Joe McCarthy bucks the trend as Andy Farrell selects formidable starting Ireland XV for World Cup opener against Romania
“Of course, we embrace everything else that is going on around us when it’s our down-time, but when it gets to preparation and executing under pressure at the weekend, experience allows us to make sure how to go about our business.One of the newbies who has clearly impressed Farrell is the thrice-capped 22-year-old Joe McCarthy, who is the most eye-catching selection in the starting XV to face Romania at the Stade de Bordeaux on Saturday .
The ripple effect of McCarthy’s inclusion sees Tadhg Beirne shift to ‘6′ and Peter O’Mahony to ‘7′, while the only alterations from the line-up against England see Johnny Sexton start for the first time in almost six months, with Rob Herring, McCarthy, Doris and Keith Earls – surprisingly picked ahead of Mack Hansen – all recalled.
“I said to you in the Samoa week going to Biarritz, the reason we went there is that there’s a lot of distraction that goes on, certainly when you’re in a hotel that’s on the beach. Maybe Farrell and co don’t want to show their full hand to the Springboks just yet. But while McCarthy’s warm-up performances against Italy and off the bench against England had hinted that he might be in the ‘23′, if he shoots the lights out against the Romanians who knows?
While maintaining he was delighted with the win over Samoa, Farrell cannot have particularly enjoyed Ireland’s struggles against them. Certainly, he conceded that this team could do with the kind of statement win which the Springboks, France, Fiji and others have produced in the warm-up programme. Sexton was left out of the ‘23′ against Japan, a decision which looks even more curious four years on.
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