Dargaville-raised Joey Carbery, right, with Jonathan Sexton celebrating Ireland's win over the All Blacks at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Photo / Gettys
Dargaville-raised Joey Carbery, right, with Jonathan Sexton celebrating Ireland's win over the All Blacks at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Photo / Gettys
A mixture of excitement and worry gripped musician Joe Carbery as his grandson lined up a crucial penalty for Ireland in their win over the All Blacks over the weekend.
Replacement first five Joey Carbery came off the bench to slot three crucial late penalties – including a monster kickfrom halfway — in a frenetic match at Aviva Stadium in Dublin where the visitors could not match the hosts for sheer physical impact and muscularity.
The 29-20 win was Ireland's third against the All Blacks in the last five years and the home side featured four New Zealand-born players in Carbery, former Chiefs and Maori All Blacks winger James Lowe, ex-Chiefs centre Bundee Aki, and Jamison Gibson-Park, who over the years featured for the Blues and Hurricanes.
Joe Carbery, a long-time Dargaville resident who now lives in Auckland, said to see his grandson given the task of kicking a penalty in front of 51,000 spectators was worrying.
"I was hoping he does well. It's a mental thing, it comes down to pressure. Even professional golfers miss a three-foot putt. I knew he was perfectly capable of nailing the kick but he's coming back from injury, coming off the bench, and 51,000 people are watching.
"It was a mixture of excitement and also a worry. One of my sisters in Ireland sent me a photo of her head buried in her hands when Joey lined up the kick. Obviously I am delighted to see him doing so well in rugby."
Joey Carbery was born in Auckland but moved to Dargaville when he was just one. He moved to Ireland when he was 10 with dad Joey and mum Amanda, who is from the Irish town of Athy.
Granddad Joe Carbery was born in Ireland and moved to New Zealand 50 years ago. He didn't think Ireland would win.
"It was their calmness and confidence that surprised me. I was afraid they'd resort to kicking the ball away, which is the last thing you'd want to do against the All Blacks."
The musician sees his grandson owning the No 10 jersey for Ireland.
"He's a New Zealand first-five. If he reminds me of any player, it's (All Blacks first-five) Richie Mo'unga. Even Gibson-Park brings New Zealand quickness to the game."
Joe Carbery said he has not spoken to Joey but it was his dad he normally chatted with over the phone.
Joe Carbery is delighted to see grandson Joey Carbery doing so well for Ireland in rugby.
Photo / Supplied
Normally, he said he supported the All Blacks but if they played Ireland, his heart was with his motherland.
"Ireland is my mother, New Zealand is my wife, and the mother always comes first. That's the analogy I'd use," he said.
Joey Carbery played in all three Ireland wins against the men in black. Back in 2016, he landed a conversion that helped Ireland beat the men in black for the first time in 111 years.
Last weekend, the men in green stuck at it with an indomitable will and a stubborn refusal to let the match slip and capped off a performance of unrelenting intensity and equal bravery.
The All Blacks were forced to contend with 39 per cent possession, 33 per cent territory and make 238 tackles - 137 more than Ireland. Ireland's dominance is revealed most, however, in the eight minutes they spent in the All Blacks' 22 compared to 37 seconds Foster's men enjoyed.
Defensively, the All Blacks displayed heart to stoically defend their line for long periods in the first half but they eventually cracked to concede three tries.
