Murray Kinsella reports from Soldier Field
KEEPING WITH TRADITION, Joey Carbery was called on to provide a song after his Ireland debut at Soldier Field on Saturday.
His choice was the Rembrandts’ theme tune from Friends, ‘I’ll Be There for You.’
A year ago, the Athy man certainly didn’t think he would be singing in front of Ireland team-mates by November 2016. When Joe Schmidt called on him against the All Blacks, with 21 minutes left to play, Carbery was there for Ireland.
He was playing Ulster Bank League rugby with Clontarf last season, although the quality of his performances were warning of a rising talent. Leinster recognised that and handed Carbery a Pro12 debut while still in his first year of their academy programme.
This season, he has swiftly moved past Ross Byrne and Cathal Marsh to become the clear second-choice out-half behind Johnny Sexton in Leo Cullen’s squad.
A first Pro12 start, a first Champions Cup appearance, now a first Ireland cap, a first Ireland penalty and a first Ireland win over the All Blacks.
“It’s crazy,” said Carbery with a smile after his debut. “I can’t believe it. It’s unbelievable.”
A native of Auckland in New Zealand, the Leinster playmaker confirmed that he grew up wearing green and black jerseys, “mixed between the two” as he simply dreamed of being a professional rugby player.
Mils Muliaina and Dan Carter were heroes for him, but so too were Ronan O’Gara and Brian O’Driscoll.
Athy RFC is where Carbery showed his class early on, while he transferred from Árdscoil na Tríonoide to Blackrock College for sixth year in order to play Leinster Schools Senior Cup – helping the Dublin school to the 2014 title.
For the talented out-half, not too much has changed in how he approaches the game.
“Rugby… even today, you go out and you do the same things week in and week out, no matter who you’re playing against,” says the seemingly ice-cool Carbery.
“The coaches give us a plan but they always back our ability as well, so you can always learn from it as well if you make a mistake.
“It’s a dream come true, really, to play against them and to win, to win for the first time ever, I can’t believe it.”
Carbery’s first involvement in Test rugby was a simple pass to CJ Stander for a strong carry as Ireland looked to build an exiting position.
His first Test tackle was on Charlie Faumuina and helped to force a knock-on, with his second touch seeing him deliver a simple pass that allowed Robbie Henshaw to pirouette through a tackle.
Minutes later, he provided a sublime kick from hand.
His first Test points came with the conversion of Henshaw’s game-clinching steal, though he missed a second shot off the tee in the 80th minute.
“Yeah, delighted,” said Carbery of winning his cap. “I’m even more happy to have been trusted with the opportunity, so I went out and tried to do the simple things well and then we were lucky that the score took care of itself.
It’s hard to believe but you just take it step by step and it’s just playing the game, really, and loving every minute of it.”
After the final whistle, New Zealand’s Aaron Cruden approached Carbery to swap jerseys, although the Leinster man understandably kept the one he had played in and gave the Kiwi his second shirt.
All part of a surreal day for a young man who still has lots of growing and improving ahead of him. The potential he possesses should be thrilling for Irish rugby.
“I’m taking it week by week at the moment,” says Carbery. “I’m just going to enjoy this tonight now.”
- This article was updated at 6.12pm to correct the details of Carbery’s first involvement in Saturday’s game.
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