Nations Championship: Nick Timoney 'grateful' for Ireland opportunities

Ireland forward Nick Timoney says the patience he needed to show before becoming a regular part of Andy Farrell's matchday squads has made him more appreciative of his appearances in the green shirt.

Speaking to Gavin Andrews on BBC Sport NI's Ireland Rugby Social , external podcast, the Ulster back row explains that he thought he may never get the chance to prove himself on the international stage and is now relishing the prospect of trying to pin down a starting berth.

Timoney made his Ireland bow in a summer Test against the USA in 2021, being handed a chance to impress while others were on duty with the British and Irish Lions in South Africa.

Since then, the 31-year-old was habitually part of Farrell's extended squads but added only two caps to his tally in the subsequent four years, coming off the bench against Argentina a few months after his debut, and then scoring two tries against Fiji in November 2022.

An embarrassment of riches in the ultra-competitive back row positions meant he had to wait the bulk of three years for his next appearance, a summer tour victory over Georgia in 2025, followed by his fifth cap against Japan last autumn.

Something of a breakthrough year in 2026 has seen him feature in all nine of Ireland's games to date across the Six Nations and the Nations Championship, three as a starter and six as a replacement.

"It felt like a long time waiting for the chances I've gotten loads of now in the last 12 months," said Timoney.

"You feel like you're ready to take them but if they don't come it's hard to know and obviously the coaches have seen progression in me to some extent to start picking me.

"I'm grateful for it and trying not to think too big picture about it but it's certainly been a lot of fun and a great privilege as well, I'm very lucky to have been given the chance."

Ireland's Jansen ruled out of Fiji and Bok games

Ireland going from strength to strength - Murray

Six tries and a big win - but were Ireland ruthless?

If you get a chance, you want to take it'

The consistent presence of the likes of back row regulars Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan and the now-retired Peter O'Mahony led to Timoney's opportunities being limited following his debut.

"When you're getting past 30 in rugby, it's not that you're finished...[Stuart] McCloskey is the shining example of that not being the case, that your bed's not totally made by the time you get to your later years in your career.

"It's certainly easy to think at 28 or 29 you're not really breaking through, it's not really going anywhere or felt like that maybe the chances don't come but luckily for me they have come and it's a testament to the coaches and whole set-up of Irish rugby that the door's not closed."

Timoney adds that he believes the waiting has made him savour his more regular involvement in recent times, including a starting role in Friday's win over Argentina.

"Before I'd have been desperate to get out there. It still is the be-all-and-end-all but you're better equipped...you've had brief glimpses and have also felt that it might not be coming back so going into games just feeling grateful and happy to be there and excited for the opportunity is the best way to do it and not just overcome by the pressure of it all but just enjoy the moments.

"If you do that, you'll play better so that's what I've been trying to do."

The challenge for Timoney now is to keep hold of the shirt, with a coveted place in the starting side for the much anticipated encounter with South Africa on 21 November likely to come down to a straight choice between him and former world player of the year Van der Flier.

First up though is a meeting with Fiji in Dublin on Saturday as the Irish target a fourth win from five games in the inaugural edition of the Nations Championship.

"There are good back rowers in my position, there's very good back rowers. That's always the plan - if you get a chance, you want to take it and give a good enough account of yourself that you get another chance.

"Fingers crossed I do this week but you never know. In the same way you wouldn't have expected to start last week. I wouldn't have expected to before so there's never assumptions to be made, you never come in thinking 'I'm a banker to play this week'.

"Fingers crossed I get another chance but it's very much one day at a time."