MCCARTHY SECOND TO NONE
Latest Six Nations debutant backed to Lock down role
IRELAND’S expanded secondrow, two wins into the 2024 Six Nations, has been a revelation.
Comprising something new, something old, something borrowed, something Blue, it has proved a shining example of Ireland growing following Rugby World Cup adversity.
An area where Ireland have been mostly and underweight mostly underperformed for decades is now looking freighted for action, up for the physical confrontation...wonderfully beastly!
Ostensibly, Joe McCarthy’s arrival is adding greatly to the difference, a Man of the Match display in France on his Six Nations debut was credibly backed up against Italy last Sunday.
There are many before who have had impressive Five/Six Nations debuts... only to fade away.
Big Joe is looking like he can stay the course with Andy Farrell noting postItaly “Big Joe keeps rumbling on, doesn’t he?”
McCarthy is the breakout 2024 Irish star to date across all sports albeit challenges may emanate from Cheltenham next month (Hewick?) or the Olympics (Rhasidat Adeleke, Leona Maguire?).
A happy young man, 22 years of age, with the rugby world at his feet, Italy in the rearview mirror.
Comfortable
“We were told we didn’t want to just contain them and be comfortable,” he says of last Sunday’s 36-0 win.
“Every game is different that you go into and the emphasis was to get off the line, so I was happy enough with the way we did that,” he says of last Sunday’s 36-0 win.
“You are always going to have different moments and plays.
“You want to have a well-rounded game plan to be good in every area in this team.
“There is way more attention in the Six Nations, you can feel it, much more than club games, it is good, you are getting a lot of nice mentions even if you’re
‘There’s way more attention in the Six Nations, more than club games’
trying to block it out and just go back to the process.”
McCarthy is enjoying 2024 so far - but throws in a remarkable 2023 ‘what if?’.
“I felt I was ready to go at that stage but an ankle injury kept me out for a few months.
“That happens. It’s great to get an opportunity now and I am looking forward to it.
The devil in the detail is McCarthy openly likes to admit to loving ‘smashing into things’ and, indeed, there were huge hits on Italy’s no10 Paolo Garbisi and no9 Stephen Varney in the erly stages of Sunday’s game.
“I love the defensive side of the game, probably like it more than the attack sometimes they say defence wins championships, so it is good.
“I love getting off the line, I love pressuring teams, love getting them ‘man and ball,’ getting stuck in at rucks.
“Maybe because I was born in New York I like the NFL, watching the defensive players, like seeing the stuff they do.
“At the moment I like the LA Raiders’ Max Crosbie, I liked JJ Watt when he played. He is a beast, or was. The Jets had Aaron Rogers but I am not a crazy big follower and I can’t see myself switching over to NFL at any point now!”
McCarthy was backed up against Italy on Sunday by the aforementioned something Blue (itals), James Ryan, who having been dropped to the bench for
Marseilles, responded with a powerhouse performance.
There was close to an hour at the Aviva for Ryan, who was calling the line-out and imposed himself, in particular, defensively in the first half.
This was added to by something older in Iain Henderson, who was on the bench and who came in for Ryan while Tadgh Beirne, who has been borrowed from Leinster territory, was rested on the day but makes for another terrific option in this neighbourhood.
All four, a pleased Andy Farrell notes, are in a dog-fight for places.
“It is exactly where it should be and I think it worked nicely this week - now all four of them realise that, all four of them are in very good form, and it means a lot.”
There was specific praise for Ryan, who many thought would be the captain for the Six Nations campaign but had to settle for no19 for the opening game in Marseille.
Example
“James was always going to try and prove a point, he is a team player and you know what’s the best example of that.
“Fans heard me say before Peter O’Mahony got dropped a good few years ago for Caelan Doris actually.
“And Pete was the first one to, not winge and moan about it but to help Caelan to be as prepared as he possibly could be and when you’ve got examples like that, it shows what it matters to be a team player for Ireland.
“People follow that type of example and James has done exactly the same, you know, taken a lot of responsibility on the shoulders against Italy in regards to calling the line-out which was fantastic.
“His calling was great, so he was able to be himself because of that.”
Farrell is happy with the other two players in this second-row mix.
“Iain Henderson has been outstanding, absolutely, off the bench in the last few games that he’s done that for us.
“Tadhg Beirne was immense last week so competition for that is exactly the way it should be.
“We call those when it comes to selection a great problem to have and as it comes down to the type of game and the opposition that we’re playing against.”
All of this, two wins from two, the second of which featured a defensive masterclass as evidenced by a first ‘win to nil’ for Ireland in this tournament for 37 years.
“It’s huge but it isn’t just the defence,” continues Farrell.
“I’m not downplaying our defence because our defence was outstanding, you’ve got to want to keep people out as well and the hunger to do that was obvious.
“It’s obvious as well that points on the board mattered. It isn’t just about scoring tries, it’s keeping them the opposition to a minimum.
“It mattered a lot to us but what was really good about last week is that our game is becoming more joined up and if your game is more joined up then you’re able to have the energy to be able to defend like we did.
“If our set-piece is so dominant it gives you a little bit more energy because you’re playing on the front more and playing in the right parts of the field.”