England A player ratings vs Ireland A | 2025

England A player ratings: England A followed the senior side’s victory over Scotland on Saturday with a 28-12 win against Ireland A at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium on Sunday.

In a game that was played in starkly different conditions to the one Steve Borthwick’s side played in the day before at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, the A side played a starkly different style as well, playing with tempo and energy despite the howling wind and rain.

There were many players that would have caught Borthwick’s eye, and with two rounds left of the Guinness Six Nations, some may now be knocking on the door for selection.

Here’s how the players rated:

15. Joe Carpenter – 7
Ireland rarely kicked to compete, which meant the full-back was barely tested aerially in torrid conditions. That did mean he was seldom provided the opportunity to run in space. He was tough to put down when he did get his hands on the ball though.

14. Tobias Elliott – 6
The wing looked a lonely place at times in the wind and rain. That’s not to say the 21-year-old didn’t look dangerous when the action did come his way during his 50 minutes on the pitch.

13. Max Ojomoh – 8
This was a hugely impressive display in a position the senior side are still struggling to crack. Whether stepping in at first-receiver, being used as a battering ram or offloading, there was barely a passage of play where Ojomoh didn’t have an influence in in the first half. His activity petered out slightly as the weather deteriorated.

12. Will Butt – 8
Handled some intricate play from Ireland in and around his channel and provided plenty of heft either side of the ball in the midfield, which included some statement shots. Worked nicely with his Bath team-mate Ojomoh.

11. Ollie Hassell-Collins – 7.5
Came off his wing a lot and was almost rewarded with a long-range try after slicing through the Irish defence near the halfway line. He did get a try to his name in a game that was not for outside backs.

10. Charlie Atkinson – 8
England had plenty of ball carriers that were able to get over the gainline in the middle of the field, and they will have Atkinson’s pinpoint passes to thank for that. The fly-half played flat and had a crisp, wide delivery that would have been a pleasure to be on the receiving end of. Some classy touches like his over-the-shoulder flick for the opening try topped off an eye-catching display. Unfortunately forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

9. Jack van Poortvliet – 8.5
The type of performance the captain would have wanted as he strives to work his way back into Steve Borthwick’s plans (particularly after England’s performance against Scotland). Nothing necessarily flashy with his passing, but that wasn’t required. With the speed of England’s rucking, they needed a player who would keep the momentum and he did that. The coup de grace was his solo effort for England’s second try which would have done wonders for his case to win his 17th cap in the near future.

1. Phil Brantingham – 6
Wasn’t his afternoon at the scrum, and was pinged a few times. But his work at the breakdown helped England play with the energy they did.

2. Curtis Langdon – 7.5
Not great conditions for a hooker to throw (and perhaps benefited from the new law allowing not straight throws if the opponents don’t compete). In the loose, he was very lively though, and moved the point of contact adroitly with some deft passes.

3. George Kloska – 7
Came close to getting an assist with an exquisite inside pass to put Hassell-Collins through a gap in what was otherwise a quiet display.

4. Hugh Tizard – 7
England’s top tackler when he left the field after an hour (10) and got through a lot of work in the tight which allowed his pack to have the upper hand.

5. Tom Lockett – 8
Managed the lineout superbly and disrupted Ireland’s own throw. A busy defensive effort as well, and manhandled ball-carriers a couple of times.

6. Tom Pearson – 8.5
Tom Pearson and Jack Kenningham make a very nice flanker partnership and this is hopefully not the last time we see them play together. Both contributed in all areas of the game, but the Northampton Saint perhaps looked the more dangerous of the two carrying, whether taking the ball into contact or offloading.

7. Jack Kenningham – 9
Wreaked havoc on Ireland’s lineout and was similarly destructive at the breakdown. Pushed Lockett for player of the match.

8. Alfie Barbeary – 7
Used exactly how any side should use Alfie Barbeary- allowing him to pop up in all areas of the field and bowl over tacklers.

Replacements
16. Gabriel Oghre – 7
Looked dynamic and industrious in his half hour at his home ground.

17. Tarek Haffar – 7.5
Won back-to-back scrum penalties as soon as he came on. Looked mobile in the loose as well with some punchy carries.

18. Luke Green – 7
Alongside Haffar, helped shore up England’s scrum.

19. Richard Capstick – 7
A return of five tackles in a 20-minute cameo is not to be sniffed at.

20. Greg Fisilau – 8
Reads the game so well and as a result finds himself making half-breaks and strong carries through some astute support lines. His late try secured the win for England and was yet another smart piece of play as he broke around the ruck- a nice step in there too. Just a matter of when the 21-year-old Exeter star becomes a senior international.

21. Will Porter – 7
Continued the good work made by van Poortvliet and ensured plenty of continuity in England’s style of play.

22. Jamie Shillcock – 7
Showed some nice footwork to make a break down the right flank.

23. George Hendy – 7.5
Found himself at the heart of a lot of action strangely compared to his predecessor, and showed what a handful he can be. Deceptively strong in contact.