LEINSTER ARE SURROUNDED by great expectations, and it’s no different on the inside of the group.
Possibly more than anyone externally, Leinster hold themselves to the highest standards.
Winning trophies is their raison d’être and that is unlikely to ever change.
Leinster have their latest chance to claim silverware this evening when they meet the Bulls in an exciting URC Grand Final at Croke Park [KO 7.30pm, Premier Sports].
Last season’s URC success was the first time that many in Leinster’s squad claimed a winner’s medal with the province. Now, they aim to ensure that they don’t leave this campaign empty-handed.
“Playing for Leinster, the expectation to be a Leinster player when you’re younger is to win medals and trophies,” said 25-year-old lock Joe McCarthy.
“So you feel kind of inadequate if you don’t. Every season, if you don’t win a trophy, you feel pretty inadequate.
“I remember playing my first Leinster game [against Cardiff in 2022] and losing and I was like, jeez, you feel horrendous. My first Leinster game, I lost.
“I remember feeling horrendous because you’re quite used to winning in Leinster. That’s what you associate with them. So yeah, you’re pretty motivated to win a trophy.”
This time last year, Leinster ended their season in style with a dominant win over the Bulls at Croke Park in the URC decider.
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There was a crowd of 46,127 that day and while the attendance might not reach that level this season, McCarthy hopes it’s a special night.
“It’s absolutely massive,” he said. “I think having a full crowd there, the buzz, it’s magical. I think for Leinster, it’s such a good occasion. Croke Park – I’m maybe biased – but it gave us such a lift and such a buzz and energy.
“It’s a final at home in Croke Park on Friday night, you don’t get many of those. It’s something that we love playing in and it gives us such a lift. We want to make it as good as possible.”
McCarthy was born in New York and likes American sports, so he has been delighted to join the “bandwagon” behind the Knicks’ NBA success.
McCarthy has been in excellent form this season. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
He has been following the scenes of celebration from New York with great interest, and hopes Leinster can give their supporters similar feelings of joy in the URC final.
“You see the New York Knicks, all the fans going crazy,” said McCarthy.
“The buzz that gets behind the team, everyone in the city buzzing. I don’t think it’s going to be like that, the Knicks fans kind of messed the city up as well. I think Leinster fans are a bit more chill than that.
“I enjoy watching the TikToks of all the fans going crazy. Maybe get the Leinster fans to do some crazy TikToks.”
Whatever about supporters’ role in the final, the game will be decided in the trenches down on the pitch at Croke Park.
As one of the key men in Leinster’s pack, the in-form McCarthy will have a big role to play against the powerful Bulls forwards.
“A lot of physical collisions, they attack around the ruck a lot,” he said. “If you don’t stop them around the ruck, they just get metres and metres, you give away an offside penalty, and then you’re under the pump.
“Largely, it will come down to moving fast and hitting hard. That’s probably going to be the key theme and obviously the set-piece battle.”
McCarthy knows Leinster will miss loosehead prop Andrew Porter – “a beast” – but they’re backing Jerry Cahir to step up at scrum time.
McCarthy also points out that the set-piece isn’t just on the front rows.
“I think we’ve put a lot more onus on our back five in the scrum. They’re five-eighths of the scrum. I know even watching the Stormers, their back five, they proper snap every scrum.
“We talked about that. It’s going to be a huge battle. It’s not just front row, it’s our back five. If we’re reviewing the game, are we snapping or are we winning the centre line? It’ll be a big job on the back five to look after the front row.”
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jerry Cahir, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Diarmuid Mangan, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose.
BULLS: Willie le Roux; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar., Francois Klopper; Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje; Marcell Coetzee (captain), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom.
Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan‑Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr.
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'If you don't win a trophy every season, you feel pretty inadequate'
LEINSTER ARE SURROUNDED by great expectations, and it’s no different on the inside of the group.
Possibly more than anyone externally, Leinster hold themselves to the highest standards.
Winning trophies is their raison d’être and that is unlikely to ever change.
Leinster have their latest chance to claim silverware this evening when they meet the Bulls in an exciting URC Grand Final at Croke Park [KO 7.30pm, Premier Sports].
Last season’s URC success was the first time that many in Leinster’s squad claimed a winner’s medal with the province. Now, they aim to ensure that they don’t leave this campaign empty-handed.
“Playing for Leinster, the expectation to be a Leinster player when you’re younger is to win medals and trophies,” said 25-year-old lock Joe McCarthy.
“So you feel kind of inadequate if you don’t. Every season, if you don’t win a trophy, you feel pretty inadequate.
“I remember playing my first Leinster game [against Cardiff in 2022] and losing and I was like, jeez, you feel horrendous. My first Leinster game, I lost.
“I remember feeling horrendous because you’re quite used to winning in Leinster. That’s what you associate with them. So yeah, you’re pretty motivated to win a trophy.”
This time last year, Leinster ended their season in style with a dominant win over the Bulls at Croke Park in the URC decider.
There was a crowd of 46,127 that day and while the attendance might not reach that level this season, McCarthy hopes it’s a special night.
“It’s absolutely massive,” he said. “I think having a full crowd there, the buzz, it’s magical. I think for Leinster, it’s such a good occasion. Croke Park – I’m maybe biased – but it gave us such a lift and such a buzz and energy.
“It’s a final at home in Croke Park on Friday night, you don’t get many of those. It’s something that we love playing in and it gives us such a lift. We want to make it as good as possible.”
McCarthy was born in New York and likes American sports, so he has been delighted to join the “bandwagon” behind the Knicks’ NBA success.
He has been following the scenes of celebration from New York with great interest, and hopes Leinster can give their supporters similar feelings of joy in the URC final.
“You see the New York Knicks, all the fans going crazy,” said McCarthy.
“The buzz that gets behind the team, everyone in the city buzzing. I don’t think it’s going to be like that, the Knicks fans kind of messed the city up as well. I think Leinster fans are a bit more chill than that.
“I enjoy watching the TikToks of all the fans going crazy. Maybe get the Leinster fans to do some crazy TikToks.”
Whatever about supporters’ role in the final, the game will be decided in the trenches down on the pitch at Croke Park.
As one of the key men in Leinster’s pack, the in-form McCarthy will have a big role to play against the powerful Bulls forwards.
“A lot of physical collisions, they attack around the ruck a lot,” he said. “If you don’t stop them around the ruck, they just get metres and metres, you give away an offside penalty, and then you’re under the pump.
“Largely, it will come down to moving fast and hitting hard. That’s probably going to be the key theme and obviously the set-piece battle.”
McCarthy knows Leinster will miss loosehead prop Andrew Porter – “a beast” – but they’re backing Jerry Cahir to step up at scrum time.
McCarthy also points out that the set-piece isn’t just on the front rows.
“I think we’ve put a lot more onus on our back five in the scrum. They’re five-eighths of the scrum. I know even watching the Stormers, their back five, they proper snap every scrum.
“We talked about that. It’s going to be a huge battle. It’s not just front row, it’s our back five. If we’re reviewing the game, are we snapping or are we winning the centre line? It’ll be a big job on the back five to look after the front row.”
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jerry Cahir, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Diarmuid Mangan, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose.
BULLS: Willie le Roux; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar., Francois Klopper; Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje; Marcell Coetzee (captain), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom.
Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan‑Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr.
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
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Bulls Croke Park expectations High Standards Joe McCarthy Leinster URC Final