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Leinster player ratings: The men in blue ground out a scrappy 20-12 win over Connacht at the Aviva Stadium, with a much-changed side struggling to find fluency. A late burst of quality proved decisive in a match defined by errors and gritty defence.
Here’s how we rated the Leinster players:
1. Jack Boyle – 6
Solid enough in the scrum early on and put in some decent work around the park. As the second half wore on, he started to fade under Connacht’s pressure.
2. Gus McCarthy – 5
The lineouts were all over the place, and a forced offload in his own 22 summed up a rough night. Took a knock to the face, which might have been the best excuse for his accuracy issues. Still learning on the job at this level.
3. Rabah Slimani – 6.5
Edged his battle with Denis Buckley in the scrum and was more visible in the loose. Not quite a standout, but solid nonetheless.
Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Leinster
Connacht
4. Diarmuid Mangan – 7
Carried competently and worked hard at the breakdown. Showed flashes of physicality that marked him as one of Leinster’s better forwards on a scrappy night.
5. RG Snyman – 6
Bundee Aki mugged him cleanly in contact and the lineout woes fell partly on his shoulders. A couple of offloads aside this was a forgettable outing for the big lock, whose highlight might have been handbags with former Leinster player Josh Murphy.
6. Alex Soroka – 8
Everywhere at the ruck, hitting anything that moved. His punishing tackles and relentless energy made him one of the few standout performers for Leinster.
7. Scott Penny – 6.5
Tackled tirelessly but didn’t impose himself around the park as he usually does. A quieter night by his lofty standards.
8. Jack Conan – 7.5
A battering ram for 21 minutes before leaving the field. His direct running left a mark on Connacht’s defence, and Leinster missed him when he departed.
9. Luke McGrath – 7
Decent from McGrath, who kept Connacht’s defence on edge. Took a late hit from Shane Jennings, earning the Connacht man a yellow card.
10. Ross Byrne – 8.5
A composed and classy performance, Byrne delivered a string of elegant touches in attack, including a sublime pass for Osborne’s try. Defensively, he was sharp and well-organised, proving his worth as Leinster’s leader in a tight contest. Kicked like a boss.
11. Andrew Osborne – 7
Scored a cracking try off a gorgeous Byrne pass and a clever dummy. However, he was penalised for a neck roll that cost Leinster another scoring chance. His dummy was filthier than a student’s kitchen though.
12. Jordie Barrett – 8
The All Blacks star defended like his life depended on it. Looked a little off in attack, but his work rate kept Leinster in the fight. Spent the night doing the heavy lifting and almost got crushed by the barbell.
13. Charlie Tector – 8
Showed his pace and vision with a well-taken try and smart link-up play. A promising display from the young centre.
14. Aitzol King – 5
A mixed spice bag from the rookie. Worked hard to get involved but struggled under Connacht’s aerial bombardment. Gave away a penalty for tackling a player in the air.
15. Jimmy O’Brien – 5.5
Lively in patches but let himself down with a poor aerial tackle on Mack Hansen that earned him a yellow card.
Replacements:
16. Lee Barron – 5
Sin-binned just one minute after coming on, setting the tone for a chaotic cameo. Failed the score after getting held up over the line.
17. Michael Milne – 6
Held his own in the scrum but didn’t stand out otherwise.
18. Cian Healy – 7
Looked comfortable as a tighthead, bringing stability to the scrum and some physicality in the loose.
19. Ryan Baird – 5
Busy in defence but otherwise anonymous in open play.
20. Max Deegan – N/A
Replaced Conan but was forced off himself not long after.
21. Jamison Gibson-Park – 7
Injected pace and energy off the bench, keeping Connacht’s defence guessing. Gave Leinster an impetus they were otherwise missing.
22. Harry Byrne – 6
Stayed out of trouble in his brief stint on the field.
23. Brian Deeny – N/A
