Following a 36-12 victory over the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, here are the player ratings for Leinster.
15 Henry McErlean: His kicking from the back was impressive, with one excellent effort securing a 50/22, while he was also lively with ball in hand. 7
14 Andrew Osborne: Took his tries well and chased hard all game to put pressure on the Stormers aerially. Like McErlean, Osborne is a real talent. 7
13 Liam Turner: Solid display from the centre, who combined well with Barrett. Defended excellently and looked to make some hard yards through the middle. 6
12 Jordie Barrett: A class apart at times. His timing of the pass was simply sublime while his ability to see the space was unparalleled on Saturday. A creative presence that has not disappointed since arriving in Dublin. 9
Two assists
11 James Lowe: Playing his first game since the Autumn Nations Series, Lowe was impressive. Very much grew into the game and ended it with two assists, both for Dan Sheehan, while he also showed his defensive capabilities with a fine late turnover. 8
10 Ross Byrne: Controlled the game nicely and was solid off the tee. Leinster’s task got easier following Manie Libbok’s departure and Byrne took advantage. 7
9 Luke McGrath: Unfortunately for the scrum-half, he suffered a nasty-looking injury and was stretchered off late in the first half. Before that, he was effective, particularly with the boot. 6
8 Max Deegan: A big shift from the number eight, who was Leinster’s top carrier and best defender. Continues his fine form after being at blindside for the province’s big Champions Cup games. 8
7 Scott Penny: A workmanlike effort from the openside, who did his core duties very effectively. Made a nuisance of himself at the breakdown. 6
6 Alex Soroka: The talented back five forward also put in a big shift to complement the work of his back-row team-mates. 6
5 Brian Deeny: Lineout was an issue early on but Deeny gradually got the connection with Sheehan and it was much smoother until he was taken off before the hour mark.
Size and skills
4 RG Snyman: Another huge performance from the Springboks star. A massive man with remarkable skills, it was like he was playing against children at times as he managed to constantly get the off-load away in traffic. The game is almost too easy for him on this form. 9
3 Rabah Slimani: One of Leinster’s signings of the season but he was given a stern challenge by the Stormers front-row. Got sent into reverse at times but he fought back in the second half. 6
2 Dan Sheehan (c): Some way to announce your return after several months on the sidelines due to a serious ACL injury. On this evidence, Ireland boss Simon Easterby has nothing to worry about ahead of the England encounter as Sheehan – and Lowe – both looked incredibly sharp. 8
1 Jack Boyle: Like Slimani, scrum was an issue. Boyle, who was named in the Ireland Six Nations squad, is a real talent but he still has lots to learn. 6
Replacements: Cormac Foley was very good when coming on for McGrath, while the other substitutes kept the intensity high without really standing out during their respective cameos. 7
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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/leinster-player-ratings-rg-snyman-makes-it-look-too-easy-as-unparalleled-jordie-barrett-a-class-apart
