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Leinster player ratings vs Leicester | Investec Champions Cup 2023/24
By Ian Cameron
Leinster player ratings: Leinster’s performance against a resilient Leicester Tigers was far from the high standards they’ve set themselves, marked by uncharacteristic sloppiness.
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It was a display riddled with errors and lacking in urgency and one which is unlikely to instil fear in their upcoming quarter-final opponents, La Rochelle.
Here’s how the players rated the Leinster players:
Andrew Porter – 5
Had a ding-dong battle with veteran England tighthead Dan Cole and it was one where he struggled to break even. His dependable runs gained valuable metres in heavy traffic, but his discipline was on the sloppy side.
Dan Sheehan – 6
Sheehan’s dynamic runs and supporting lines in the loose were highlights, but he also contributed to a faltering lineout. It was an issue for Ireland during the Six Nations as it seems it may have leaked over into Leinster.
Tadhg Furlong – 4
Smashing Hanro Liebenberg into touch to reverse a lineout was a fine first involvement. Furlong faced a challenging battle in the scrum however, enduring a struggle session against former Munster prop James Cronin, who was the best prop on the pitch.
Ross Molony – 6
Bath-bound lineout guru Molony faced challenges in managing Leinster’s lineout, which struggled for consistency throughout the match. His tackle count was right up in a first half where Leicester had the lion’s share of possession. Solid if unspectacular.
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Joe McCarthy – 6.5
Showed great hands and awareness for Leinster’s opening try and worked hard in the tight exchanges. Provided much-needed momentum for what was at times a sleepy performance from the men in blue.
Ryan Baird – 5
A mixed bag from Baird, whose game was marred by a few too many errors. His middling handling in the lineouts contributed to Leinster’s struggles in that area, even if he had a couple of stellar moments in the loose.
Josh van der Flier – 5
A glaring missed tackle in the lead-up to Leicester’s first try stuck out. The off-colour flanker battled hard thereafter at the breakdown and in defence but found it tough to impose his usual influence.
Caelan Doris – 7
The skipper led from the front, demonstrating his quality with both ball in hand and in defence, taking the battle to the Gallagher Premiership hardmen. He was the best of the starting pack.
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Jamison Gibson-Park – 8.5
Another masterclass, this time on his 50th Champions Cup appearance. More or less single-handedly dragged the home side back into the game with his pace around the park. His intelligent decision-making consistently put Leicester on the back foot.
Ross Byrne – 7
Leinster’s Mr Reliable proved to be a steady hand on the tiller, guiding his team with no little calmness. Though his performance might not have been all bells and whistles, his reliable management of the game helped Leinster navigate the trickier moments. Sustained a painful shoulder stinger in the 67th minute and came off.
James Lowe – 6
Booting the ball out of the full wasn’t an ideal start but Lowe’s imperious kicking game came right after that. Was kept relatively quiet with ball in hand thanks to a ferocious Tigers’ defensive effort. His sin-binning after halftime for a slapdown didn’t help matters, though Leinster came up evens thanks to Henshaw’s try.
Jamie Osborne – 6
Osborne was a notable physical presence in the midfield, effectively using his strength to engage defenders and create space. While his combination with Henshaw outside him was effective, his ball security needs a little polish. Getting bumped by Liebenberg was a poor way to end his evening.
Robbie Henshaw – 6
Henshaw’s experience and defensive smarts were vital in containing Leicester’s midfield attack. He carried competently even if he fell well short of lighting up the fixture. His intercept aside, we’re still waiting for the Henshaw of old to return on a full-time basis.
Jordan Larmour – 6
Larmour’s agility and speed were a constant danger, even if his ability to evade tackles and create opportunities for his teammates didn’t always translate to metres gained.
Hugo Keenan – 7
Despite returning from injury Keenan displayed few signs of rustiness, demonstrating his usual reliability and sharpness. Was safe under the high ball and tried to counter when possible, but Leicester’s coverage limited his effectiveness.
REPLACEMENTS:
Ronan Kelleher – 6
The lineouts certainly improved with Kelleher on the pitch.
Cian Healy – 6
Equalled Ronan O’Gara’s Champions Cup appearance record of 109. Brought his usual blend of experience and rough-as-guts edge to proceedings. Walked off injured with just two minutes on the clock.
Michael Ala’alatoa – 7
Was a marked improvement on Furlong’s so-s0 scrummaging.
Jason Jenkins – 7
Jenkins provided fresh legs in the 62nd minute, helping to sustain Leinster’s emerging forward dominance.
Jack Conan – 8
Conan’s presence was felt with every carry on his 50th Champions Cup appearance, as he managed to breach Leicester’s defensive line on multiple occasions, nearly scoring in the 58th minute, only for the TMO to pick up the knock-on. Righted that wrong to score on 71 minutes as Leinster poured on the sauce.
Ben Murphy – 7
Murphy got 18 minutes on the pitch, but Gibson-Park was a hard, hard act to follow. A decent outing nonetheless.
Harry Byrne – NA
Byrne was introduced late in the game for his brother Ross, with too little time to leave a mark on the match’s direction or outcome.
Ciaran Frawley – 6
Very nearly caught an intercept in the 68th minute, but didn’t get much of a look in other than that.
