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Ireland 29-7 Wales Six Nations player ratings: Garry Ringrose, Johnny Sexton, Mack Hansen superb | Josh Adams, Tomos Williams struggle

Andy Farrell's Ireland secure bonus-point 29-7 victory over Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday; below we pick through the player ratings for each starter from both camps, as Garry Ringrose, Johnny Sexton, Mack Hansen and Tadhg Furlong impress, while Wales struggled

Mack Hansen, centre, was named the official man of the match, bit many Ireland players impressed
Image: Mack Hansen, centre, was named the official man of the match, bit many Ireland players impressed

We pick through the player ratings from Ireland's dominant 29-7 Six Nations victory over Wales in Dublin on Saturday...

Centres Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, and wing Andrew Conway (two) scored Ireland's tries, while skipper Johnny Sexton added three conversions and a penalty in a display of free-flowing attack from the hosts.

Ireland

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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and captain Johnny Sexton both expressed their delight.

15. Hugo Keenan: Marked his 17th consecutive Test start with another faultless display of customary consistency. 8/10

14. Andrew Conway: Produced two clinical second-half finishes to take the game away from the outclassed visitors. 8/10

13. Garry Ringrose: Scored arguably the try of the game and was a constant thorn in Wales' side. A big shout for man of the match 9/10

Ireland's Garry Ringrose was a sensational performer in midfield on the day
Image: Ireland's Garry Ringrose was a sensational performer in midfield on the day

12. Bundee Aki: Justified his selection ahead of Robbie Henshaw with the early opening try. A battering ram who can pass too. 8/10

11. Mack Hansen: Named the official man of the match in the stadium after a convincing first start at Test level, which included an assist. 8/10

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10. Johnny Sexton: He may have missed a couple of kicks in blustery conditions but constantly drove the hosts on and was central to all their attacking moves. His fitness is still so important for Ireland. 9/10

Johnny Sexton ran the game superbly at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin
Image: Johnny Sexton ran the game superbly at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

9. Jamison Gibson-Park: Lively and kept the ball moving quickly to keep Wales constantly occupied, but his passing was poor at times. 7/10

1. Andrew Porter: Immense all afternoon, with some crucial contributions in the scrum, at the ruck and in contact. 9/10

2. Ronan Kelleher: Part of an imposing forward pack which picked up where it left off in the autumn. 8/10

3. Tadhg Furlong: Outstanding once again to emphasise his status as arguably the world's finest tighthead. Immense power blended with the softest of hands. 9/10

Tighthead Tadhg Furlong once again displayed his unique qualities
Image: Tighthead Tadhg Furlong once again displayed his unique qualities

4. Tadhg Beirne: The Munster second row quietly goes about his business but was once again exceptional. 8/10

5. James Ryan: A menace to Wales' defence and kept the hosts on top at the line-out. Slightly quieter than the rest of his colleagues. 7/10

6. Calean Doris: Wreaked havoc almost every time he touched the ball to underline his burgeoning reputation. 8/10

7. Josh van der Flier: Another hard-working afternoon for the flanker to keep his side in the ascendancy. 8/10

8. Jack Conan: Continues to be a revelation since returning to the Test arena 12 months ago. 8/10

Wales

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Wales head coach and captain Dan Biggar both admit they failed to match Ireland's physical game.

15. Liam Williams: Had virtually no opportunities in attack during a long afternoon for Wales. 5/10

14. Johnny McNicholl: Ran strongly for one of Wales' few chances in the first half, but it was largely a frustrating 80 minutes. 6/10

13. Josh Adams: The switch from wing to centre did not really work as Adams found it hard going opposite Ireland's midfield pairing of Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki, and he collected a yellow card. 4/10

Josh Adams endured a day to forget as he was sin-binned in his first Test start at centre
Image: Josh Adams endured a day to forget as he was sin-binned in his first Test start at centre

12. Nick Tompkins: Ineffective in Wales' midfield on a day when Ireland dominated. 5/10

11. Louis Rees-Zammit: Scored four tries in last season's tournament but barely saw the ball as Wales subsided and didn't look 100 per cent fit. 5/10

10. Dan Biggar: Captained Wales for the first time, but it proved an experience to forget. 5/10

9. Tomos Williams: Struggled at the heels of his forwards as Ireland took charge from an early stage of the contest. 4/10

Openside flanker Taine Basham was Wales' standout player, scoring their consolation and putting himself about
Image: Openside flanker Taine Basham was Wales' standout player, scoring their consolation and putting himself about

1. Wyn Jones: Performed strongly opposite revered Ireland tighthead Tadhg Furlong in one of Wales' few highlights. 6/10

2. Ryan Elias: Had a strong Autumn Nations Series, but could not reproduce that form. 5/10

3. Tomas Francis: Worked hard in the set-piece, but could make little impact in the loose. 5/10

4. Will Rowlands: A tireless first-half effort in adversity, but then faded after that. 6/10

5. Adam Beard: Not the Ospreys forward's day in the lineout as Ireland ran the show. 5/10

6. Ellis Jenkins: Could make little impact on the contest, with Wales outplayed. 5/10

7. Taine Basham: Wales' stand-out performer. Scored a late try and made good contributions throughout. 7/10

8. Aaron Wainwright: Found it hard going in opposition to a rampant Ireland pack. 5/10

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