Springboks legend Victor Matfield has likened Ireland’s Joe McCarthy to his former team-mate, the great Bakkies Botha, after his starring role in the Six Nations.
For many years, Botha and Matfield were teammates, establishing one of the greatest lock partnerships in the history of the game.
Botha was the enforcer, but Matfield was the lineout guru and could shine in the wider channels with to his extensive skill set.
Setting the tone
He was a true legend in South African rugby because he never took a step back and frequently set the physical standard for the Springboks.
Although it occasionally resulted in disciplinary problems, McCarthy’s influence on the Boks was immense, which is why the parallel is a great complement.
Although the 23-year-old has always been highly rated, his ascent to the top has come as a surprise given that he did not start for Leinster on a regular basis the previous season.
He rose to prominence after his efforts at the Rugby World Cup, and he has since assumed a pivotal role for the province.
As a result, he played a big role in the Six Nations, starting each of Ireland’s five games as they won the championship for the second year running.
McCarthy made his special talent announcement during their opening game against France, and Matfield said he was “very surprised” by the young player’s caliber.
The Boks great remarked, “I thought who is this guy, and he stepped up when they picked him ahead of some other experienced guys.”
He performed admirably in the Six Nations. He’s constantly in your face and a great ball carrier.
“When you have a guy in your pack that you know every member of the other pack looks at, you might be considering whether to challenge him or back off. At that point, you’re really in the lead.
“No matter where we went, we always knew the other guys were thinking that when he was arriving at the ruck. That’s what we always had with Bakkies Botha.”
South Africa tour
The next major international test for McCarthy will come in July when Ireland plays a massive two-Test visit of South Africa.
For the past few years, Eben Etzebeth, the enforcer for the Springboks, has been largely recognized as the best lock in the world.
It may be a huge match as the two nations compete for the top slot, assuming neither suffers an injury.
Thus, there are a lot of things on the line for both sides in that series, and McCarthy might be essential to Andy Farrell’s team’s success in beating South Africa.
“It will be fascinating to see him here in South Africa. He’s a great asset for Ireland,” Matfield continued. “He will be an asset to that Irish pack for many years to come.”
