Joe McCarthy: 'I feel like I've gone up another level'

Still only 22, the Leinster lock has been singled out as a special asset for years now due to his irregular size and bulk and he is looking to merge a love of the setpiece with a growing presence on his own and the opposition’s lineout and with ball in hand.

GONE UP A LEVEL: Leinster's Joe McCarthy in training.

There was no mistaking the message sent by Andy Farrell’s choice of squad and captain for the upcoming Six Nations. Even the corralling of the only three uncapped players into a seperate ‘development’ group spoke for the head coach’s short-term focus.

This is about retaining a Six Nations title in the coming months, maybe even claiming a first ever back-to-back Grand Slam for Ireland. The next World Cup? Well, four years may as well be a lifetime away for all the relevance it has before an opening night in Marseille.