EVEN AFTER THE disappointment of losing in France and the mixed bag in beating Italy, the message from the Ireland camp remained consistent. Things needed to improve, no argument there, but there was belief the group still had the ability to produce special performances.
Playing for each other was a central message delivered by Andy Farrell and his coaching staff before the squad travelled to London for the round three meeting with England. The players also grouped together to lay down what needed to happen when they took to the pitch on Saturday.
Whatever was said, the messaging clearly worked. Post-game, as he reflected on a highly impressive collective effort, Joe McCarthy shed a little light on some of the conversations which took place in the team meetings leading into the Twickenham test.
“There was just a lot of belief in the group, and we talked about just bringing that sort of Irish kind of thing that separates us, that we’re able to be really physical on the edge, lots of energy, high skill, just bring what we’re good at to the table,” McCarthy said.
We knew if we delivered that, on how good of a team we are, we could beat anyone on our day. That was probably the message.”
McCarthy got into the game early by forcing a turnover and continued to be a constant menace with a physical performance. After quieter days against France and Italy, this was McCarthy back as his forceful best.
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“We heard The Fields of Athenry, it was going crazy, it was unreal, it felt like a home game for a bit of that. You want to make the people of Ireland feel really good and that’s definitely something we talk about a lot, that Wednesday meeting, something you talk about a lot is the difference you can make to Irish people’s weeks and months and the belief it gives them looking at our team. It’s cool being able to do that.”
The lock enjoys the niggly parts of the game and took particular enjoyment in his maul work.
“I bloody love mauls to be honest, they’re probably my favourite part of the game,” he explained.
McCarthy makes a break against England. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“So yeah, I was happy to get a steal early in that and I feel I can be quite effective going forward in the maul.
“I love the feeling, it’s kind of like a wrestle or something, I think maybe even my Blackrock days, Seamus Toomey (current IRFU performance pathway scrum coach) had us doing crazy hard maul sessions and I think that’s ingrained that into me, so I love that area.”
The grunt of McCarthy and James Ryan in the second row was matched by the relentless effort from Ireland’s back row, where Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris all had big games.
“They were just dogs out there, it felt great, they were giving loads of energy in the D-line, Caelan, Josh, Tadhg, all of them just talking.
McCarthy celebrates after Tadhg Beirne wins a penalty. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“They give so much energy in their chat that makes everyone else feel really good, and then they’re probably some of the best guys in the world, Tadhg, Caelan and Josh for getting the ball back. So it’s just such an energy lift when you see them getting over the ball, getting a turnover, forcing it, just such a relief for the tight five.
“We were delighted to see them do that. They were awesome, and I think what was probably especially pleasing was even though they (England) scored before half time, it took so much out of them to score that, we knew they had to give everything there to score that and it took a lot of energy to do that.”
As Ireland stormed to a record win in Twickenham, the concerns raised after the opening night loss to France felt a world away. In the space of a couple of weeks, Ireland looked totally transformed.
“It’s a tough week after those games when you lose by a good bit, you’re really digging deep into what went wrong and you’re having the tough conversations and it’s quite uncomfortable to be fair after those weeks. But a week like this makes you realise why it’s worth sticking with it and staying in the course.”
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McCarthy’s younger brother, Paddy, didn’t make the trip over as he continues his recovery from injury, but the rest of the McCarthy clan were present to take in the day.
“My brother Andrew, he’s delighted wearing his Ireland suit again, his good luck suit, and then my two parents. It’s super special seeing your family after a game, it’s so good how much joy it brings them. I love seeing them there.”
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'We knew if we delivered, we could beat anyone on our day'
EVEN AFTER THE disappointment of losing in France and the mixed bag in beating Italy, the message from the Ireland camp remained consistent. Things needed to improve, no argument there, but there was belief the group still had the ability to produce special performances.
Playing for each other was a central message delivered by Andy Farrell and his coaching staff before the squad travelled to London for the round three meeting with England. The players also grouped together to lay down what needed to happen when they took to the pitch on Saturday.
Whatever was said, the messaging clearly worked. Post-game, as he reflected on a highly impressive collective effort, Joe McCarthy shed a little light on some of the conversations which took place in the team meetings leading into the Twickenham test.
“There was just a lot of belief in the group, and we talked about just bringing that sort of Irish kind of thing that separates us, that we’re able to be really physical on the edge, lots of energy, high skill, just bring what we’re good at to the table,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy got into the game early by forcing a turnover and continued to be a constant menace with a physical performance. After quieter days against France and Italy, this was McCarthy back as his forceful best.
“We heard The Fields of Athenry, it was going crazy, it was unreal, it felt like a home game for a bit of that. You want to make the people of Ireland feel really good and that’s definitely something we talk about a lot, that Wednesday meeting, something you talk about a lot is the difference you can make to Irish people’s weeks and months and the belief it gives them looking at our team. It’s cool being able to do that.”
The lock enjoys the niggly parts of the game and took particular enjoyment in his maul work.
“I bloody love mauls to be honest, they’re probably my favourite part of the game,” he explained.
“So yeah, I was happy to get a steal early in that and I feel I can be quite effective going forward in the maul.
“I love the feeling, it’s kind of like a wrestle or something, I think maybe even my Blackrock days, Seamus Toomey (current IRFU performance pathway scrum coach) had us doing crazy hard maul sessions and I think that’s ingrained that into me, so I love that area.”
The grunt of McCarthy and James Ryan in the second row was matched by the relentless effort from Ireland’s back row, where Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris all had big games.
“They were just dogs out there, it felt great, they were giving loads of energy in the D-line, Caelan, Josh, Tadhg, all of them just talking.
“They give so much energy in their chat that makes everyone else feel really good, and then they’re probably some of the best guys in the world, Tadhg, Caelan and Josh for getting the ball back. So it’s just such an energy lift when you see them getting over the ball, getting a turnover, forcing it, just such a relief for the tight five.
“We were delighted to see them do that. They were awesome, and I think what was probably especially pleasing was even though they (England) scored before half time, it took so much out of them to score that, we knew they had to give everything there to score that and it took a lot of energy to do that.”
As Ireland stormed to a record win in Twickenham, the concerns raised after the opening night loss to France felt a world away. In the space of a couple of weeks, Ireland looked totally transformed.
“It’s a tough week after those games when you lose by a good bit, you’re really digging deep into what went wrong and you’re having the tough conversations and it’s quite uncomfortable to be fair after those weeks. But a week like this makes you realise why it’s worth sticking with it and staying in the course.”
McCarthy’s younger brother, Paddy, didn’t make the trip over as he continues his recovery from injury, but the rest of the McCarthy clan were present to take in the day.
“My brother Andrew, he’s delighted wearing his Ireland suit again, his good luck suit, and then my two parents. It’s super special seeing your family after a game, it’s so good how much joy it brings them. I love seeing them there.”
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