Joe McCarthy insists Leinster are ready and waiting for a backlash from Leicester in Champions Cup clash
JOE McCARTHY declared Leinster are prepared for a backlash from Leicester Tigers tomorrow.
While Leo Cullen’s side cruised to a bonus-point win over Stade Francais at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday to book a spot in the knockout phase of the Champions Cup with a game to spare.
Leicester went down 45-12 to defending champions La Rochelle.
Still, tomorrow’s Welford Road hosts had already beaten the Stormers and Stade in Pool 4 and, given their rich European pedigree, McCarthy and Co are wary of what the Tigers can bring to the table.
The 22-year-old said: “I would have known from when I was younger they were a very successful club.
“I remember watching loads of clips when I was a kid, down at Leinster watching Leicester. Obviously Leo Cullen was a player there, won the Premiership with them.
“They will definitely be hurting after that last loss and there will be a big reaction.
“They are definitely a team that are very proud of their history so I am sure they will be all guns blazing on us.”
TIGER CHALLENGE
Leinster’s most recent visit to Welford Road in May 2022 — a 23-14 Champions Cup quarter-final win — was a special one for McCarthy.
He only enjoyed a four-minute cameo off the bench but it was his first appearance in Europe.
The Leinster lock recalled: “I was quite nervous for the game because it was a very good squad. I suppose it’s a good experience for now.
“The away changing rooms are kind of like a shoebox over there.
“I got that whole experience, the crowd is hostile, all the prep, the atmosphere and feel of it, it probably sets us up well hopefully for this weekend.”
Despite only making eight appearances in total for Leinster during the 2022/23 campaign, McCarthy made it into the Ireland squad for last year’s World Cup in France.
And after scoring a try as a starter in the opening pool game against Romania, he also featured as a replacement in the agonising quarter-final defeat to New Zealand.
Since returning from France, McCarthy has enjoyed a consistent run for Leinster, starting seven times and also playing the second half of the win at home to Sale Sharks in European competition.
And he was again in the Ireland squad named this week by Andy Farrell for the Six Nations.
Now, thanks to the exposure he has had in the past few months, he believes he will enter the international window as a better player.
McCarthy added: “Getting to play a lot is amazing. Every week I feel I’m building more confidence and improving.
“I think everyone feels a lot better once you get a good run of games. It’s really the key.
“I’d say I probably learned a lot of things from the World Cup pre-season camp.
“I’ve definitely improved as a player. I feel like I’ve gone up another level. I’ve got a good run of games now so it has definitely helped me.”