Now we’re into the thick of it.
Another Champions Cup game-week is in the books and, this time, feelings are mixed. Leinster walloped Northampton and Connacht won a thriller in Galway. Munster were disappointed in leaving Leicester with only a bonus point while Ulster’s second half rally in Clermont was not enough.
All told, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful heading into the final rounds of European fixtures.
Here is the best XV from the four Irish provinces.
15. Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht)
Posted incredible numbers against Wasps. 144 metres gained off 15 carries with a clatter of Wasps players left in his wake. Many tried to lay a hand on him and many failed. Important rallying point for his team’s fortunes. Yellow card in the first half his only blot.
14. Adam Byrne (Leinster)
Two tries for the Kildare native and the constant threat of more. Had a sensational game against an albeit lacklustre Northampton outfit. Clean breaks, offloads, defenders beaten, sumptuous steps – he had it all. Word of mention too for Ulster’s Tommy Bowe after his two tries against Clermont.
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster)
Doing enough now to be mentioned in Lions Tour conversations from prominent outlets. Loves the defensive side of the game almost as much as when he has the ball in his hand and a world of attacking possibilities at his feet. Set up on try and was a thorn in Saints’ side all night.
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht)
Connacht needed Aki back to his best to have any hope of winning the return to Wasps. That’s how we found him on Saturday. Tortured Wasps as he ran at them from all angles and put teammates through gaps and into space. 19 carries and just about every one was made with an exclamation point.
A night to remember! #bleedgreen Couldn't have done it without the support we had. Thank you pic.twitter.com/d5qUn5VvOb
— Bundee Aki (@bundeeaki12) December 18, 2016
11. Isa Nacewa (Leinster)
Sixteen points from his boot and a try for Nacewa as he continued his decent kicking form and allowed Ross Byrne to concentrate on his playing duties. Typically strong outing from Nacewa, even if Byrne grabbed most of the glory on the opposite wing. Still has an eye for a gap.
10. Jack Carty (Connacht)
Not just in here because of his CLUTCH conversion at the death to make it 20-18 against Wasps. Carty overcame a missed penalty to land some big scores and his all-round game was solid too. One loose kick out of hand but made a few decent carries and some important defensive interventions.
Ice cool! Jack Carty lands a last-gasp conversion to earn Connacht a vital win over Wasps. #ChampionsCup https://t.co/JhIrKprlRQ
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 17, 2016
9. Luke McGrath (Leinster)
Handier night at the office than many would have expected but McGrath still ruthlessly exploited the Northampton defence. Slick passing, keeping the fringe men honest with sniping runs and setting up tries. Ruan Pienaar also good in Ulster’s losing cause.
1. Jack McGrath (Leinster)
The best loose-head on show from all the Irish provinces but it was not a vintage weekend. McGrath concentrated many of his efforts on being a sheer pain to Northampton at the breakdown and levelling Saints in broken play.
2. Sean Cronin (Leinster)
Having the time of his life in a Leinster team hitting their stride. Cronin has improved on his fundamentals this season but still gets noticed for his bullocking runs and an uncanny ability to score tries. Two clean breaks and 62 metres gained off nine carries. A chunk of those metres were off this brilliant break:
"Cronin doing his best David Campese impression!" Leinster are having fun out there tonight. #ChampionsCup https://t.co/1zpsF5XmH7
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 17, 2016
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
Far and away Ireland’s top tight-head at present. Caused his opposite number issues at the scrum for the umpeenth game in a row. Carried with purpose and hit more than his fair share of tackles. Midi Olympique fancied the Wexford prop too.
https://twitter.com/gavinmortimer7/status/810755711382810624
4. Ultan Dillane (Connacht)
An immense game from the big man. Brimming with aggression but focused on each and every job at hand. 11 carries gained 42 metres and just about every one got his team over the gainline. Crunched into 15 defensive tackles too.
Also let Kurtley Beale know what Saturday night at The Sportsground is all about.
When Ultan Dillane tells you to sit down, you don’t look for a chair pic.twitter.com/bQIBzQhH3A
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) December 18, 2016
5. Billy Holland (Munster)
Munster almost got the four points at Welford Road and more of their players almost squeaked into the Best XV. Holland hardly deserved to be on the losing team. He gave it everything for over 50 minutes and was withdrawn for Jean Kleyn with the game finely poised. Made a couple of hard carries into the squaw, won an important turnover and tackled lustily.
6. Sean O’Brien (Leinster)
All-round excellence from ‘The Tullow Tank’. Plagued Saints on the deck and whenever he tucked the ball into his mitts and charged up-field. Won turnovers for fun, cracked out the fend-off and set up a try with a great offload.
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
A familiar face in Best XV pieces at this stage. Tireless performance at the breakdown coal-face and snagged 12 or 13 Saints as they tried to take the fight to Leinster. A demon for steals, carries and making an impact. Keep this up and he’ll be a Lion next summer.
8. John Muldoon (Connacht)
The Connacht captain nudges Ulster’s Sean Reidy out after another game in which he poured everything in. Reidy was very good against Clermont but Muldoon was totemic and inspirational. Just because we are used to it does not make it any less special.
15 tackles landed by the Galway native and he put his hand up for a number of big, hard carries as Connacht fought their way back into a winning position.
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