There’s a glint in Joe McCarthy’s eye as he mentions Paul O’Connell’s now famed maul training sessions during which the intensity ramps up and the shackles are released.
Mindful of the fact that New Zealand have two games against Japan and England under their belt coming into Friday’s clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, one of the biggest tasks facing Andy Farrell is to ensure they blow off the cobwebs quickly.
That’s where Ireland’s new head of athletic performance Aled Walters comes in, as he looks to make a big impact in what is his first camp since leaving the England setup.
Ireland pride themselves on the quality of their training, with O’Connell’s work with the forwards designed to prepare the players for a physical onslaught against an All Blacks side who have played an entire Rugby Championship campaign, as well as the recent wins over Japan and England since Farrells’s men were last in action.
Not that Ireland will see that as a major disadvantage or rather they won’t be looking to use it as an excuse this week, as McCarthy outlined.
“It’s an interesting one whether it’s better to be battle-hardened going into a game or be fresh. A lot of our guys have played a lot of games in the URC, which is quite competitive,” he said
“We pride ourselves as a group on being able to come together as fast as possible. We don’t make any excuses. Even if it’s the first game up, we don’t ease ourselves into it. We expect to hit the ground running. We don’t have any excuse for not being cohesive because it’s our first game.
“It’s great to be over in Portugal. We have put in some seriously good sessions — they have been tasty enough. The sessions we have had here prepare you super well for a game — Paulie’s maul sessions and the attack on top of that usually gets you fairly well ready.”
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No longer the new kid on the block, McCarthy is feeling much more at home in the Ireland setup, as he adjusts to life as a marked man in terms of the opposition’s analysis.
“I suppose every player feels like you always have to keep evolving your game,” he maintained. “There’s a quote: ‘What gets you here won’t get you there’,” he said.
“You’re always trying to add simple things because the same things won’t always work. Teams will scout you, what you’re doing in the lineout, maybe if you’re carrying well you’ll have a few more double shots, you notice that.
“You’re always trying to add bits to your game, and little extra areas where you can add a difference. You see another guy in the team, with loads of world-class players who are great in all different aspects of the game. Trying to learn from them, always evolving.
“I’d say defensively (is a big focus), just getting shots in, trying to derail players, getting good entries. That’s one area I’m working on, but you’re always tipping away at everything.”
The All Blacks’ engine room may have a very different look to it since legendary pair Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock retired, but with the likes of Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i and Patrick Tuipulotu now on deck, it presents different challenges to McCarthy and his fellow Irish second-rows.
“Retallick and Whitelock had been stalwarts in their team for years, but I think there is a new breed of second-rows coming through, and I’m sure they are excited,” McCarthy said.
“They are very dynamic, real good athletes, so it will be a big challenge I’m sure. I played a couple of New Zealand teams — the Maoris — and once against the All Blacks before. The physicality is definitely there.
“I feel like mentally you have to be quite switched on. They’re dangerous in every aspect. If you leave a short side they’ll whip back down there, or quick lineout throws. It’s going to be a very physical game, no doubt, but you’re almost mentally fatigued, because you’re trying to switch on even when you’re wrecked.
“That’s one of the biggest differences. You’re always on, ready for anything like quick taps or quick throws. They’ll see space and take it.
“We’ve had a good track record the last few years, we’ve earned the right to have a bit of confidence going into games.
“There’s nerves in big Test matches, but we’re confident in what we can do.”