Joey Carbery – I hope I can do a job for Leinster in either position
Despite his hopes for the number 10 slot, Joey Carbery is enjoying his time at 15 and the chance to learn from the best
T HE Carbery name has become synonymous with Leinster and, dare we say it, Irish Rugby over the last 12 months or so. But in case you think that there is only one string to the Carbery bow, Joey isn’t the only member of the Athy-based family to be making headlines.
Carbery’s father, Joe, was appointed in July as Community Rugby Officer with the North Midlands while sister Ciara was named on the Leinster U-18s squad for the upcoming interpro series. The Carberys are not here to take part …
“It’s been a really nice few months actually. Dad has recently moved into a new role with Leinster Rugby. Previously he was CCRO with Athy but now he’s with the North Midlands area as CRO and my sister Ciara has recently been called into the Leinster U-18 squad for the interpro series. So it’s been great to see them doing so well.
“In particular for Ciara because she has been playing with Carlow as Athy don’t have a girls team but it’s great to hear that they are trying to set up a team at the moment so that is brilliant. Ciara is definitely the one with the most natural ability in the family so I’m hugely excited for her and couldn’t be more proud of what she has achieved already.”
There is also a third kid on the block. Young Culann is only 13 but is already sharing one trait with his older brother: versatility.
“He’s turning 14 in a few weeks and playing with Athy and playing well with their U-14s. I was at a blitz with them recently in Naas and he did pretty well playing at ten and also 15 so he’s obviously trying to keep up with me and all the positions!”
We’ll get to the question of positions again but what is very clear is that the elder Carbery sibling takes huge satisfaction from seeing his younger sister and brother do so well and is keeping a close eye on their progress.
Tonight in the RDS Arena it will be time for the rest of us to cast our eyes in his direction and look at his progress and wonder what the next year will have in store for the New Zealand-born player as he starts for the third time this season in Leinster colours.
WHIRLWIND
“I look back on the last 12 months and it’s been a whirlwind really. This time last year I was coming into the season in the Leinster Academy with one cap to my name from the season before. I suppose Leo gave myself and a few others a chance in the pre-season games and it took off from there.
“Obviously now coming up to a year after my Ireland debut you are just eager to see where the next 12 months can take you and you are eager to kick on and see if it can be better again. I would love to be involved again in the Autumn Series having played in three of the games last year but we have a massive four weeks ahead of us with Leinster first starting on Friday.”
Where has he seen the improvements between then and now?
“I think I’ve matured as a player as obviously I have been through more on the pitch. My game understanding has come on. I think I have developed physically but at the same time I don’t think it’s to the detriment of my game or my pace. In an environment like Leinster you go in every day excited to learn and it’s a place with the players to help you do that so hopefully the next 12 months will see my game grow again.”
In those 12 months though he has chopped and changed. Ten and 15. Out-half and full-back. Jack of all trades. Master of?
“The way I look at it is that first and foremost I just want to be in a jersey. I’m just 21 so as long as Leo hands me that shirt I’ll be happy but I also look at it as a huge opportunity. Look at Rob Kearney and Johnny Sexton. Two of the best players Leinster and Ireland and even the Lions have ever seen and they are here in Leinster and I get to train with them every day. We all do. So I am in the position now where I feel I need to be learning from them as much as I can because of all that they have experienced over the years.
“Not every club is blessed with that depth and I think for me as a young player only starting out it would be foolish of me to close off one avenue or one position. I’m just loving being here, being involved and learning off players of their calibre.”
When pushed he admits a preference long term for an out-half slot but it becomes very clear, very quickly that he is a man that loves both and the advantage that playing both gives him.
“I think the positions complement each other really well. When you’re defending at 15, you know where it’s most difficult to defend and where it’s not so difficult. So the flip of that then is that when you are in possession of the ten jersey, you know having experienced life at full-back where you want to put that ball to make it as difficult as possible for the opposition 15.
“The same with cross-field kicks, playing as a ten, I know what is most difficult for the opposition full-back to defend but if I’m playing 15, I think I’ve a good eye for what the opposition ten might do and then where he might leave a gap to exploit. It works well.
“Look at Beauden Barrett as a prime example too and so much of his early career was at 15 and now he’s one of the world’s best outhalves with a superb kicking game. I’m really enjoying it and hope I can do a job for Leinster in either position.”
AWKWARD
Edinburgh coming to the RDS tonight will certainly look forward to challenge him in all those awkward spots he just mentioned.
“I remember playing against them last season and they were very physical, very tough. You’d expect the same regardless this season but now they have a new coach with Richard Cockerill and their defence and aggression seems to have gone up a notch or two.
“The players I think are probably still in that mindset of trying to impress the new coach, trying to get into the team or keep a place in that team with the Challenge Cup coming up for them too in the next few weeks.
“They’ve lost their two most recent games so they’ll have that edge to their game. But for us having been away for two games we just want to focus on ourselves, get our own reaction right to the loss against the Cheetahs and we can’t wait to run out at the RDS on Friday evening.”