Ireland player ratings vs Scotland - 2021 Six Nations
Ireland player ratings: The pace and brutality of the game was right up there in what was a bitterly close contest between two sides desperate to bag the win in Murrayfield.
Scotland will be disappointed they couldn’t edge this one, but Ireland were in the driving seat for the guts of this encounter, and deserved to nick this one.
A thrilling finish in Scotland! ? pic.twitter.com/QZ8fsvmZbW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 14, 2021
IRELAND PLAYER RATINGS
15. HUGO KEENAN – 6.5
Imperious under the ball in a solo capacity but was part of a number of communication failures in both attack and defence in the first half. Edge defence is proving a problem for Andy Farrell’s Ireland, a facet the Scots exposed.
14. KEITH EARLS – 6
Did well to disrupt Stuart Hogg and co in the lead-up to Ireland’s opening try. Made himself useful, his 77th-minute catch possibly clinching the result. He did fall off a few tackles but he was marking Duhan Van Der Merwe.
13. GARRY RINGROSE – 6
Akin to using an expensive sports car to ramraid a convenience store, Ringrose is often left to eke out marginal gains as opposed to cutting loose, and so it was today. A poor choice to chip Stuart Hogg backfired terribly but he contributed gamely elsewhere.
12. ROBBIE HENSHAW – 8
Scored maybe his easiest career try ever to open Ireland’s account off aerial pressure. Ireland’s form back was a rock in the midfield; a dominate hit on the Duhan Van Der Merwe was a highlight even if the big winger got his own back by breezing past him 60 seconds later.
11. JAMES LOWE – 5.5
Marked out of the game in the opening exchanges by Scotland. Bafflingly, the left-wing was again found dawdling back for Finn Russell’s kick ahead try, which he could and should have covered; and was found wanting again in the second half for Huw Jones try. On the flip side, the brutal physicality of the game suited Lowe and his bulldozing proved increasingly useful as the game wore on, making more metres than any other back.
10. JONATHAN SEXTON – 8
In typically angry and shouty form, Sexton pulled the strings in a lively start for Ireland. Drove Ireland around the pitch thereafter and slotted an awkward matchwinning penalty from the sideline. Vintage Sexton.
9. JAMISON GIBSON-PARK – 7
Came out of the blocks flying. How telling was it that Conor Murray didn’t come on to finish the game out? The Irish scrumhalf baton may now have been passed.
1. CIAN HEALY – 6
WP Nel just about shaded their individual battle. A relatively quiet inning around the pitch.
2. ROB HERRING – 6
Another solid if low-profile display from the Ulsterman.
3. TADHG FURLONG – 8
Gifted Scotland their first points after going off his feet in the 11th minute but what a joy to see the Wexford tighthead jinking, weaving and sidestepping around defenders. Struggling with the pace of the game but this was a return to Lions form, no doubt.
Art. #SCOvIRE pic.twitter.com/cd80TUYkVN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 14, 2021
4. IAIN HENDERSON – 8
Mercilessly destroyed Scotland’s lineout alongside James Ryan. Ireland’s turnover king today, with three steals to his name.
5. JAMES RYAN – 7
A couple of uncharacteristic handling errors from the towering Leinsterman. More than made up for them with his rousting of Scotland’s lineout.
6. TADHG BEIRNE – 8
Big, big game from the Munsterman. Limpet like over the ball and scorer of Ireland’s game-changing try. BBC’s MOTM.
7. WILL CONNORS – 7.5
Tackled his face off, with a resounding hit on Hamish Watson and a try-saving effort on Van Der Merwe reverberating around Murrayfield. With Ireland relying so heavily on Stander for go forward, it would be nice to see Messrs Connors and Beirne taking some of the pressure off their No.8.
8. CJ STANDER – 7.5
Mr Dependable was Ireland’s leading forward carrier once again, with 80 plus metres to his name.
Comments on RugbyPass
Adding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
2 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
2 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to comments