Player ratings Ireland

A look at how the Irish players fared

ROB KEARNEY 8

The backline’s new leader by example. Aerially majestic, his catch over Halfpenny’s head was an O’Driscoll-type momentum changer, as was a similar response to Davies’s second try.

TOMMY BOWE 6

Handling errors and defence against North shredded his high mark. Hungry as ever, key role in Best try.

FERGUS McFADDEN 5

Brave and constantly willing but faced with superior physicality he was put on his backside by North for Davies’s second try.

GORDON D’ARCY 5

Slowed Ireland’s attacking momentum when opting to truck it up with little gain, unlike his opposite number, but a deftness of hand created space out wide, as seen for Best try.

ANDREW TRIMBLE 6

Targeted by Priestland kicks behind him, he was never exposed – and no worries going forward either.

JONATHAN SEXTON 5

Called a new backline move, off an umpteenth phase, that resulted in Bowe’s try. Problem was he couldn’t seal the deal, missing the touchline conversion and two penalties.

CONOR MURRAY 5

When a scrumhalf struggles it gets magnified; two poor kicks meant Ireland lacked control at vital moments.

CIAN HEALY 6

73 minutes of hard grind including several carries, and Adam Jones couldn’t break him at scrum-time.

RORY BEST 7

Choker, in the best sense of the word, and took his try with the casualness of a winger; continues to be a major cog in the wheel.

MIKE ROSS 6

You ask for solidity and an occasional mincing of the loosehead. Scrummaged Gill to earth, winning a penalty just after half-time that made it 13-5.

DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN 6

Cork man stubbornly refuses to let a Tipperary fella have the number four jersey. Denied Wales an early try by holding Ryan Jones up.

PAUL O’CONNELL 7

With Herculean being his norm, he could be charged with an old gripe of carrying balls that belonged to backrowers.

STEPHEN FERRIS 6

Adjudged to have tip-tackled Evans for the end-game penalty. Sporadic glimpses of his immense power.

SEAN O’BRIEN 6

Coughed up a few penalties but atoned with his general play.

JAMIE HEASLIP 7

Carried over the gainline more than anyone and policed the breakdown with a fine shift from a clever, skilful number eight.

REPLACEMENTS 5

Donnacha Ryan could’ve been badly hurt by Bradley Davies’s spear tackle, while O’Gara’s and Reddan’s four-minute scenarios made little impact.