Tom O’Toole: After World Cup I need to take career to next level for Ulster and Ireland

Ninety appearances later, not to mention 12 Ireland caps that now encompass a Six Nations Grand Slam and playing at a World Cup, this time he faces Edinburgh again feeling as if his career is at another important juncture.

“Six years, wow,” he reflected. “It doesn’t feel that long ago since I made my debut.

“It was a hugely exciting time for me. Jono Gibbes was the coach that gave me my opportunity and I will always be grateful for that.

“I think it has been a crazy journey for me so far and I feel I need to take my career and development to the next stage now and I feel really comfortable with that.

“It takes a while. Especially for front row guys, (you have) to develop naturally your own strength in your neck and some of the physical things that you have to be patient with.

“But the more you play, the more exposure you get, the more experiences that you come across and the more confidence you have in yourself to perform at that level which is important.

“It has been a really good six years. But I’m 25 now and I feel that I’m at a good stage of my career and my development.

“I feel that I’m in a good place to crack on.”

Game-time will likely be the first goal. Both at the World Cup just gone, where he appeared once from the bench against Romania, and through a largely injury-interrupted 2023, the Ulster Academy graduate hasn’t taken the field with the regularity he desires.

Indeed, while he notably came from the bench in all five of Ireland’s games during the Grand Slam, this evening at Ravenhill will represent just a sixth start in white or green of this calendar year.

His comeback from the World Cup was derailed after one game. He would play the full 80 against the Bulls at the end of October but then be told there was an opportunity to have required groin surgery the next week.

While there was talk of putting it off to the summer, it was decided it would be best not to delay. In the end, he would miss just three games and, although frustrating given his desire to kick on upon his Ravenhill return, he now sees the benefits of the chosen timeline.

“I came back from the World Cup with that appetite, wanting to get back in, wanting more for myself and wanting to push on with my career,” he said.

“I was pretty keen to get back and involved but then, getting scanned and looking back on it, the medical advice was just to get something done.

“It wasn’t a major procedure, just a little clean up then it would be good, and I am glad it is done.

“It was disappointing, obviously. I knew it was not great timing.

“We had a talk as an organisation, the staff, the coaches and me.

“It was probably better to get it done earlier in the season rather than try and go on throughout the year and push something that could potentially harm me later on and not be there for the mid to late season.

“It was a big decision to make. I was told that I was going to be out for four to six weeks and came back in three and a half so it was quicker than what they were hoping for.

“It was brilliant for me to be able to get back early, it was a month since I’d played but it just needed to be done.

“I’m glad it is done now and it’s behind me and I can crack on with the end of the season.”

Having been with Ireland during Ulster’s pre-season, O’Toole returned to a squad with a different age demographic to the one he left when last season concluded. Seven youngsters have been given their debut by Dan McFarland in recent weeks with those like O’Toole suddenly seeming more senior.

While it remains the earliest of days for the likes of Rueben Crothers, Scott Wilson and tonight’s starting No.8 James McNabney, the period can be viewed as somewhat similar to when O’Toole, James Hume, Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune and Eric O’Sullivan all came into the senior squad in relatively quick succession.

“Our squad has got a bit smaller from last year and there are a lot of faces that have left,” O’Toole said. “Because you are training with and against (the Academy) during the week, you always knew the quality was there.

“They must have had a hell of a pre-season because they are in good shape and they are strong.

“There are learnings and experiences that naturally come from playing in the professional game, that you learn along the way, but they are certainly athletic and they can hold their own.”

Part of what O’Toole sees as the next step now includes something of a mentoring role like the one filled by Iain Henderson and Rob Herring when he broke through and that continues to this day.

“I have had a lot of exposure and a lot of help over the last few years and I feel that I’m in a good place to crack on and hopefully help some of the guys coming through,” he added.

“When you have so many young guys coming through I think you have to take more of a mature role. Some of the guys that have been here, Duane (Vermeulen), Marcell (Coetzee), they were big characters that helped me in my career coming through.

“Now it is time for me to do it with some of the younger guys as Hendy and some of the older guys like Rob Herring y would still do with me.”

“Guys like that would still help me and still help the young guys, there is still plenty for me to develop and learn.

“It definitely feels like that bit of a natural transition now in terms of the dynamic of the group, in terms of age.

“There is myself, Mikey, James, Rob Baloucoune, a lot kind of came through at the same stage and they have been three or four years playing consistently.

“It is a new group coming through. They are really talented, really young and eager to work hard which is great and they are really dedicated.

“It is trying to help them and make them feel comfortable so they can perform to their best out there.”