Celebrations go on for Carty

Jack Carty extended his 27th birthday celebrations into an extra day yesterday with the news he had been included in Ireland’s 2019 World Cup squad.

The Connacht out-half sealed his place on the plane heading to Japan on September 11 with an assured performance against Wales on Saturday, his first start for Ireland in the famous green number 10 jersey.

Whereas his rival Ross Byrne had been the unfortunate victim of a poor team performance the previous week against England, Carty thrived with front-foot ball at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as Ireland beat the Welsh 22-17 and even picked up the man of the match award for good measure. Not too shabby a way to mark his actual birthday.

“I was surprised with the man of the match award, to be honest,” Carty admitted. “It was probably just because of the occasion but, yeah, I was delighted, especially that first 40, there were some good things in there, I thought we controlled it quite well.

“Coming from last week I think our defence was really promising, the forward pack really gave us dominance and it is much easier when you are winning collisions. Wales, I suppose, tried to keep the ball in play a bit, our work-rate to get back was good so yeah, not a bad birthday present.

“I suppose maybe there was one period (in the second half) where we defended for a long time after they had just scored and I suppose I probably tried to play to Bomber (Andrew Conway) and the better option would have been to put it back down there but I was maybe conscious that we hadn’t had the ball for a while.

“But look, I was happy defensively. I suppose I missed (the tackle on the try-scoring wing) Owen Lane but I was tracking across like a shot there towards the end. Look, it was nice to get man of the match award.”

Carty will travel as third-choice out-half behind Johnny Sexton and Joey Carbery as Ireland attempt to negotiate a pool containing Scotland, hosts Japan, Russia, and Samoa but with six Test appearances now under his belt, the playmaker now has an Irish number 10 jersey in his possession and wearing it was a special moment.

“Yeah, look it was class to be able to lead the team, to be able to put a stamp on it with what I can do.

“I suppose first and foremost it is about playing the right areas and adding what I can to the team.

“I suppose the difference between this weekend and last week was I got a good platform from the forwards and as I said, they were smashing at getting it around the corner and it made my job easier and when they are getting in behind teams it is like playing on the dinner plate at times and I’m hoping that will happen at other times.”

It was a mixed day for Connacht players yesterday as Ireland boss Joe Schmidt included both Carty and centre Bundee Aki but omitted scrum-half Kieran Marmion.

Last Saturday the three Galway-based players formed an axis at nine, 10 and 12 that suited the out-half just fine, though, speaking before the squad was announced, he acknowledged he would not be able to rely on familiar faces in every Test he plays.

“I suppose there was a situation early on where Bundee came off my shoulder, I played a lot with Kieran Marmion, he knows what I like. He likes a bit of time, so do I. We are playing together for about 10 years or so, so we know each other well. Myself and Bundee’s relationship has grown in the last two years so it was a bit easier for me with them beside me.

“But if I am lucky enough to get selected you are going to have to have that other relationship with fellas because you are not always going to have them.”