u/Colm_Flaherty

Same format as usual, metres carried and tackles counted in 5s and defenders beaten in 2s. Stats via Superbru Fantasy and RugbyPass for dominant tackles.

Ulster

1. Bryn Ward (Back Row) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 50m, broke the line twice and got past 2 defenders each time and showed a good burst of pace and strength to fend of the tackles to score. A good cameo from him continuing his impressive form.

2. David McCann (Back Row) - He put in 15 tackles, stole a line-out, carried 35m, broke the line, got the better of 2 defenders and gave a nice assist for Zac Ward's 1st try. Another good game from him.

3. Nathan Doak (Scrum-Half) - He put in 5 tackles, got a turnover, carried 15m, had decent ruck speed which one time resulted in an assist for Bryn Ward. A decent game from him.

4. Jude Postlethwaite (Midfielder) - He carried 40m, got 2 turnovers, broke the line and got past 2 defenders. A decent game from him.

5. Zac Ward (Wing) - He put in 5 tackles, got a turnover, carried 90m, broke the line 3 times got the better of 4 defenders and showed good pace and footwork to score both of his tries. An important from his previous games, but still leaving a little to be desired.

6. Jacob Stockdale (Outside Back) - He carried 100m, got a turnover, broke the line twice, got past 8 defenders and got a nice assist for Zac Ward's 2nd try. A solid game from him on the offensive side.

Leinster

1. Thomas Clarkson (Tighthead Prop) - He carried 35m, got 2 turnovers and bet a defender each time and was dominant in the scrum. I wouldn't usually include players of his calibre in the posts but his performance warranted one especially for a prop.

2. Brian Deeny (2nd Row) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 10m and got the better of a defender each time. A solid game from him.

3. Alex Soroka (Back Row) - He stole a line-out, got a turnover and carried 5m. A solid game defensively from him.

4. Scott Penny (Back Row) - He put in 15 tackles (1 being dominant), got 2 turnovers and carried 15m. A solid game from him.

5. James Culhane (Back Row) - He put in 5 tackles (1 being dominant), got a turnover, carried 55m, broke the line, got the better of 4 defenders and showed good power to score his try in what was his most impressive game in a Leinster jersey so far.

6. Sam Prendergast (Fly-Half) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 45m, broke the line twice and got past 2 defenders each time, linked-up with his backs well, showed good confidence in himself to take on the opportunity to his try and had a good kicking game that he got MOTM. A good game from him.

7. Jimmy O'Brien (Utility Back) - He carried 30m, got a turnover, broke the line twice and got past a defender each time and showed good pace and footwork to keep himself in play to score his try. A good game from him.

Connacht

1. Billy Bohan (Loosehead Prop) - He contested well in both teams scrums in getting parity for Connacht and helping win one from from a Stormers put in early on. Another good game from him.

2. Sam Illo (Tighthead Prop) - He along with Bohan were immense in scrums, put in 5 tackles and got a turnover. Another good game from him.

3. Darragh Murray (2nd Row) - He stole a line-out and put in 10 tackles (1 being dominant). A solid defensive game from him.

4. Paul Boyle (Back Row) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 10m and scored a crucial try. A good cameo from him.

5. Cian Prendergast (Back Row) - He stole a line-out, put in 10 tackles (2 being dominant) and got a turnover. A good defensive game from him showing a good captains performance.

6. Shamus Hurley-Langton (Back Row) - He put in 10 tackles, carried 20m, got the better of 2 defenders and showed great positioning and strength to his try. Another great game from him continuing his superb form since his return from injury.

7. Ben Murphy (Scrum-Half) - He carried 30m, broke the line and got a crucial try as well as having good ruck speed and deservingly got MOTM. A good game from him and also good to see him bounce back from his poor cameo against Montpellier.

8. Séan Naughton (Utility Back) - He put in 5 tackles, got a turnover, carried 50m, linked-up with his backs well and got a brilliant intercept from his counterpart SFM who he outshone to break the line and score. Another good game from him continuing his impressive form.

9. Hugh Gavin (Midfielder) - He put in 5 tackles (1 being dominant), carried 20m and got the better of 2 defenders. A decent game from him.

10. John Devine (Midfielder) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 50m, broke the line 3 times, got past 2 defenders to score his try as well as linking up nicely with Harry West. A great game from and got his 1st try for Connacht after he had one disallowed against Scarlets.

11. Shayne Bolton (Wing) - He carried 40m with strength and aggression, broke the line, got past 2 defenders and got an assist. A good game from him and nice to see last week's performance didn't affect him.

12. Harry West (Utility Back) - He carried 30m, got 2 turnovers, broke the line, got past 2 defenders and a nice assist to Hurley-Langton. Another good game from him and is proving one of Connacht's finds of the season in having capabilities of playing in 4 different positions.

Munster

1. Michael Milne (Loosehead Prop) - He was good in scrums in getting parity and helping win one from a Treviso put in and got a turnover. A decent cameo from him.

2. Jeremy Loughman (Loosehead Prop) - He was good in scrums in getting parity and winning one from a Treviso put in, put in 10 tackles and got a turnover. A good game from him.

3. Diarmuid Barron (Hooker) - He put in 10 tackles and got an assist. A solid game from him.

4. Edwin Edogbo (2nd Row) - He carried 10m and got a turnover. A solid cameo from him.

5. Alex Kendellan (Back Row) - He carried 5m, broke the line and showed nice hands to catch Crowley's cross-field kick to score. A decent cameo from him.

6. Brian Gleeson (Back Row) - He carried 15m, got 2 turnovers; one where immediately after he carried with good aggression to score a try whilst getting the better of 2 defenders. A good cameo from him.

7. Gavin Coombes (Back Row) - He put in 15 tackles, carried 40m, got the better of 2 defenders where he showed some strength and aggression to score. A good game from him.

8. Craig Casey (Scrum-Half) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 15m, got a nice 50:22 and had good ruck speed which resulted in 2 assists. A good game from him despite the yellow card which can only be described as brave.

9. Calvin Nash (Wing) - He carried 35m, broke the line, got past 2 defenders and showed good pace and footwork to keep himself in play to score his try. A good game from him.

So I know many people enjoy the read and interact with the posts I often post weekly of the Irish players who have good games across the weekends and recently their's been some confusion partly down to myself.

The criteria of how players are determined for them are as follows.

Been a British and Irish Lion - Not included as they're world class players and known as just that.

Irish International that has stayed in squads unless injury - Not included as they've been through and showed their worth.

I do acknowledge their's some scenarios where perhaps I could have done the opposite here with some players.

So if a player has been in consecutive teams for awhile or has given me a vibe that they've a good chance of being a 24th man then they're not being included.

Irish international that struggles to maintain a spot in the panel - Included.

Players who've been in Irish A/XV teams - Included, some players though will need to be better than some due to their experience and teams.

Everyone else then would be included if they've had a decent to excellent game in their respective game.

Same format as usual. Metres carried and tackles counted in 5s and defenders beaten in 2. Dominat tackles via RugbyPass and other stats via Superbru Fantasy.

Ulster

1. Tom O'Toole (Prop) - He contested well in both teams scrums with getting parity and winning some from La Rochelle, put in 10 tackles and got a nice try. A good game from him.

2. Tom Stewart (Hooker) - He put in 10 tackles (1 being dominant), carried 15m, broke the line and got an assist. Another solid game from him.

3. Cormac Izuchuckwu (Hybrid Forward) - He put in 10 tackles (1 being dominant), carried 10m, got the better of 2 defenders and got a try. A solid game from him.

4. Bryn Ward (Back Row) - He put in 10 tackles, carried 25m, got past 2 defenders and got a nice try. Another good cameo from him.

5. Nick Timoney (Back Row) - He put in 6 tackles (2 being dominant) and carried 10m. A decent defensive game from him.

6. Nathan Doak (Scrum-Half) - He put in 5 tackles and good kicking and decent ruck speed. A solid game from him.

7. Jack Murphy (Fly-Half) - He carried 15m and got an assist. A solid game from him.

8. Zac Ward (Wing) - He carried 78m, broke the line 6 times, got past 5 defenders assisted his brothers try and got a brace. A good game from him.

9. Jacob Stockdale (Outside Back) - He carried 115m, broke the line twice and got past a defender each time. A good game from him.

Connacht

1. Shamus Hurley-Langton (Back Row) - He put in 10 tackles, got a turnover, carried 45m and broke the line. A decent game from him despite the yellow card.

2. Matthew Devine (Scrum-Half) - He put in a dominat tackle, got a turnover and had good ruck speed and box kicks. A decent game from him.

3. Séan Naughton (Utility Back) - He carried 5m, broke the line twice and got a nice try with having nice link-up play with the backs.

4. Cathal Forde (Midfielder) - He put in 5 tackles, carried 70m and broke the line. A good game from him.

Shoutout to Chay Mullins who had a solid game also.

Leinster

1. Ryan Baird (Hybrid Forward) - He contested excellent in line-outs with securing ball for Leinster and pinching 2, got a turnover, carried 50m, broke the line twice and got past a defender each time for an assist and a try. A great game from him showing good from since return from injury.

2. Harry Byrne (Fly-Half) - He carried 25m, got past 2 defenders and had a good kicking game from the tee and in play with a chip to assist Tommy O'Brien which an instance of good link-up play continuing on his good form.