England 18-7 Ireland player ratings: Pack and defence to the fore in Autumn Nations Cup
Written by News on 22/11/2020
England player ratings from their 18-7 Autumn Nations Cup victory over Ireland at Twickenham as their pack and defence stood out.
15 Elliot Daly: Unable to get involved in attack but kicked well and expertly patrolled the backfield to show he can act as England’s first-choice full-back. 7/10
14 Jonathan Joseph: The freedom given to him by Georgia was missing and he struggled to make an impact as he continues to find his way on the wing. 6/10
13 Ollie Lawrence: Early carries into heavy traffic settled the nerves. The rookie looked comfortable on his third appearance. 7/10
12 Henry Slade: Inside-centre is not his best position – 13 a more natural home – but he kicked well and tackled hard, including one sensational try-saver on Chris Farrell. 7/10
11 Jonny May: Ended his try drought with a stunning pair of touchdowns, the second among the best seen at Twickenham. 9/10
10 Owen Farrell: The ringmaster of a dominant England display who did not put a foot wrong. 7/10
9 Ben Youngs: Tidy and energetic, Youngs has targeted 150 caps and on this evidence, he could get there, but his kicking was not great on occasion. 7/10
1 Mako Vunipola: Reinstated to the pack and England benefited from a forceful shift in defence. 8/10
2 Jamie George: Continued to accelerate ahead of his rivals for the Lions hooking duties with a tidy afternoon. 8/10
3 Kyle Sinckler: A powerful presence in the tight and made his presence felt in the scrum. 8/10
4 Maro Itoje: High work-rate and big interventions contributed to a man of the match performance. 9/10
5 Joe Launchbury: Enjoying a rebirth as a physical presence in England’s engine room where his bulk is a valuable asset. 8/10
6 Tom Curry: Took some ferocious hits as he foraged for ball as Ireland were wiped out at a breakdown battle that was surprisingly one sided. 8/10
7 Sam Underhill: The beating heart of England’s defence flattened green shirts time and again. A tackling machine. 8/10
8 Billy Vunipola: Looking to rediscover the form that made him one of the game’s best number eights until a series of injuries struck. 7/10
(c) Sky Sports 2020: England 18-7 Ireland player ratings: Pack and defence to the fore in Autumn Nations Cup
