Evaluation of Irish players in the shutout at the Aviva – Irish Times

15 Hugo Keenan

An outstanding soccer player who reads the game as if it were unfolding in slow motion. Great runs off the quick traps, great tackling when chasing loose balls, hustle on defense and attack, and adds value to everything he does. evaluation: 8

14 Calvin Nash

Wingers sometimes need to benefit from having their way. Although he didn’t have the ball much in the first half, he chased honestly and carried the ball aggressively against multiple tacklers. It took him a while to finish, but he was up to the task. He was rewarded with a try. evaluation: 7

13 Robbie Henshaw

He conceded an early penalty with his hands on the floor in the ruck, but then regularly got past the gain line and played muscular and thoughtful in both tackles and defense. The unauthorized attempt to make a good example of its power. evaluation: 8

12 Stuart McCloskey

His virtues were on display and he was a real handful for the Italian midfield when carrying directly with some of his trademark offloads. His vision and passing, the beauty of his two-man long-distance cutout to keep teammates away, was impressive. evaluation: 8

11 James Lowe

He scored an early knock-on and then worked tirelessly to create ruck turnovers, dominating collisions and allowing his teammates to attack. Check out a great example of his power through tackles. Man of the Match. evaluation: 8

10 Jack Crowley

Usually the out-half is the main game manager, and he fulfilled that task admirably. Given playing time, his passing width, footwork, decision-making and courage ensured he was a dominant attacking force. Try giving yourself a well-deserved reward. evaluation: 8

9 Craig Casey

Apart from a few kicking anomalies, he ensured an up-tempo pulse to Ireland’s attacking game with his sharp passing and recognized where the space was with a snipe or two early on. He might have been thinking more about moving the ball than kicking a few turnovers. evaluation: 7

1 Andrew Porter

There’s a consistent quality to his work rate on both sides of the ball, whether it’s chasing down the ball carrier as Italian out-half Paolo Garbisi has found. The scrum won the penalty and he deserves all the credit. evaluation: 7

2 Dan Sheehan

The Irish hooker made his usual quality contribution, with a tackle, carry, charge-down and two tries all in his afternoon’s work. The lineout was also throaty and productive in every sense of the word. evaluation: 8

3 Finlay Bellum

Given the opportunity to place a marker, he fulfilled his mission. He swims in the scrum, picks up slow balls well, makes tackles and contributes all-round, which he is very happy with. evaluation: 7

4 Joe McCarthy

Another big show in the contact game was the typically aggressive and strong tackling, as Paolo Garbisi discovered when he was forced into another postcode. No matter how many Italians lined up, he came forward in the collision. evaluation: 8

5 James Ryan

He allowed his teammates to make plays, such as clearing at the breakdown and making tackles, often getting stuck in traffic and showing up to carry his fair share of possession. His penalty for neck roll is one, but it is an essential part of the team’s success. evaluation: 7

6 Ryan Baird

Italian hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi will give Baird nightmares, given how many times he was able to pinch or thwart the visiting opponents’ lineout balls. He had excellent high ball taking, his trademark 40 meter gallop, and although he came pinged a few times, he overcame a significant load. evaluation: 7

7 Caelan Doris (Captain)

He didn’t let playing out of position or making his first appearance as Ireland captain distract from what is usually a busy afternoon. He didn’t get many chances to make carries in open space, instead delaying the Italian ball at the breakdown. evaluation: 7

8 Jack Conan

His carry game is top-notch, picking the point of impact, using his footwork to find the path of least resistance in wide channels, or using his power from close range, as in the case of a try. evaluation: 8

replacement

Ronan Kelleher, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park made a notable impact despite coming up against a tiring Italian side. Jeremy Rahman and Tom O’Toole took a couple of scrum penalties and Ian Henderson and Harry Byrne played well together, but Jordan Larmour didn’t get many chances in space. evaluation: 7

coach

Andy Farrell has opted to make six changes in light of injury considerations, while seeking to ensure freshness within the squad without sacrificing performance levels. The newly formed team began to justify his beliefs, performing well in matches and piggybacking on great individual performances. evaluation: 8