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Leinster player ratings vs Munster | 2024/25 URC
By Ian Cameron
Leinster player ratings: Leinster weathered a spirited Munster performance to claim a hard-fought bonus point victory in a game marked by damp conditions and individual heroics.
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Here’s how the Leinster players rated:
1. Jack Boyle – 6.5
Got the upper hand over Oli Jager as the early scrums disintegrated before being replaced after 22 minutes. Never looked out of his depth.
2. Ronan Kelleher – 6.5
Popped up in the scrum more than a microwavable dessert but redeemed himself with strong work in the loose.
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3. Rabah Slimani – 5.5
Questionable scrummaging again highlighted why Clermont were happy to part ways with him. Improved slightly before being replaced.
4. Joe McCarthy – 7
Made one big break and worked hard in the tight exchanges. A solid outing.
5. James Ryan – 7
Tackled like a Christmas tree being hauled out of the attic: relentless, sturdy and a little rough around the edges.
6. Ryan Baird – 6
Still finding his rhythm after time out. A quieter performance in miserable conditions.
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7. Josh van der Flier – 7
Relatively quiet but pounced for a crucial try in the 53rd minute as Munster’s ruck defence faltered.
8. Caelan Doris – 8
Edged his battle with Gavin Coombes with powerful carries and tireless tackling. Played a key role in Leinster’s victory with his bonus point-securing try.
9. Luke McGrath – 7.5
Looked sharp with an early break and a cleverly taken try but was let down by some sloppy ball security later on.
10. Sam Prendergast – 8.5
Sliced through Munster’s defence like a hot knife through Brandy butter for his try and kicked superbly out of hand. A standout display. Shame he wasn’t up against Ireland rival Jack Crowley.
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11. Jimmy O’Brien – 5.5
A mix of good and bad moments. Scrapped tirelessly but made too many mistakes to fully impress.
12. Robbie Henshaw – 6.5
Dogged in defence, though he didn’t get many chances to shine in attack.
13. Garry Ringrose – 8.5
A Lions jersey looks inevitable after a commanding performance. His heroic effort to hold up Tadhg Beirne was match-defining.
14. Tommy O’Brien – 4.5
Picked up a needless yellow card that put Leinster under pressure. A frustrating night for the rookie.
15. Jamie Osborne – 7.5
His tackling was immaculate, and he continues to exceed expectations. Spilled one high ball but recovered well to deliver another assured performance.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Lee Barron – 6.5
Solid lineout throwing and good energy in his brief stint.
17. Andrew Porter – 5
Came on early but struggled against Oli Jager in the scrum, who gave him all sorts of problems.
18. Cian Healy – 6.5
Another solid cameo, showing his versatility in the tighthead role.
19. Brian Deeny – N/A
Not on long enough to warrant a rating.
20. Scott Penny – N/A
Other than one impressive break didn’t get enough time to make an impact.
21. Fintan Gunne – 7
Composed and tidy at the base, arguably an improvement over McGrath in the latter stages.
22. Ross Byrne – 6
Mixed performance. Some of his wayward kicking looked like he’d overindulged in the mulled wine.
23. Jordan Larmour – N/A
Not on long enough to be rated.
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Sam prendergast started a scrap then walk away to let his team mates to finish that's wat I call cowardly
He didn't start it. He was shoved and pushed back. The Munster players were testing him. Now everyone knows not to touch him. Well played young man!
hardly the first ten to do it, O'Gara was awful for hurling abuse at players his enforcers already had by the collar
Not sure where this player analysis came from but there is some seriously questionable stuff on here about some players .
Here, all joking aside, did you actually watch this game? VDF was easily a player-of-the-match contender, and Porter & Slimani were both excellent in the scrums. Baird didn't suffer in "miserable conditions", it was a perfect winter night for rugby -- no wind, no rain, not particularly cold.
Oh and Ross Byrne's kicking wasn't his problem, it was everything else. I think you may have over-indulged on the mulled wine, Señor Cameron.
A lot of these rating posts make more sense if you read them as if the auther only watched the first half
This looks like it was written through gritted teeth
Usually do to be fair
Not sure you have any idea what is going on in a scrum
You'd swear they didn't win 28-7 away from home....