosehead has bulked up to 114kg and the resultant effect on his mobility doesn’t suit him.

18. TADHG FURLONG – 6
Not back to full fitness or form but it will warm Irish hearts to see him stalking the paddock.

20. WILL CONNORS – 7
Brought huge aggressive energy. A marked improvement on JVDF.

22. ROSS BYRNE – 6.5
Ireland looked better with Byrne on, even if old man Sexton’s presence is painfully missed.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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