Player Ratings: Sublime Munster Stuns Leinster At Croke Park
Player Ratings: Sublime Munster Stuns Leinster At Croke Park
Munster crushes Leinster 31-14 at Croke Park, with Tadhg Beirne and Jack Crowley starring in our full player ratings from a statement win for the champions.
Under the lights at Croke Park, Munster produced a performance that will echo through the early stages of the season.
The 31-14 dismantling of Leinster was not just a statement victory, it was a showcase of balance, belief and sheer brutality in the contact zone.
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From the opening whistle, Leinster’s scrum threatened to dominate, yet Munster’s response was defiant.
Tadhg Beirne’s captain’s performance bordered on supernatural, while Jack Crowley controlled the game with a maturity beyond his years.
Ethan Coughlan’s poise at scrumhalf, Fineen Wycherley’s relentless defensive work and the explosive edges provided by Thaakir Abrahams and Dan Kelly all spoke to a team united in purpose and clarity.
Every collision carried intent, every kick had calculation and every turnover felt like a dagger to Leinster’s rhythm.
This was Munster at its most complete, combining physicality and precision in a manner that suffocated their rivals.
Here is how the Munster players fared at Croke Park:
1. Michael Milne - 8.5
Never got an opportunity to lay down a marker at scrum time due to Leinster’s dominance on the other side.
Around the park, Milne was exceptional on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, his power at the breakdown made the Leinster ruck a mess and stunted its flow.
What sets the loosehead apart is his ability to go forward from a standing start, making him a Swiss Army knife close to the line.
2. Diarmuid Barron - 8.5
Did exceptionally well with his line-out throwing under pressure from the Leinster jumpers.
In general play, he never was far from the action with tight carries into the teeth of the Leinster ruck fringe defense.
3. John Ryan – 8
When would Ryan last have packed down in the backrow? Well, he can add this evening to his ledger.
Departing for a full two minutes in the 62nd minute, having gone to the well against a dominant Leinster scrum, the veteran came back on for the final 16 minutes in relief of the HIA-departed Tadhg Beirne.
At scrum time, there can be no other way to describe his showing than challenging.
Around the park, he played as if he were in his mid-20s, getting through a ton of work at the breakdown and maul.
4. Edwin Edogbo - 8
Laying down a marker in a major way, the highly touted Cork man battered his far more experienced and vaunted opposite locks James Ryan and RG Snyman.
Similar to Milne, Edogbo’s power from close range is world-class and was crucial in Munster finding its attacking flow.
5. Fineen Wycherley – 8.5
Stacking rock-solid performances one on top of the other, the often maligned Munster lock put in a huge shift.
Getting through 21 tackles, constantly harassing Jamison Gibson-Park and laterally Fintan Gunne with his pace through the line-out, Wycherley stunted the Leinster attack at source.
6. Tadhg Beirne (C) - 10
World-class doesn’t do Beirne’s performance justice. The Munster skipper was from another planet this evening, winning FIVE turnovers, getting through 16 tackles and winning two line-outs.
While the stats tell a story, the full chapter was written by what Beirne’s presence alone meant to the Munster players. His charges followed him into battle and raised their game to match what he was bringing to the table.
7. Jack O’Donoghue – 8.5
A glue piece to the Munster squad, O’Donoghue was ruthless in everything he did, ripping Leinster players out of the breakdown, dominating the line-out and getting through 18 tackles.
It was a no-frills, all-action performance from the openside.
8. Brian Gleeson – 8
Cruelly cut down in the 28th minute with what appeared to be a serious arm injury, Munster’s up-and-coming prospect left his mark with a try that he had no right to score.
Driving underneath multiple Leinster defenders, Gleeson pounced and laid down a marker that there is a new kid in town when it comes to the Irish No. 8 shirt.
9. Ethan Coughlan – 9
He came into the fixture with the weight of the world on his shoulders following Craig Casey’s unavailability through injury.
Coughlan delivered a signature performance that included a 90-meter interception that he took to the house.
This spectacular moment aside, the young scrumhalf was exceptional from the base of the ruck, both passing and with his box kicking.
His pinpoint kicks allowed the Munster chaser to compete with isolated Leinster jumpers, playing a key role in his side winning the much-needed scraps.
10. Jack Crowley – 9.5
Billed as the Irish outhalf shootout, the Munster fly-half left no doubt about where his form is heading into November with a man-of-the-match performance.
Mixing up his kick selection, Crowley exposed the space between the Leinster back three with clinical efficiency.
Defensively, he was at his physical best with a shot on Dan Sheehan late in the match, standing out as a key moment.
On the run, Crowley’s ability to kick and pass at full speed had the Leinster defense at 6s and 7s.
This scrambling of the normally resolute blue defensive structure created just enough space for the likes of Thaakir Abrahams to make chunk yardage.
11. Thaakir Abrahams – 8.5
Possessing that something special, the South African lightning rod adds a level of X-Factor to the Munster attack.
Capable of beating players in tight spaces, Abrahams turned James Lowe on his heels on multiple occasions, forcing the power winger to turn and chase.
Crucially, his ability to close the space in defense never allowed the Leinster power game in the wide channels to get going.
12. Dan Kelly – 8.5
Ultra physical, the former Ireland U20 standout contained a pair of Lions with relative ease.
Dominating the contact point on both sides of the ball, Kelly brought a direct approach to the Munster attack.
This laid the platform for his side to target the wide channels primarily through the air, with the Leinster back three backpedaling.
Defensively, Kelly blasted Leinster carriers, making 20 tackles, many of which stopped the Leinster attack dead in its tracks.
13. Tom Farrell – 9
Completely outdid the man who has had a stranglehold on the Irish 13 shirt for close to a decade.
Farrell has been a top performer for Munster since signing last season, and against Garry Ringrose, he came up trumps.
Hitting brilliant lines off Jack Crowley in attack, Farrell topped the carry charts with 14, making 55 meters.
14. Andrew Smith – N/A
Pulled up early with a hamstring injury – looked lively prior to that.
15. Shane Daly - 8
One of Munster’s cohorts who would’ve felt they were close to an Irish squad with Hugo Keenan leaving a vacancy in the 15 shirt.
Trailing only Thaakir Abrahams in terms of line breaks with two, Daly returned Leinster kicks with interest.
Most impressively, Daly covered every blade of grass in the backfield, something his Leinster rivals could not replicate. This negated any possibility of cheap points being coughed up with loose balls.
Replacements:
16. Lee Barron – 8
Went toe-to-toe with Dan Sheehan and didn’t look at all out of place. Brought plenty of carrying punch from the bench and ran a smooth line-out operation.
17. Jeremy Loughman – 7
Played a key role in ensuring that Munster gained parity at scrum time when working against Thomas Clarkson.
Around the park, he was busy, particularly at the breakdown, where he was immensely physical.
18. Ronan Foxe – 6
A huge test for the 22-year-old, who put in a really solid 18-minute shift that was crucial in Munster repelling wave after wave of Leinster attacks.
19. Jean Kleyn – 7.5
Picked up exactly where Edwin Edogbo left off as Munster’s enforcer.
The World Cup winners' power in contact is central to Munster in general, and once again, it proved to be central to them getting over the line.
20. Gavin Coombes – 8.5
Andy Farrell, are you watching?
Another big performance from Munster’s go-to tight carrier. His holding up of Josh van der Flier proved once again just how effective he is in the tight exchanges.
21. Paddy Patterson – 7
Did well to keep things flowing when Coughlan departed. More often than not, he is considered to be a change of pace, up-tempo operator, but today, he was an effective closer.
22. JJ Hanrahan – N/A
Not long enough to rate.
23. Alex Nankivell
Brought huge physicality and energy to the wing in place of the injured Andrew Smith.
Quickly elevated himself to the upper echelons of Munster’s international signings of all time.
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