mens
united-rugby-championship
Leinster player ratings: A Leinster side that could be accurately described as a B team have beaten the Springbok-laden Sharks 10-7 in a tense affair at King’s Park.
A remarkable win for Leo Cullen’s heavy underdogs. Here’s how we rated the players.
1. Cian Healy – 6.5The Ireland veteran rolled out every dark art in the scrum to keep Springbok tighthead Vincent Koch at bay. Not the prettiest of outings, but when is it ever for the veteran loosehead? Survived. Enough said.
2. John McKee – 6.5Discipline-wise, he tiptoed along the edge, giving away a couple of needless infractions. On the plus side, he tackled like a caffeinated gerbil, swarming Sharks carriers and proving a right nuisance in the tight.
3. Thomas Clarkson – 6The Ireland rookie just about weathered Ox Nche in the early scrums but eventually got roasted, a late 54th-minute penalty concession just metres from the Sharks’ line standing out. Showed plenty of street smarts at the breakdown against a mixed set-piece.
Attack 
195m
Post Contact Metres
143m
4. Diarmuid Mangan – 8A big physical presence who relished the Shark-infested waters. Threw himself into collisions like a man absolutely convinced he’s bulletproof. Won some important collisions and never stopped grafting.
5. Brian Deeny – 7.5Carried well, making dents in the Sharks’ defensive line. Nearly got folded in half in one meaty collision in the 67th minute, but soldiered on. A thoroughly decent shift from the Wexford native.
6. Alex Soroka – 7.5Full of endeavour and aggression, even if the ref had his number early for discipline. Bounced back well and finished the game looking like he’d been through several rounds with the entire Sharks back row. Gave it absolutely everything.
7. Will Connors – 5Had the ignominy of giving away an early penalty and then departed after just 25 minutes with a painful-looking injury. Hard to judge, but his cameo didn’t scream ‘start me next week.’
8. Max Deegan – 8Maybe Leinster’s stand out up front. His 30-metre gallop early on caught the Sharks napping and he never let up. Anchored the pack brilliantly and gave the Durban faithful plenty to worry about every time he had ball in hand.
9. Fintan Gunne – 8.5Box kicks? On point. Passing? Sublime, including the bullet to put Henry McErlean away for Leinster’s first try. And just when Sharks fans thought his boot might waver, he pinned them back in their own half late on. By the end, he’d turned them into fresh chum.
10. Ciaran Frawley – 4Oh, Ciaran. Nine months ago, he drop-goaled Ireland to a win in this very stadium. This time, the kicking fairies didn’t get the memo. Missed a sitter in front of the sticks and threw in a few iffy passes. Redeemed himself slightly with a crucial try-saver on 56 minutes, but still a day to forget for the Ratoath man.
11. Andrew Osborne – 3.5Largely anonymous. Struggled to hang on to the ball – knocking on repeatedly – and never truly got going. A forgettable outing for a player who’s otherwise impressed of late.
12. Charlie Tector – 5.5The Kilkenny College product was a useful foil outside Frawley in terms of distribution, but missing five tackles is a stat that won’t be clipped for the highlight reel. Showed glimpses of spark that might placate the coaches, but he’ll know there’s more to come.
13. Liam Turner – 6Spent most of the match trying to coral Jurenzo Julius, and it turned into a real cat-and-mouse affair. Did enough to keep the Sharks centre from running riot, but not without the odd scare. Honest shift.
14. Tommy O’Brien – 7Full of industry on both sides of the ball, even if his body took a pounding in the process. Headed for an HIA after one crunching tackle but returned undeterred. Showed little respect for the many Boks in Sharks colours and was tireless in defence.
15. Jimmy O’Brien – 8Had hardly any room to work with, and when he did get the ball, a wall of black jerseys met him. Still, he was rock-solid under the high ball and seemed to thrive in the swirling coastal breeze. Resilient display in tricky conditions.
REPLACEMENTS
16. Lee Barron – 5Athletic for a hooker but let his enthusiasm run wild, conceding a crucial penalty in the 71st minute that he’ll want back. Too many errors overshadowed his bright moments.
17. Michael Milne – 6.5The Burr man did what he could in a scrum that felt like cliffhanger cinema for most of the game. Did earn one vital penalty, showing that not all sets ended in pain. A decent contribution off the bench.
18. Rory McGuire – N/ANot on long enough to show much of anything. No rating.
19. Alan Spicer – N/AAll 6’10 and 138kg of him got a cameo, but not nearly enough to warrant a rating. We wait with bated breath for the big man’s extended run.
20. Scott Penny – 8Tackled like a badger in heat (whatever that means) and nabbed a brilliantly taken try off a slick Leinster move. Another cameo that underlined his knack for popping up where it matters.
21. Oliver Coffey – N/AAnother player who didn’t get the minutes to warrant a rating.
22. Ross Byrne – 7Steadied the ship with his typical calmness. No fireworks, but more than enough assurance to see out the dying stages and keep the Sharks from nipping back in.
23. Henry McErlean – 7.5Showed real attacking energy in his cameo, finishing off Leinster’s first try after that gem of a pass from Gunne. A lively cameo from the youngster that helped swing momentum.
