Ex-England player likens ‘rock’ Joe McCarthy to an ‘at his best’ Springboks legend, adding that ‘rugby brain’ Tadhg Beirne will also start Lions Test series
Joe McCarthy gets stuck in for the British and Irish Lions versus Western Force
Ex-England fly-half Stuart Barnes has hailed the British and Irish Lions performance of Joe McCarthy, likening the Ireland lock to a legendary Springboks enforcer.
After the false start defeat to Argentina in Dublin with a starting XV dominated by nine English players, Andy Farrell picked a team featuring eight Irish starters to take on the Western Force in their first match on Australian soil.
The first half in Perth was nothing to write home about, but the tourists went through the gears in the second period to get a run on their Super Rugby Pacific opposition to secure a comfortable 54-7 win.
Writing in his latest Sunday Times column, Barnes, who toured with the Lions in 1993 when they visited New Zealand, called out the class of 2025 for their slow start at Optus Stadium. However, he absolved McCarthy from the blame game and instead made an eye-catching comparison.
“The belated second-half battering of a plucky Western Force comes with a warning,” began Barnes. “Signs of brilliance – such as some of the splendid tries the British & Irish Lions scored in the second half – should not be taken at face value. The opposition was light years from a Test team.
“Timing of the Lions restart reception was embarrassing…”
“However, one outstanding performance merits more than a mention. Here’s the exception. Joe McCarthy delivered from first to last. In the final quarter of the game, he was still stealing lineouts, still picking and carrying, still popping up at breakdowns as the first scrum half, skilfully maintaining the late momentum.
“Whereas defensively, too many of his colleagues were slowing opponents down without stopping them, McCarthy was a rock who ensured the gain line was not crossed. His try was a fitting reward for a performance that reminded me of Bakkies Botha at his best.
“In the epic 2009 Lions series in South Africa, the Springboks’ lock forward was the non-stop enforcer and hitter at the breakdown; his partner, Victor Matfield, was the aerial genius. However, McCarthy’s mate, Scott Cummings, in tandem with Tadhg Furlong and Dan Sheehan, was lost in space at every restart. The timing of the Lions restart reception was embarrassing.”
Barnes went on to highlight an early try-saving McCarthy intervention, describing it as exactly the type of warrior play that the Lions will need to shackle Will Skelton when the Test series versus the Wallabies begins on July 19. “In the 11th minute, the Force drove for the line from close range. Here was the perceived threat to the touring team.
“Statistically, they have one of the best lineouts in Super Rugby. For a split second, it appeared a score was likely until the rugged Irish lock ripped his way through the heart of the drive and emerged from the maul with the ball. Psychologically, this was a huge blow against the Force. In a Wallaby team that threatens to unveil a fit and fresh Will Skelton, such warriors are required.
“McCarthy’s first-half distribution, his understanding of when to carry through the centre of the Force defence, his sheer ubiquity, was on another level… McCarthy was so good as to render the quality of the Force an irrelevance. He has played his way into the team to face the Wallabies.”
Delving further into the performance of the Lions pack, Barnes suggested that Henry Pollock will only have a cameo role to play when the Test series begins but he described Tadhg Beirne as a nailed-on starter.
“Pollock had his opportunity. In some ways he took it. The moments of magic should keep him in contention for the match-day 23 but in the Test arena, it is Josh van der Flier, the Irish open-side flanker, who possesses the experience to start against what is set to be a fine trio of Australian back row forwards with depth on the bench. Pollock’s role should only be a cameo,” he wrote.
“Tadhg Beirne, in contrast, will start. There’s experience, a rugby brain and oodles of trust as far as Farrell is concerned. The Ireland forward’s versatility as second row/blindside flanker adds the capacity to boost both the lineout and the breakdown. A combination of Maro Itoje, McCarthy, Van der Flier and Beirne balances the requirement in both the tight and the loose.”
Barnes didn’t express a preference for who should join this quartet at the back of the scrum. “Maybe it is a coincidence but on Wednesday in Brisbane, the contenders for the number eight berth, Jack Conan and the English pair of Ben Earl and Tom Curry, are all set to play key roles.”
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