Ireland player ratings as handling errors cost them shot at redemption. Oisín Gaffey reports from the Aviva Stadium
It's a chance missed for Andy Farrell's men, who will now have to wait quite some time for another crack at the All Blacks to avenge their World Cup exit. But for now, attention turns to Argentina next Friday night back in the Aviva. The All Blacks have broken Ireland's 19-home-game winning streak at The Aviva Stadium, making it just their second defeat at home in their last 25 matches.
Oisín Gaffey reports from The Aviva Stadium
Ireland Player Ratings
Andrew Porter - As is the standard these days, Andrew Porter played the majority of tonight’s game and played well across the board. His carrying, tackling and rucking were all of a high standard, and although the scrum proved troublesome for Ireland tonight, it was mainly down the other side. 6
Ronan Kelleher - Having not played consistently over the past number of months because of injury, Kelleher looked slightly rusty tonight. Whilst he carried and tackled well, thunderously at times, the lineout struggled. Whilst there are many moving parts to the lineout, his throws seemed to lack enough pace to find his target. His lack of match fitness showed this evening unfortunately. 5
Finlay Bealham - Called in to replace Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham had some big shoes to fill. Usually a strong replacement for Furlong, Bealham struggled tonight, especially at scrum time. He, and Ireland, were found out at the scrum and found it a battleground. There were too many scrum resets to count, and a pair of free kicks awarded either way. Bealham looked to be relieved of duties whenever Tom O’Toole came on, but he was quickly back on the pitch as O’Toole had to undergo a HIA. 5
Joe McCarthy - McCarthy carried well and tackled well. Considering he has not played at all for Leinster this season, McCarthy looked sharp all things considered. He showed a bit of fight, getting into a tussle with Scott Barrett in the first half, much to the enjoyment of the crowd, and Paul Mescal! 6
James Ryan - James Ryan didn’t have his best night tonight. As primary caller of the lineout, the set piece did not go according to plan. He went about his work around the field well, but gave away a few silly penalties. 5
Tadhg Beirne - Beirne was limited well by the All Blacks, unable to pose his usual threat at the breakdown. He was victim to a harsh penalty from Nic Berry, but he wasn’t at his best tonight. 6
Josh van der Flier - Ireland’s only try scorer on the night, van der Flier was one of Ireland’s stand out player. He carried hard, showed grit and determination and tackled superbly. 7
Caelan Doris - Doris was kept relatively quiet by his own standards tonight. He carried hard off of restarts and kick-offs and tackled well around the park. Solid, but below his best. 7
Jamison Gibson-Park - The no.9 was by far Ireland’s best player this evening, cropping up across the park with some moments of brilliance. What was perhaps most surprising and remarkable was his defensive efforts. Gibson-Park came up with some brilliant tackles to save at Ireland numerous times in the opening half. He wasn’t provided the perfect platform by his forwards, but was the standout Ireland performance tonight. 9
Jack Crowley - Crowley was solid, but did not have his best performance. He kicked perfectly from the tee and executed well on the bread-and-butter elements of the game. A dropped pass early in the second half, shortly after Ireland scored their try, was a momentum killer however. 6
James Lowe - Another standout Ireland performance was James Lowe. The winger was resolute in defence and came up with some big moments. He carried well and his clearance kicks were strong. His 72nd minute spiral banana kick was one of the best kicks the Aviva Stadium has ever seen, it was just a shame this moment couldn’t be acted upon. 8
Bundee Aki - Aki was far from his best tonight, making uncharacteristic errors in handling throughout the game. His dropped ball early in the first half, when he looked certain for a line break, was a big moment of the game. He carried well as a strike runner and tackled well, but he’ll be disappointed with his performance. 5
Gary Ringrose - As usual, his defensive work was excellent, putting in a huge shot on Rieko Ioane, much to the delight of the home crowd. Whilst he missed a few tackles, he made up for it with his work rate off the ball. He did, however, struggle to gain much of a foothold throughout the game, especially with the All Blacks dominating possession. 6
Mack Hansen - Mack Hansen took on a more playmaking role this evening, often filling in at second or third receiver. He came up with a couple of moments of magic, which came close to bearing fruit. Considering he hasn’t played for Ireland since the return fixture back in October 2023, Hansen slotted back into the team well. 7
Hugo Keenan - Keenan was reliable as always, but kicked loosely at times throughout the game. His stamina and coverage never ceases to amaze, as he often saved Ireland through stamina and speed alone. He challenged well in the air, but the All Blacks came out on top in the aerial battle. 7
Replacements:
Rob Herring - Little-to-no impact off the bench. Lineout didn’t improve much at all, and he was often beaten in the carry. 5
Tom O’Toole - Forced to withdraw for HIA within roughly 2 minutes of coming on the pitch. N/A
Cian Healy - A very limited cameo, mere minutes. N/A
Ian Henderson - Gave away a sloppy penalty and knocked the ball on late in the game. He won’t look forward to the Monday review. 4
Peter O’Mahony - Probably Ireland’s best substitute. Brought a good energy and tightened up the lineout. 7
Conor Murray - Replacing the omnipresent Jamison Gibson-Park is no easy feat, but Murray slotted into the role well as the clock was running down. He passed well and quickly, but wasn’t afforded the best platform. 7
Ciaran Frawley - This was a game for Frawley to forget. Two dropped balls and some loose kicking offered New Zealand the chance to run down the clock through scrums and offered them easy counter-attacking opportunities. 4
Jamie Osborne - Carried well but kicked loosely when under pressure and gave the ball away poorly with the kicks. 5