It was as if Joey Carbery's career had come full circle. Five years on almost to the week since he made his Test debut as a precocious 21-year-old in helping to guide Ireland for the final 21 minutes of an historic first win over the All Blacks in Chicago, here he was replacing an injured Johnny Sexton again last Saturday for the final 16 minutes.
In Soldier Field he kicked the 76th-minute conversion of Robbie Henshaw’s try to make it a two-score game. Last Saturday, the New Zealand-born outhalf landed the third of his three pressure penalties in the 79th minute to afford Ireland the breathing space of another two-score lead against the All Blacks.
“Yeah, I think coming on to the pitch on the last day, having that in the back of my mind, knowing that we’ve all done that before was great for the team. But I think it came back more so to the preparation the team had done that week and in the weeks previous. I think we all knew what we needed to do and we executed, so yeah it was great to be on the pitch at the end there.”
If memories of Chicago imbued him with a little confidence when history repeated itself last Saturday, then his three match-clinching penalties should give him confidence, beginning with next Sunday’s concluding autumn series Test against Argentina (kick-off 2.15pm).
“Yeah, definitely. It was great for me, great for my confidence. I think getting back into rugby has been a lot harder than getting over the injury, to be honest, because you’re out for so long. If you don’t do something you get a bit rusty and I’ve felt like it has taken me a while to get back into it.
“I think I always backed myself and I think I have to always back myself. I was just thankful that I was able to get out there and show [what I can do], be able to do my job and come out on the right side of it. It was great to do that.”
It was revealing to hear him admit that regaining his form and his innate feel for the game, maybe even his confidence, took longer than he anticipated or hoped.
“Once you kinda accept it, you move on from it, just realise that everyday you can work on something, get better at something . . . I think I need to stay patient, keep working on it and get better. I just think when you’re out for a while nothing is the same as actually playing the game. You can watch training, you can do as much as you want on the laptop but it’s never the same. Just getting that amount of game time that you need is the important thing but that just takes time.”
This team’s freer brand of high-tempo, attacking rugby should suit Carbery’s talents, and a striking feature of Ireland’s performances of late has been the way other players have stepped in as first receiver.
“Yeah, it’s great. I love how our backs are capable of stepping up. You see Garry [Ringrose], James [Lowe], they are well able to step into first receiver if the 10 isn’t there. It just makes my job a lot easier. Having that continuity and players around you who understand it makes a huge difference.”
‘Credit to the boys’
Playing behind a forward unit packed with dynamic carriers and players who have the skills to be comfortable on the ball is another enjoyable aspect the way this Ireland are playing.
“Hugely. As a 10 anyway, it makes my job easier having forwards who are dynamic and getting go-forward [ball]. It’s credit to the boys, they are really carrying that at the moment.”
It was always likely that Carbery would have been given a start in this game, and that was more or less nailed on in light of Sexton’s misfortune when suffering the twisted knee and ankle injuries against the All Blacks which have sidelined him for four to six weeks.
If, as expected, it comes to pass, it will only be Carbery’s ninth start in a Test, the others having been against USA [three times], Italy [twice], Fiji, Japan and Australia.
“Hopefully. We will see how the team shapes up. Obviously if I do get the nod, it will be a great opportunity for me to put my hand up from the start of the game and see how the team goes.”
It was also likely that Carbery would start next Sunday outside his Munster halfback partner Conor Murray. And that seems pretty much certain now after Jamison Gibson-Park was also ruled out of next Sunday's game with a thigh injury in another development which will concern Leinster. The latter's Luke McGrath has been called up to the Irish squad to provide cover at scrumhalf.
