Carty’s out in the cold
ON the face of it, most people within IRFU circles will feel Connacht did reasonably well out this week’s Six Nations squad announcement. Among the 36 players named by Andy Farrell on Monday were Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Dave Heffernan and Bundee Aki. Four players, from the province ranked fourth in the pecking order, probably seems quite fair to those without any vested interest in the region.
Yet dig a little deeper and you can find plenty of reason for malcontent among those who follow the game in Connacht. Numerous players have been cast aside with little justification and others are being consistently overlooked. When you also note how many players Farrell has picked in his current squad who are struggling for form or not even fully fit, the picture becomes more complete.
Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion and Finlay Bealham are the stand out omissions but the form of Gavin Thornbury, Denis Buckley, Paul Boyle, Eoghan Masterson and Alex Wootton probably had a case for consideration too. They certainly can feel unlucky for having missed out Ireland’s six test matches last November.
At the forefront of those who can feel frustrated is Carty. The 28-year-old made his international debut just over two years ago in the Six Nations against Italy. It has been a rollercoaster ride since with the high point coming when he was included in the World Cup squad the following Autumn. He earned his tenth and most recent cap in the final pool game against Russia and while he has been involved with squads, he hasn’t been capped since.
Coming from outside the traditional route for number 10s who wear the Ireland jersey, Carty’s performances have been scrutinised by national pundits in a very different way than those of players with Leinster or Munster backgrounds. That certainly hasn’t helped his case in subsequent season. Yet all the while he has toiled away in the green of Connacht producing top performances in big games. The recent win over Leinster at the RDS was a fine example.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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