There's been a lot of hype around Joe McCarthy in the last few months - or Big Joe McCarthy to use what is seemingly now his full name - but the 22-year-old's performance in Ireland's 38-17 win away to France on Friday night showed that the hype is real.
On his first Guinness Six Nations appearance, the Leinster second row stole the show at Stade Velodrome as he picked up the Player of the Match award, showing the kind of appetite for physicality to fill his 6ft 6in frame.
With nine carries for 29 metres, he consistently gave Ireland the front-foot ball they needed to launch their attack, while he also logged nine tackles on defence, including one memorable cruncher on Greg Alldritt that floored the French captain.
The lock was also busy doing the dirty work, hitting 23 rucks in a relentless 68-minute display.
His ascension to the Irish starting team has been rapid.
Friday's win in Marseille was his sixth Irish cap, just over two years to the day since his Leinster debut.
However, the Dublin native is still regarded as something of a late bloomer, having spoken at length already about how it wasn't until his late teens that he even broke into his school's first team at Blackrock College.
And speaking in the Velodrome shortly after Ireland's record away win against the French, he said that journey made it extra special.
"I suppose, I never really started in school growing up so it's kind of cool to look back at the Junior 4ths teams, and things like that," he said.
"Definitely a lot of people would never have thought I'd get to this spot. It's cool, but I just need to keep looking forward, there's plenty more to do."
Being handed a Six Nations start was a big step for the Leinster man, but there was significance to the selection too, with head coach Andy Farrell preferring him to the experience of James Ryan.
But McCarthy was deserving of his opportunity off the back of some exceptional performances for his province in recent months, with his confrontational style catching the eye in big games against Munster and Leicester Tigers.
And he says that attritional style doesn't just click on and off on matchday.
"You kind of have to prepare a good bit during the week. You're doing mental reps, and it feels like a long time leading into the game, the whole day to think with a nine o'clock kick-off.
"You take a few periods in the week to mentally get to that place, but I kind of like playing aggressively and flying around the place.
"There was obviously a lot of distraction, the atmosphere is crazy, it's hard to hear yourself think in these games.
"I was thinking all week, I was quite nervous in the week because it was a big opportunity, playing my first Six Nations game. I just kept going back to the process, and loads of great second rows giving me help in the camp. I just kept going back to my process and my detail.
"The place was rocking. Again you're trying not to get overhyped, because I've definitely had games before where you're too jizzed up and you might start off a bit off, so I was trying to chill as much as I could and keep the heart-rate down."
His second row partner Tadhg Beirne was particularly impressed.
"He certainly was 'Big Joe' out there," the lock said.
"He was physical, he did exactly what everyone was hoping that he would do and everything that we expected him to do. He does it in training, he's so athletic and credit to him.
"What a first start in the Six Nations for Joe. There's a lot more to come from him for sure."
Watching McCarthy on from the stands were his parents Joe and Paula, as well as his brother Andrew, whose fame is rising just as fast as the Ireland second row.
Andrew's become part of the furniture at Leinster, having been installed as the province's 'Culture Captain' this season.
And the pair shared a special moment together after the game, as he handed over his Player of the Match award to his brother for safekeeping.
"It was hard to miss him there, he was looking like a leprechaun in the crowd, a big Irish blazer," he laughed.
"It was good to see the family after the game, it was special."
