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Ireland player ratings vs Wales | 2025 Six Nations

Ireland's flanker Josh Van der Flier (C) and Ireland's Bundee Aki (L) react to winning a penalty during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, south Wales, on February 22, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. Use in books subject to Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) approval. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Ireland player ratings: Unbackable favourites Ireland were well and truly humbled, even if they ultimately did scrape and scrap to an incredibly hard-fought 24-18 win at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

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It all started so well for Ireland, who looked every bit the schoolyard bullies against the Welsh underdogs, but the home side sowed the seeds of doubt in the Irish that eventually grew into a giant oak of uncertainty.

Here’s how we rated the Irish players:

1. Andrew Porter – 5.5
Struggled against all 127kg of WillGriff John and was relatively subdued in the loose. Stayed in the fight though and the set piece did eventually improve. Made play into the 70th minute by Simon Easterby, a giant shift for a modern prop.

2. Dan Sheehan – 4.5
A mixed bag throwing in at the lineout, which has been a real problem area for Ireland. Tried a little too hard to make things happen in the loose, where his hands let him down on several occasions. He’ll remember his Test captaincy debut but possibly for all the wrong reasons.

Fixture
Six Nations
Wales
18 - 27
Full-time
Ireland
All Stats and Data

3. Thomas Clarkson – 5
The scrum was a disaster zone, with Clarkson struggling against the experienced Nicky Smith [he did better against Gareth Thomas]. A real baptism of fire for the rookie tighthead. It’ll stand to him.

4. Joe McCarthy – 8
Returning from injury, ‘Big Joe’ got through plenty of the hard yards in tight exchanges. Brought his usual bully-boy energy, broke tackles left, right and centre; and did his best to rally the troops. Ireland have missed his mulleted edge.

5. Tadhg Beirne – 6
Displayed his usual high work rate, disrupting Welsh ball on a few occasions. Didn’t steal as much lineout ball as he sometimes does but was a consistent presence.

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6. Peter O’Mahony – 6.5
The grumpy old sheepdog of the Irish pack. Willingly threw himself into contact on both sides of the ball and was neck and neck with Porter on Ireland’s tackle count.

Defence

133
Tackles Made
168
13
Tackles Missed
33
91%
Tackle Completion %
84%

7. Josh van der Flier – 6
Strong at the breakdown in the face of stiff competition from Jac Morgan and co, providing quick ball for the half-backs and adding grit in defence. His graft helped Ireland stay in the fight.

8. Jack Conan – 8.5
Back in the starting fifteen as a replacement for the injured Caelan Doris, Conan was excellent for his 44 minutes on the field. Put in numerous bullocking carries off the base and linked well with the backs. Took his try brilliantly and was not at fault for the general Irish malaise.

9. Jamison Gibson-Park – 7
Kept the tempo high with crisp service under significant pressure from the Welsh back-row. Decision-making remained sharp, ensuring Ireland’s attack had direction. Remains Ireland’s emotional anchor.

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10. Sam Prendergast – 6.5
Carried himself with that main-character energy and a gunslinger’s spirit, always looking for the incisive pass, bold attacking angle or spiralled 50:22. Against that, his goalkicking let him down on occasion and he also had some clumsy handling moments that spoiled potential attacks. Looked gassed out in the final ten.

11. James Lowe – 5
Offered a strong carrying threat and patrolled his wing like a predatory big game cat waiting for a Welsh gazelle to ambush. Got found out for pace by Wales newbie Ellis Mee on at least one occasion and didn’t get near Tom Rogers for Wales’ 44th-minute try.

12. Robbie Henshaw – 6
Combined solidly with Leinster teammate Ringrose in midfield, mixing direct running and decent distribution. A typically physical showing in defence.

13. Garry Ringrose – 4
Back in the starting side after coming off the pine against Scotland. Maybe could have scored but for a poor pass from Jamie Osborne and was yellow-carded minutes later for a clumsy challenge that was upgraded to a 20-minute red.

14. Mack Hansen – 6
Attempted to exploit space whenever possible, with Ireland using him frequently as a mid-field carrying option. Made smart decisions in both attack and defence, but didn’t quite get any purchase on the game.

15. Jamie Osborne – 5.5
Losing a highball contest wasn’t the ideal start to his Six Nations debut and a rushed pass more or less killed a sure Ringrose try in the 30th minute. Was in the right place at the right time for Ireland’s 55th-minute try and made a number of telling late plays that left him on the positive side of the ledger.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Gus McCarthy – NA
Wasn’t sprung from the bench until 74th minute.

17. Jack Boyle – 9
As with McCarthy, not trusted enough to come on until the 70th minute with the game on the line. When he did come on he won the scrum penalty that may have guaranteed the win.

18. Finlay Bealham – 6
Improved Ireland’s pish-poor scrum. Showed his usual willingness to carry, although opportunities were limited.

19. James Ryan – 6.5
Provided leadership and experience when introduced. Reliable in trenches but no big moments.

20. Ryan Baird – 7
A dynamic substitute, running good support lines and making a handful of tackles. Brought an urgency Ireland had been sorely lacking.

21. Conor Murray – NA
Not used until the 78th minute.

22. Jack Crowley – NA
Not used until the 72nd minute.

23. Bundee Aki – 8.5
Added extra thrust in midfield when Ireland needed ball carriers, as well as a mega-dose of aura.

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Comments

20 Comments
T
Teddy 92 days ago

Lowe gets a 5?!


Consistently our best player across the last run of 5/6 games.

M
MD 93 days ago

Think that James Lowe and Gibson-Park should be upgraded to an 8. James Lowe saved us with his kicking.

M
MC Rugby 93 days ago

Ratings up

Porter 6.5/7

Bernie 7

O Mahony 7 (huge amount of tackles and Carrie’s)

Conan 9 (Brilliant while on pitch)

Lowe 8 (How does he only get 5?)

Bealhan 7 (Brilliant in scrum)


Ratings down

Clarkson 4 (3 scrum penalties against, poor game)

Prendergast 4.5 (Can’t defend, other players try to protect him, but when Ireland down to 14 they couldn’t. Poor day kicking but for 2 kicks 50/22 & 1 long range penalty) not sure about him poor against England, Brilliant against Scotland and very poor against Wales!!!!

P
PH 94 days ago

Those ratings are way off the mark.

Lowe and JGP were both 8

Sam Prendergast was 5 at best.

His poorest performance for Ireland.


Please get someone competent to do your ratings

R
Rob 94 days ago

Final score was 27-18 not 24-18 and Lowe was immense nowhere near a five, please actually watch the game 🙏

G
Gwangi 94 days ago

Surprised you've scored the New Zealanders so low , they were the difference today, Gibson took the game by the scruff off the neck, Ali when he came on was immense, James Lowe did what he does , huge games

T
Teddy 90 days ago

Yet two of the three are Irish citizens?!


Three if you meant AKI? Unless Ali came back from the dead to tear it up in Cardiff?

J
JC 94 days ago

Gibson park and lowe like the rest of the Irish back line today were an average 6. They both did well for the second try but were well marshalled by the welsh in general, alot was down to the welsh doing a great job slowing, making a mess of the breakdown and preventing quick ball. Aki made a huge difference alright, made up for Conan going off and getting over the gain line.

S
SL 94 days ago

Yep, the irish need to thank their Kiwi imports!!

d
dw 94 days ago

Prendergast missed two kicks , dropped and fluffed a few passes and was missing on defence resulting in at least one try …. 6.5 ?!?? Really ?

T
Teddy 92 days ago

He nailed a huge 50 metre penalty to take the game away from Wales.

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