Irish fans breathed a sigh of relief as Joe McCarthy insisted he has no intention of following in the footsteps of Louis Rees-Zammit and pursuing an NFL career despite his love for the sport.
The 23-year-old Welsh winger shocked the rugby world last month when he announced he was leaving the national XV to pursue a career in American football.
Rees-Zammit is a big fan of the NFL, as is Irish forward McCarthy, who performed admirably in the opening game of the Six Nations.
2 starts at 2
His consistent performances at Leinster have ensured that he will be given the starting jersey for Andy Farrell’s team in the second row, and he looks set to have a long international career.
But McCarthy, who was born in New York and has ties to the United States, admitted that the Super Bowl had just been held in Las Vegas and that he is a big NFL fan.
The 22-year-old attended Sunday’s game where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime and revealed his love for the sport, especially the defensive side of it.
“I love the defensive side of the game, maybe even more than the attacking one,” he said as Ireland and the other Six Nations teams enjoyed a welcome week’s rest. .
“They say defense wins championships, so that’s a good thing.
“I love coming off the line, I love putting pressure on the team, I love giving them ‘man and ball’, I love getting into the ruck. I like watching NFL defensive players and I like seeing what they’re doing.
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“Right now, I like Maxx Crosby of the (Las Vegas) Raiders. I liked the way J.J. Watt (former Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals defensive end) played. He was a beast, or He was a beast, now retired.
“I don’t think I’ll be moving to the NFL anytime soon. I’ll continue playing rugby.”
McCarthy, who was part of Ireland’s squad for last year’s Rugby World Cup, admits he has moved up the ranks in the squad in 2024, which has led to increased scrutiny.
“I feel like there’s a lot more attention on the Six Nations than there is on club matches,” he said.
great opportunity
“That’s good, I’m getting a lot of great mentions. I’m trying to block it out and just get back to the process.
“I felt like I was ready to play at that stage (2023 Six Nations) but then I missed a few months with an ankle injury.
“I’m very happy to have the opportunity now and I’m looking forward to it.”
Farrell’s side currently lead the Six Nations with 10 points from two games and will return to action against Wales in Dublin next Saturday.
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