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Ireland 29 England 10: How the Irish players rated in World Cup warm-up win

John O’Sullivan hands out the marks with Mack Hansen a deserved man of the match

Mack Hansen dives over to score Ireland's fourth try in Saturday's win over England at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
Mack Hansen dives over to score Ireland's fourth try in Saturday's win over England at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

15 Hugo Keenan

Ran Mack Hansen mightily close as the game’s best performer, starting with a great chase back to deny Joe Marchant. Imperious under the high ball, he invariably beat the first English tackler and ran excellent lines in support. His kicking game was assured. Rating: 8

14 Mack Hansen

A deserved man of the match, twinkle-toed in attack he often left white jerseys flapping in the breeze., superb under the high ball, and as he demonstrated with the cross-kick for Garry Ringrose’s try, sharp in his appraisal of what’s on. His defensive reads were top class too. His try was a fitting reward. Rating: 9

13 Garry Ringrose

Two early thumping tackles set the tone for a display that also contained a classy elegance in which he straightened the line and beat first up tacklers. Held his width to take his try smartly from Mack Hansen’s pinpoint cross-kick. Rating: 7

12 Bundee Aki

A try, a superbly flighted pass for Keith Earls effort and some powerful, direct sallies into the heart of the English defence were hallmarks of a fine performance. He outshone Manu Tuilagi in all facets of the game. Rating: 8

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11 James Lowe

An excellent all-round contribution, that included a try but his general kicking including a brilliant 70 metre relieving punt to touch, work off his wing and range of passing created space for his team-mates. Rating: 7

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10 Ross Byrne

Two beautifully-flighted, cut-out passes that led to tries for James Lowe and Mack Hansen, and an early break but it was a scruffy display overall, one or two misplaced passes, some wayward punting that handed England soft possession and he dropped a little deep at times under pressure. To his credit he always took responsibility and kept playing throughout. Rating: 5

9 Jamison Gibson Park

Typically energetic performance, flecked with first game of the season rustiness as a pass here and a kick went astray but he helped Ireland to play with the tempo that allows them to be at their best in an attacking capacity. Rating: 6

1 Andrew Porter

He was ruthlessly efficient and vigilant in everything he did including winning a scrum penalty, clearing out rucks, defending mauls and making tackles, seven of them. Rating: 7

England's Billy Vunipola makes contact to the head of Andrew Porter resulting in a red card. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
England's Billy Vunipola makes contact to the head of Andrew Porter resulting in a red card. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

2 Dan Sheehan

One overthrown lineout aside that had appeared to contain a hint of a system error too, he was typically forthright in a couple of carries and hustled well in defence before going off with an injury. Rating: 6

3 Tadhg Furlong

Having looked a little lethargic on a couple of carries in the first half that lacked his traditional tackle-breaking power, he reminded everyone with a typically robust surge just before being replaced. Rating: 6

4 Tadhg Beirne

An industrious, diligent display, very good counter-rucking at times, positive and strong when sniffing a chance including one of his trademark turnovers and a top tackle count (16). There is a consistent quality to his contributions in the Test match arena. Rating: 8

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5 James Ryan (capt)

It was a curate’s egg, pinged three times for getting in front of the jumper at a lineout, crawling through at a ruck and then again for grabbing the man in the air but there was plenty of good stuff in there too. Rating: 6

6 Peter O’Mahony

An excellent 53 minutes, lively, accurate, hard-working with several classy touches and a great awareness of creating and preserving space. He took a super short line for Aki’s try and a fine carry out wide in the build-up to Ringrose’s try. Rating: 8

7 Josh van der Flier

It was his pop pass to put O’Mahony in space for the Bundee Aki try and if he started the game slowly, he got better and better as it wore on, including a couple of important carries in the build-up to tries. Rating: 7

Ireland's James Lowe celebrates scoring a try with Josh Van der Flier. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Ireland's James Lowe celebrates scoring a try with Josh Van der Flier. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

8 Cian Prendergast

An outstanding effort from a young player operating in a less familiar position. He worked hard and to good effect on both sides of the ball, illustrated in 13 tackles, the second highest in the team, and 11 carries for 38 metres. He forced a penalty turnover in his own 22 after Aki’s try. He put his hand up. Rating: 8.

Replacements

The moment that everyone craved, Keith Earls grabbing a try on his 100th cap duly arrived on 73 minutes, the second loudest roar of the afternoon, the other a standing ovation when he replaced James Lowe about a quarter of an hour earlier.

Finlay Bealham won a penalty turnover. The bench collectively provided energy to allow Ireland to keep playing positively to the finish. Rating: 6

Coach

Andy Farrell will be pleased by several aspects of the performance both individually and collectively and in some respects will be glad that most of his squad have now had a competitive outing in the two matches to date with another opportunity to come in Bayonne. The lineout and general kicking game require a bit of work but the coach should be reasonably happy. Rating: 7

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer