McCarthy: 'The fans were crazy, the Irish fans are just buzzing when they travel away'

22-year-old Joe McCarthy was delighted to get a try on his Rugby World Cup in front of a huge Irish support. 

WORLD CUP DEBUT: Joe McCarthy scored a try on his third attempt to cap off a special RWC debut. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

There was a moment there at Stade de Bordeaux when Joe McCarthy must have wondered what more he could possibly do to add his name to the Ireland scoresheet and cap a dream World Cup debut.

The 22-year-old second row had been selected for his physicality and set-piece prowess but his eye for the tryline was very much to the fore in Saturday’s 82-8 thumping of Romania. Yet the youngest member of Andy Farrell’s squad had looked destined to be denied his moment of triumph, held up over the line and then the victim of a last-ditch tackle in the corner before he struck gold at the third attempt.

“I thought it would come a bit sooner maybe,” McCarthy said of his 66th-minute try. “A few of my mates are slagging me about butchering a few chances.

“I thought one of them I maybe touched a bit of grass but no, glad to get one of them at least.

“Yeah, a bit of relief to be honest. But it was unbelievable. The fans were crazy, the Irish fans are just buzzing when they travel away. It was class, one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever been in.” 

McCarthy’s multiple attacking involvements were indicative, he said, of the team’s ethos under head coach Farrell and attack coach Mike Catt.

“Yeah, it’s good. Our attack definitely asks a lot of every player, probably more than any other team. No matter if you’re tight five, you have to have class hands, you have to be able to add value in the tackle.

“You’re never out of the game for a phase, you’re always adding value somewhere. You’re challenged no matter what position. You have to have world-class skills.” 

McCarthy had started alongside fellow lock James Ryan and finished the game in partnership with replacement second row Iain Henderson, who offered a positive review of the Test rookie who after just four caps looks ready to overtake more senior candidates and cement his place in the Ireland starting pack.

“That’s been probably since last November, Joe has been right up there,” Henderson said. “He trains unbelievably well, I don’t even need to begin to talk about what a physical specimen he is, he’s slotting in there brilliantly. To have him as part of our squad is incredibly promising and look I think him and Cheese (Ryan) are a fantastic partnership.

“That’s really good to have that level of competition in our pack for a week prepping, to have that quality in there. I’m delighted to have him in there, as I said, for his first start, it was a his first start a few weeks ago, someone asked me, I think it was the Italy game (August 5), and I said massively promising talent and he has a lot of big games ahead in the Irish jersey.” 

For now, McCarthy was delighted to be handed the opportunity in front of his family, though he admitted to some pre-match tension.

“It’s class. My family are fantastic. They’ve played a massive part in getting me to where I am and they come to any game, no matter where is, down the country some place or across the world, they’re always there. They are a huge support to me.

“I was very nervous to be honest, the most nervous I’ve felt in a while before a game. Because it’s the World Cup, there are so many more eyes on it, you’re getting more texts.

“It just feels like a big occasion and you kind of want to put your best foot forward. There were a lot of nerves going into it. I think everybody felt that. A bit of nerves is good, it keeps you on your toes.”