‘It’ll Be A Huge Privilege To Lead The Team Out’ – McCarthy
Éanna McCarthy usually lets his rugby do the talking, but the newly-appointed Ireland Under-20 Men’s captain is sure to grow as a strong voice and leader within the group across the 2025 U-20 Men’s Six Nations Championship.
The Cork-born Connacht Academy forward is a highly-rated back rower, captaining the Munster Under-19s last season on the back of leading CBC Cork in the Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2023.
He impressed during the Ireland Under-19s’ two clashes with France last Easter, scoring a try in both games, including burrowing over for the match winner in a 19-10 victory at St. Mary’s College RFC.
McCarthy also gained valuable experience with UCC in the Energia All-Ireland League, before being part of the Connacht Academy’s year 1 intake announced in August. His development has continued in the colours of Connacht Eagles and Galwegians.
Taking a break from preparations for Ireland’s U-20 Six Nations opener against England, he revealed how he found out about his selection as captain and what it will mean to him to lead the team for the tournament.
“I’m delighted, it’s a huge honour for me and my family,” he told Virgin Media Sport. “I got the phonecall a couple of weeks back, I was on the way in to Connacht training. Neil (Doak) rang me.
“I was delighted by that. To captain my country, it’s a dream when you’re a young fella and not many get to do it, so I’m happy out. I suppose I’m not much of a talker, more lead by example. That was always the way I led.
“Captaining my school and Munster at underage, they all stand by you and that bit of experience is no harm either. It’s good for me to push on with the Ireland team.
“It was a big dream of mine to play for Ireland, never mind captaining the team. Being captain it’s going to be a huge privilege to lead the team out, especially against England on the 30th. I’m looking forward to it.”
McCarthy will be back where it all began for him when he leads Ireland into battle against England, the defending U-20 Six Nations champions. Thursday night’s opening fixture takes place at Virgin Media Park, the ground that Dolphin RFC call home.
His rugby journey started at Dolphin at the age of just five, when Dan McCarthy brought his two young sons from Ballygarvan to join the club. It is clear that Dolphin, and the people involved, will always hold a special place in Éanna’s heart.
“I had Kevin Cashman as a coach for three or four years, and then Trevor O’Sullivan and lads like that. There’s a lot owed to them. I’m happy I started out there, Dolphin was a good club to start with.
“I’ll never forget it. I was there (at Virgin Media Park), at about five or six, my brother was training and I was there watching him train. Walking the pitch with him. It will be nice to be back there now wearing the Irish jersey.”
The 19-year-old clearly revels in the physicality of the game, and has shown his ability to play across the back row – lining out on the blindside for the Munster U-19s – and even in the second row. He stepped in at lock for Connacht Eagles against Leinster ‘A’ in November.
Better known as a number 8, he recovered from a neck injury to captain the Ireland Under-20s in their final warm-up match against a Leinster Development team. Doak’s youngsters won 31-24 in an eight-try thriller at Energia Park.
McCarthy has no doubt been getting some advice from his housemate and Connacht Academy colleague, Finn Treacy, who was a key member of last season’s Ireland U-20 squad and a senior debutant for Connacht just last Sunday.
Some of Treacy’s Ireland U-20 team-mates are back for a second season at this age level, with Alex Usanov, Alan Spicer, Mikey Yarr, Billy Corrigan, and Henry Walker (pictured below) all bringing experience from 2024. Scrum half Will Wootton was also part of last year’s extended squad.
Speaking about his move to Connacht and the number of leaders surrounding him in the Ireland U-20 set-up, McCarthy explained: “I played age-grade with Munster all the way up, and the opportunity kind of arose to go to the Connacht Academy this year.
“It’s good. All the lads up there are very helpful and obliging, they made it a lot easier for me. And with Ireland, there’s lot of leaders on the team. Captain is only a label at the end of the day.
Those lads (who were involved last year) hopefully will be able to step up and kind of lead us through it as well. We’re gelling together now as a team.
“We’ve been in camp last week and this week. The two warm-ups (against Italy and Leinster), they were two very physical games, and I think we’re in the right place at the right time heading into the Six Nations.
“There’s a few work-ons but we should be fine. There’s enough talent in the team to push on and put it up to any team in the Six Nations.”
McCarthy is happy to working with new Ireland U-20 head coach Doak again, having first come across him two years ago with the Ireland Under-18 Schools squad. The former Ulster and Ireland scrum half was the U-18 side’s attack coach in 2023.
All of this U-20 group’s focus is on putting their best foot forward against England on Thursday (kick-off 7.45pm). Limited tickets are available to purchase online here or at Virgin Media Park on Thursday. There will be live TV coverage on Virgin Media Two and the BBC iPlayer.
“It’s a tough game to start off with but it’s nice to have it at home in Cork. It will be a packed-out Virgin Media Park.
“We’re all looking forward to it now and hopefully we get a result out of it. We have to progress every game and take each week as it comes,” added McCarthy.