O’toole is handed a final opportunity to impress Farrell
ULSTER’S Tom O’toole will get one last chance to prove his Six Nations readiness to Ireland head coach Andy Farrell after being named in the province’s ‘A’ team for this afternoon’s friendly with Leinster ‘A’ at Kingspan Stadium (3pm kick-off ).
O’toole had been a part of Farrell’s first two Ireland panels, the wider festive get-together of 2019 and then for the 2020 Six Nations, and with first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong out injured, the Drogheda native had been in line for a first cap when that campaign was dramatically put on hold thanks to the early onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
When rugby resumed, O’toole had established himself as the province’s starting tighthead but sustained an ankle injury prior to the European quarter-final defeat to Toulouse that would ultimately keep him on the sidelines until the end of November.
Since his return, the 22-yearold has by and large remained behind Marty Moore, although got the lion’s share of the minutes against Leinster in the RDS last weekend having come off the bench in the opening minutes.
Being named on the bench for this afternoon’s second-string friendly will give him one last opportunity to get time under his belt before Farrell names his panel later this month after the suspension of the European competitions left the senior side without a fixture until the latter half of February.
While O’toole is the most established senior figure in the side, he’s surrounded by some more than familiar names who could yet combine at half-back.
Nathan Doak, no stranger to the ‘A’ side having represented the outfit for the first time during his Wallace High School days, made his full debut in the recent interpro against Munster but wears the nine jersey here. Son of former Ulster player and coach Neil Doak, he could yet line up alongside the offspring of one of his father’s former team-mates.
James Humphreys, now attending Queen’s University, will pull on the white jersey for the first time should he get off the bench, following in the footsteps of dad David, the side’s European Cup-winning captain from 1999.
Other Academy prospects on show to have already made senior outings this year are Aaron Sexton, Ben Moxham, David Mccann and Callum Reid, while the further sprinkling of more established names include Ross Kane, Marcus Rea, Gareth Milasinovich, Adam Mcburney and Bill Johnston.
Leinster,
meanwhile,
will name their team this morning.
Ulster ‘A’ team to face Leinster: A Sexton; B Moxham, H Hyde, B Carson, C Rankin; B Johnston, N Doak; G Milasinovich, A Mcburney, R Kane; C Izuchukwu, C Mcmenamin; H Sheridan, M Rea, D Mccann (capt).
Replacements: B Roberts, C Reid, T O’toole, R Crothers, J Mccormick, L Finlay, J Humphreys.
LIAM Williams has been ruled out of Wales’ Six Nations opener after being given a three-game ban for his red card in the Scarlets’ Guinness PRO14 derby defeat by Cardiff Blues.
British and Irish Lions back Williams will miss Ireland’s visit to Cardiff on February 7 following his weekend dismissal.
The 29-year-old was sent off for a dangerous entry into a ruck.