McCarthy and Leinster looking to make a statement against Tigers

Two years without a trophy is an itch that needs scratching and the Leinster boys are not shy in admitting it.

NEW BREED: Ryan Baird with Joe McCarthy. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho

Joe McCarthy was no stranger to the spotlight already but nothing could have prepared him for the intensity of the focus after his breathtaking performance against France in Marseille’s Orange Velodrome in early February.

The young lock was immense that night, his sheer physicality and athleticism repeatedly catching the eye. Still only 22 at the time, this was the birth of ‘Big Joe’ and the ripples from that night were still being seen after Leinster tamed the Bulls at the RDS last Friday.