McCarthy bringing energy and competition to group

ENERGY: Joe McCarthy’s red-hot season is not making Andy Farrell’s life any easier in terms of his second-row combination to face France this Friday night. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Current form versus a proven track record is the eternal coaching conundrum when it comes to team selection and Joe McCarthy’s red-hot season is not making Andy Farrell’s life any easier in terms of his second-row combination to face France this Friday night.

There are few doubters when it comes to the 22-year-old Leinster lock’s high ceiling for achievement in Test rugby and his five Test caps to date, including a place on the bench in the World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand last October have done nothing to diminish the belief McCarthy can become a mainstay of the Ireland forward pack for many years to come.

Nothing in his recent performances suggests he would not be ready to start the Six Nations opener against the French in Marseille but with James Ryan, Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne also vying for a spot in the Irish XV competition for places is only intensifying as preparations continue at the squad’s training base on Portugal’s Algarve.

Assistant coach John Fogarty was giving no selection secrets away at the Campus at Quinta do Lago yesterday but he was full of praise for McCarthy’s progress since his Ireland debut against Australia in November 2022 and his contribution to training this past week.

“He's developed a nice understanding to his game,” Fogarty said. “I think there were times when he was out of the blocks and trying to do it on his own. I think he understands what Leinster are trying to do and I think that suits him and Leinster because he's been consistent.

“So it's important that he's developing a nice understanding here so that he can go and perform like Cheese (Ryan) will or like Hendy will. He's brought a little bit of calmness on the back of understanding, and a hell of a lot of energy comes with Joe, so it's good, he's been good. They're all in a good place, that's what I'd say.” 

On the question of form versus experience, Fogarty said: “That's in the bank, isn't it, what they've been able to do, but competition is so important. Joe has brought his own energy, and he's had learnings along the way, he's had some nice form for Leinster and he's in here now competing with that group, and that makes that group a better group, that makes that group properly focused for training sessions and they're going after it… he's massively adding to that group of second rows, and it brings them up.”