Leicester player ratings vs Leinster | 2023 Champions Cup

Leicester player ratings live from Aviva Stadium: Despite their recent flourish in form with Handre Pollard finding his groove, the consensus was that Tigers had travelled to Ireland more in hope than expectation. So it damagingly proved as Leinster eliminated them at the quarter-final stage for the second successive year, the bruising scoreline reading a whopping 55-24 – seven tries to three – on this occasion.

Regardless of this jaw-dropping chasm on the scoreboard, it was a much-improved contest for 50 minutes compared to the instant lop-sidedness that materialised at Mattioli Woods Welford Road last April, Leinster vaulting 20 first-half points clear and winning comfortably 23-14.

Here, fielding just six starters of those same starters in front of a 27,000 attendance, there was more bite in the Tigers until their last half-hour collapse. They cheaply leaked the first try just 72 seconds in, but they then belligerently absorbed enormous pressure before striking with an Anthony Watson that left them trailing by only 10-17 at the break.

Game on... except just when Leicester were primed to pounce following the 46th-minute yellow card for Caelan Doris, they suddenly became pussy cats and disappeared. Ten points they leaked while a man up and worse quickly followed, a 59th-minute penalty try and a sin bin of their own putting them a massive 34-10 behind.

Game clinically over. It was now garbage time with five tries ensuring (three for Leinster, two for Leicester) and another yellow card (Mike Brown) to leave the home side stomping into the semi-finals where they will have an Aviva Stadium tie versus either Toulouse or Sharks. Here are the Leicester player ratings:

15. Mike Brown – 5.5

An excellent signing, the veteran demonstrated his encyclopedic game intelligence when quickly tapping the penalty that ignited the move for Leicester’s late first-half try. Competed well in the air after the loss of the kick-off that won Leinster possession for their opening score. Blotted his rating with his needless late yellow card.

14. Anthony Watson – 6.5

Another astute bit of business and another who has flourished in the Tigers’ way. Produced a fabulous diving finish at the corner for his 38th-minute try but possession given to him was far too limited.

13. Harry Potter – 4

One half of this weekend’s rejigged midfield, it didn’t go well as the free-running Garry Ringrose had him at sixes and sevens. At fault for the second Leinster try, there was also a sloppy fumble trying to grab a Pollard kick through and the mishap of a kick-ahead that veered away from his follow-up chase. The holding-on penalty he conceded on the first Leicester attack with Leinster on a yellow card capped a frustrating night that ended with a consolation score.

12. Dan Kelly – 4.5

Another who had his defensive errors, he bought the dummy for the opening Leinster try. Showed his eye for creating space near the break but his pass to Cameron Henderson unfortunately was forward.

11. Freddie Steward – 4.5

Back at the scene of his infamous red card with England 20 days ago, he was working in an unfamiliar left-wing position and it showed in the way he was easily mowed down by James Lowe in the early exchanges and then wrong-footed by Ringrose for the result-deciding Jamison Gibson-Park try.

10. Handre Pollard – 5.5

This class act came into this on top of his game, but he started slowly before wielding better influence approaching half-time. Couldn’t deliver the magic needed when the result was in the balance at 10-17 with Leinster down a player.

9. Jack van Poortvliet – 5

Kicked the leather off it last weekend versus Edinburgh and was inclined to do the same again here due to all the backfoot play he featured in. Was apprentice versus master three weeks ago in his head-to-head with Gibson-Park and it became that here, his opposite number running in the key try and JVP getting done minutes later for no release on the deck after a panicked carry.

1. James Cronin – 5.5

The ex-Munster prop would have loved nothing more than sowing it into Leicester and while he was of nuisance value in and around the breakdown, he was hooked on 53 with the scrum going backwards.

2. Julian Montoya – 5

Scored tries by the bucketload in March, but his physicality was eclipsed by Dan Sheehan’s athleticism here. Desperate pass in attack at 3-14, there was also a poor lineout overthrow before his 34th-minute exit for a HIA. His replacement Charlie Clare didn’t go any better as his night was summed up by his 59th-minute yellow card for causing a penalty try.

3. Joe Heyes – 4

A big call by Richard Wigglesworth to start him ahead of Dan Cole, he won an early scrum penalty but that warm glow was soon cold-watered when falling to a deck in penalty-conceding fashion some minutes later. Further scrum infringements early in the second half on his team’s own feed were critical in their demise and resulted in his early departure.

4. George Martin – 5

The English media have been curiously swooning about this guy’s efforts in recent weeks, bigging him up as the next huge thing. However, he started slowly and while there was mid-game flourish when Leicester closed on the scoreboard, he went missing in the championship minutes.

5. Cameron Henderson – 5

An early second-half lineout steal was about the height of an evening in what was the biggest club game in his young career.

6. Hanro Liebenberg – 5.5

The Borthwick captain who has ceded that role to Montoya, he too improved the nearer the game got to the interval but he too also wilted badly when the pressure became a furnace.

7. Tommy Reffell – 7

Got over the Leinster ball on a number of occasions to win pressure-relieving penalties but Leicester needed a full team of Tommy Reffells to survive here, not just a one-man resistance show.

8. Jasper Wiese – 6

Last week’s try-scoring hero, he was restored to the starting XV and barged into the contest midway through. Seemed to have featured in the key moment when Doris was carded for colliding with his head, but that decision was instead the beginning of the end for Leicester.