Following Leinster’s 32-7 drubbing of the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final, here’s how we rated Leo Cullen’s men that ended a four-year wait for silverware.
Leinster player ratings
15 Jimmy O’Brien: Gained more metres than any other player in the match while he marshalled the backfield well. Hugo Keenan’s absence was a blow to Leinster but O’Brien rose to the challenge and put in another strong showing. 7
14 Tommy O’Brien: Excellent on the kick-chase and aerial competition. It’s been a standout season for the livewire winger and, while he had less impact on attack due to the conditions, he played his role in the win. 7
13 Garry Ringrose: Set the tone of the rush defence which time and time again sent the Bulls back-tracking. While he did miss a few tackles, he applied the pressure to force errors from the visitors. 7
12 Jordie Barrett: Scored a simply scrumptious try with a sensational half-volley and was quickest to the ball. That was the real highlight of a superb performance by the All Blacks star to guide Leinster to the URC title. His short stint at Leinster ends with silverware as he surely shoots him into the highest echelons of the club’s greatest imports. 8
11 James Lowe: A few soft moments from the British and Irish Lion with a hat-trick of turnovers conceded but his booming boot got Leinster out of trouble on several occasions. He competed in the air well too but didn’t get much to work with in attack. 7
10 Sam Prendergast: From a liability in defence to nailing Marco van Staden with his first attempt. Sure he wasn’t perfect in that facet of the game but it was a major improvement. His kicking game in the wet caused the Bulls’ backfield all kinds of headaches. A handful of wayward passes but his kicking excellence was crucial in the victory. 7
9 Luke McGrath: Drafted into the team on the day of the final to fill the massive void of Jamison Gibson-Park, McGrath did not wilt under pressure. He put in an inch-perfect kick that sat up wonderfully for Jordie Barrett and controlled matters well in rather tough conditions. He didn’t try to emulate Gibson-Park but played his own game well. 8
The forwards
8 Jack Conan: A captain’s knock with brutal efficiency on attack, defence and in the lineouts. Could not have asked for more and showed why he has earned a second call-up to the British and Irish Lions. 8
7 Josh van der Flier: Barely missed a beat on his return from injury in an abrasive shift on both sides of the ball which included a try. He should have done better with his shot on Akker van der Merwe but that was a rare soft moment. 8
6 Ryan Baird: An enormous hit on Marcell Coetzee denied the Bulls the opportunity to strike back before the break. After a man-of-the-match performance last week, the athletic back-rower was similarly excellent again today. Key in Leinster’s defensive lineout too. It was a glorious loose trio performance. 8
5 James Ryan: Part of a Leinster pack that obliterated the Bulls’ forwards in the first half. He was busy as ever but that work-rate did result in two penalties conceded and an early substitution in the second half. 6
4 Joe McCarthy: Stayed on the right side on the referee’s whistle while he was physically excellent on defence. He played a key role in a very effective defensive lineout. 8
3 Thomas Clarkson: Part of a surprisingly dominant scrummaging performance in the first half before the Bulls fought their way back into the contest. An overall tidy shift around the park too. 8
2 Dan Sheehan: Outside the uncharacteristic missed tackles, it was another stock-standard Sheehan shift. He was more accurate in the lineouts than in the semi-final. There was no try for the hooker this week but was effective with the ball in hand. 7
1 Andrew Porter: For the most part, he got the better of the red-hot Wilco Louw in the scrums, a feat few looseheads have achieved this season. He was excellent in the loose too in a performance that will only do his hopes of starting for the Lions a world of good. But that doesn’t matter today as ending Leinster’s trophy drought was far more important. Astonishing performance. 8
Replacements: Most of the reserves came on when the Bulls were battered and bruised but they very much kept the foot of the Pretoria’s side throat and suffocated Jake White’s men into submission. RG Snyman was notably influential while Fintan Gunne grabbed a wonderful try. 8
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/leinster-player-ratings-sensational-jordie-barrett-enters-highest-echelons-of-greats-as-andrew-porter-achieves-rare-feat-against-springboks-powerhouse
