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'Big Joe' McCarthy: 'We probably didn’t expect to get such a high score'
By Ian Cameron
Rookie second row Joe McCarthy was named Ireland’s men of the match after a resounding 38-17 win over France in the opening match of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations.
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It was performance that helps copper fasten the growing reputation of player who is being talked about in Irish rugby circles as a potential generational talent at lock. And it looks like he already as a nickname that is sticking, with the rather unoriginal moniker ‘Big Joe’ already being used by Irish broadcasters when referring to the 6’6, 119kg lock.
McCarthy told ITV Sport: “I’m very happy, it’s never easy away in France, we probably didn’t expect to get such a high score but we’re really happy, the atmosphere was mental, everyone really dug in and it was fantastic team form.
“Our set-piece went well, we won our lineout ball, got a good strike off that, we were in sync as a team and everyone kind of played their parts.
Jack Crowley kicked 13 points in his first Six Nations start and McCarthy said of the Ireland fly-half: “He’s an absolute baller. He’s such a competitor, great man to lead the group, a great fella. Tonight he played unbelievable, he just drove us around the pitch.”
Ireland never trailed after earning an early lead but McCarthy said of their opponents: “France are never dead.
“You can see they get a few scores there and choke the ball and make something out of nothing, so we have to focus and stay on them every play and keep going after them.”
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additional reporting PA
