Ireland international opens up on special bond with Leinster teammate and younger brother

Leinster’s 23–15 win over Leicester Tigers marked just the third time Joe has ever played alongside his younger brother Paddy, a prop still finding his feet at provincial and international level. For all the caps, tours and milestones Joe has already ticked off at 24, this one hit closer to home.

“You’d dream of it as a kid,” Joe admitted afterwards. “But you never really talk about it too much because there’s a lot of work to get two players on a team with that.”

The McCarthy brothers’ rugby paths ran side by side but rarely intersected growing up. Despite both attending Blackrock College and Trinity College, the age gap meant they largely missed each other on the pitch. That’s why moments like Friday night — even the messy ones — stood out.

During a first-half scuffle, cameras caught Paddy muscling a Tigers player away from his older brother, a small but telling snapshot of their bond.

“He really spurs me on,” he said. “He’s an absolute beast and he really motivates me to play well. He’s on my back in games saying, ‘You’ve got more in you.’”

That dynamic doesn’t switch off when the final whistle blows. The brothers room together on Leinster duty, talk rugby constantly, and carry a sense of home into elite environments that can often feel impersonal.

“It definitely draws on me having him there,” Joe said. “We room together like we’re at home. It’s great. I love it.”

What impresses Joe most, though, is Paddy’s composure. While Joe admits to feeling nerves before major occasions — first caps, clashes with South Africa — his younger brother seems wired differently.

“He’s not really phased by any of it,” Joe said. “Before big games he’s just talking about smashing a few lads, doing a few scrums on the ground. I’d like to have his mindset sometimes.”

Paddy’s rise is still in its early chapters, with only a handful of Leinster and Ireland appearances to date, but Joe believes he belongs — and hopes this won’t be their last shared outing.

“I hope he gets a few more opportunities,” he said.