mens
United-rugby-championship
Leinster player ratings: The competitive return of the men in blue to the Laya Arena, also known as the revamped RDS, could hardly have been scripted much better. After two defeats in South Africa, Leo Cullen’s side arrived under a little more pressure than they are used to, but in the end produced a convincing response against Cardiff.
Leinster started at a furious pace, playing all-court rugby and stretching the visitors from touchline to touchline. Cardiff had their moments and refused to disappear completely from the contest, but the home side always looked the more complete as they secured their first win of the season, winning 29-5.
15. Hugo Keenan – 8.5
Great evening from Ireland quarterback He looked menacing whenever he carried and repeatedly broke through the Cardiff defense from deep. His stunning solo effort, collecting his own chip before finishing, was pure class. There was perhaps a bit of blame for Cardiff’s first-half score from Mason Grady, but that was harsh given everything else he did. He produced a life-saving recovery on Basham after Coffey’s intercepted pass and was influential throughout.
14. Joshua Kenny – 6.5
A solid enough outing from the young winger. He took an early high ball well when Cardiff pressed and generally looked comfortable. Put a boot on the ball during a second-half rush on a percentage play that eventually found touch. I didn’t see a huge amount of the ball, but he rarely misplaced his foot.
13. Garry Ringrose – 6.5
One of those Ringrose displays that the coaches probably appreciated more than the spectators. He was not very prominent in attack as Leinster’s danger often came through the back three and the left flank. He did a lot of unprecedented work and threw himself into danger to win a loose ball in the 50th minute, and his 20-yard drive in the 74th minute was probably the highlight.
12. Jamie Osborne – 7
A bit of a mixed day. Part of an early miscommunication with Keenan that gave Cardiff a chance and overcooked a second-half shot that crossed the dead ball line. Still carried with intent and was rewarded with a fine try on 75 minutes, but in truth others enjoyed more influential nights.
11. Jimmy O’Brien – 8.5
Outstanding. Scored twice and repeatedly combined brilliantly with Prendergast down the left flank. His first came after a slick handling and beautiful clearance from Keenan, while his second came after another devastating Leinster attack. There was one spill after halftime from a Keenan pass, but it barely marred JOB’s excellent work.
10. Sam Prendergast – 8.5
Perhaps the most enjoyable thing about Prendergast’s portrayal was the way it began. The out-half is not generally billed as a defensive forward, but his early tackle on Jacob Beetham set the tone before Joe McCarthy finished the job with a loss. His goal-scoring radar wasn’t exactly calibrated, but it was hard to fault much else. Combined brilliantly with O’Brien, controlled the attack and found a great touchfinder in the 68th minute. For a long time, Cardiff seemed trapped in a piece of rugby rot directed by Prendergast.
9. Oliver Coffey – 7
He didn’t look the least bit out of place amongst a side full of Leinster Galacticos. That the castle gives birth comes to mind, even if it is a bit of a tired sports cliché. His first big mistake came after half-time when he sent in a cross that almost sent Basham wide, but Keenan saved the day. Outside of that moment, he rose to the occasion impressively.
1. Alex Usanov – 7
The young loosehead more than held his own against Javan Sebastian. Leinster established superiority in the scrum early on and Usanov played his part in putting pressure on a stubborn Cardiff. Active on the field and another encouraging step forward for prop.
2. Dan Sheehan – 5.5
A sloppy 72-minute shift by his high standards. He was penalized early on for a dangerous pick-and-drop attempt on Liam Belcher and never quite found his rhythm. He crashed off the line midway through the second half and then rethought what looked promising after a great run from Robbie Henshaw. The effort never let up, but it just wasn’t his day.
3. Tadhg Furlong – 7.5
A strong move from the experienced hard-man, who beat Danny Southworth during Leinster’s dominant early scrum period. His handling before Conan’s first-half score deserves special mention, his soft hands helping to unlock Cardiff’s defence.
4. Joe McCarthy – 8
An absolute nuisance for Cardiff all evening. He produced an early change of suffocation after a Prendergast goal and spent much of the game making life miserable for the visiting pack. He added a useful break in the second half and was a constant irritation at set-pieces and breakdown time. One drawn line aside, good display.
5. James Ryan – 7
Quiet enough compared to some of his peers, but he still produced a solid portrayal of Captain Lieut. He tried to receive a high ball after halftime and landed hard, only to immediately respond with a victory in the next line. Characteristically reliable.
6. Max Deegan – 6.5
An early handling error gave Cardiff possession, but they recovered quite well after that. He didn’t produce as many headline moments as his back-row counterparts, although his work rate remained high throughout.
7. Scott Penny – 8
He missed a one-on-one with James Botham that allowed Cardiff to go ahead and looked vulnerable in the moment. He then went on to become Leinster’s most prolific striker. By the second half he was cutting down Cardiff runners like a Velociraptor stalking the long grass of Isla Sorna. The match ended with a whopping 25 cheats.
8. Jack Conan – 8
Extraordinary opening 40 minutes. From the first whistle he looked fired up, involved in everything and carried himself like a medieval battering ram. His fine handling almost created an early score before he eventually crossed. There were a few handling errors, including one forced by Belcher, but he remained Leinster’s most influential forward throughout.
Substitutions – 7
For the most part, the bench kept the standards where they needed to be. Fintan Gunne added real value after coming into the contest and gave Leinster fresh energy around the edge. Robbie Henshaw made a sharp break that deserved a better finish, while Peter Dooley and Thomas Clarkson kept the race steady despite Clarkson’s collapse penalty. Alan Spicer’s towering 6-foot-10 frame made an immediate impact, notably leveling without having to leave the ground. Josh Ericson, Caspar Gabriel and Ronan Kelleher all contributed to close the period in which Leinster saw the game out comfortably.
