Necessity being the mother of invention, so it was that the absence of four loosehead props led to Tom O’Toole being given his first Test start with the number one jersey on his back against Wales in what was also his full Six Nations debut. The 27-year-old did more than fine, too.
He described the week as “phenomenal” and although he lamented the slight knock-on that “wasn’t the best for me” and got an 11th-minute “try” by Jack Conan ruled out, he could at least reflect on an Irish win and a strong 63-minute effort. O’Toole made 10 tackles and eight carries, won a turnover and, most of all, put his shoulder to the wheel at scrum time, where he won a couple of penalties.
Ireland beat a dogged Wales side under the lights at the Aviva
“For me, it’s just kind of building confidence throughout the week. ‘Fogs’ has been really good with me,” said O’Toole in reference to scrum coach John Fogarty. “When you have the confidence of Rónan [Kelleher], a Lion, Tadhg [Furlong], a Lion, guys around you that can help you so much, for me it kind of feels like: ‘Okay, that’s brilliant’.”
The idea of playing in a new position was first planted in O’Toole’s mind when Andy Farrell, who has long since believed he could make the transition from tighthead, had him covering Andrw Porter in the November 2024 win over Fiji, when he played the final 33 minutes at loosehead.
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“The Fiji game was a really good learning for me,” says O’Toole. “I think I gave away a couple of penalties but it was a good learning. We got a good couple of successful scrums as well. But it’s something I definitely wanted to show I’m capable of. I had belief in myself that I could do it, and the right people around me had belief in me as well. It was certainly pleasing to get that confidence from the head coach and from John Fogarty.
“When I got the taste of it, it’s something I had in the back of my mind that I’ll just keep chipping away with it and just keep it in the back-locker. I’m glad I’ve done that work over the last couple years because I’ve obviously been given an opportunity now.”
In training with Ulster, he says, “I’ve switched over multiple times throughout the last couple of years”. But the last time he actually played there was when moving from tighthead for the last 25 minutes of the defeat away to Benetton in February of last year.
Ulster’s acquisition of Angus Bell may limit O’Toole’s game time at loosehead, but the Wallaby has also been an invaluable mentor to O’Toole, who was born in Drogheda and came through the Queensland rugby pathway before joining the Ulster academy at 19.
“Angus has been great since coming in. He’s a 50-cap Wallaby. He’s renowned for a lot of his open play, which is world class, but he’s a good, set-piece scrummager as well.
“Traditionally, I’ll be playing tighthead and he’ll be playing loosehead at Ulster. But it’s been great to be able to chat with him, especially over the last few weeks, giving him a call, just kind of see what he thinks as well. He’s a really good guy and helped me a lot throughout the process. He’s been a really good friend as well over the last few months. He’s just delighted to see me go well.”
Last Friday was, probably, the start of the payback.
“Up there,” he said smiling, when ranking it in a career highlight. “It was a long old day waiting for it to come around compared to the last two games, which have been [at] 2.10pm. It was phenomenal. Just delighted to get the win. And for Doaky [Nathan Doak], getting his first cap, and Jaimo [Jamison Gibson-Park], who’s been an unbelievable part of our squad; 50 caps.
“They’re just two quality guys. Doaky getting 100 caps for Ulster and getting his first opportunity with Ireland. I was so pleased to see him come on early. It was great to see Jaimo come back on and it’s good to see both have a really nice day and get the win for those two.”
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