Ronan O’Gara has plenty of confidence in Joey Carbery’s ability but stressed that it won’t be easy for the out of favour out-half to get back into the Ireland squad.
Johnny Sexton, Jack Crowley and Ross Byrne have all been selected ahead of Carbery in Ireland’s Six Nations squad, despite the injury-prone out-half getting plenty of game time for Munster recently.
Carbery has been second-choice for Ireland behind Sexton when fit for a long time, although it now appears as though the 27-year-old has fallen outside of the top three in the pecking order.
O’Gara was speaking on Off The Ball and offered advice to Carbery while stressing that he has reason to be positive despite the setback.
Ronan O’Gara on Joey Carbery.
“In that position you take an awful lot of belts. It’s up to him now how he replies,” O’Gara said.
“He can control his attitude, he can control his preparation. He can’t control Crowley, he can’t control Johnny Sexton, he can’t control Ross Byrne. But that’s okay.
“If he makes a plan he’s got to understand that it won’t be plain sailing getting back to where he wants to go, but I think with his capacity and talent there’s a huge upside to him.
“He has Mike Prendergast who has huge empathy for players and I think he’ll use Joey Carbery and Jack Crowley to the best of their ability. Don’t forget for Munster it was Joey Carbery who was starting 10 so he’s had a nice vote of confidence.
“A month or six weeks ago it could have been, and we’re talking about ruthless scenarios, the same for Joey Carbery in Munster as it is for at present Keith Earls and Connor Murray where they’re left out of the 23.”
🗣”You take an awful lot of belts, it’s up to him now how he replies”
🗣”He’s got to understand that it won’t be plain sailing getting back to where he wants to go, but with his talent there’s a huge upside to him”
🏉ROG on Joey Carbery’s omission@GilletteUK #EffortlessFlow pic.twitter.com/mLn8G7PHh5
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) January 20, 2023
Good form for Munster is key.
Carbery has been trusted at out-half for Munster’s biggest games in recent months, and he has impressed as part of an attacking backline which looks to be getting more cohesive each week.
Andy Farrell has been left unconvinced apparently, although the good form of Crowley and Byrne has of course also contributed significantly to Carbery’s omission.
Munster have no shortage of big games coming up, as they are chasing a play off place in the URC and are set to qualify for the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup, so Carbery should have plenty of chances to prove his mettle.
Read More About: ireland rugby, Joey Carbery, ronan o'gara
