Latest news with #NathanDoak
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Casey captain as Ireland pick 11 uncapped players
Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak is one of 11 uncapped players named in Ireland's squad for July's matches with Georgia and Portugal. The inclusion of 15 Ireland internationals in Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad has opened the door for Ireland hopefuls. Paul O'Connell will lead Ireland in the absence of Lions coaches Farrell and Simon Easterby, and Munster scrum-half Craig Casey, 26, is set to captain the team for the first Ahern, Michael Milne, Shayne Bolton, Ben Murphy and Tommy O'Brien have all had experience in the senior environment but have yet to be capped at that level. Alex Kendellen, Darragh Murray, Paddy McCarthy, Stephen Smyth and Hugh Gavin are the other potential debutants and have earned call-ups after impressing in the United Rugby Championship and the Emerging Ireland squad, which toured South Africa in September. After missing out on Lions selection, Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast are set to battle it out for the staring fly-half jersey for is the youthful nature of Ireland's 32-strong squad, prop Finlay Bealham and centre Stuart McCloskey are the only players included over the age of and Doak join team-mates join prop Tom O'Toole, hooker Tom Stewart, versatile forward Cormac Izuchukwu, back row Nick Timoney and wing Jacob Stockdale in the Ulster trio of James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward have been included as training panellists, but hooker Rob Herring and second row Iain Henderson have not been named as they have recently returned from centre Robbie Henshaw has missed out of selection after being sidelined through injury. O'Connell, who won 108 Ireland caps as a player, said the tour "presents an opportunity" for fringe players to impress the coaching set-up."I believe we have a strong blend of youth and experience for what will be a trip into relatively uncharted territories this July," he said."A number of players have been really close to selection in recent times and it's important that everyone grasps the challenge that's ahead of them.""Every moment on the training field and across the two-match Series will count and there's a great opportunity for players to step up and impress."O'Connell added that Georgia have made "great strides" in recent years and he is expecting "another tough test" with Portugal, who Ireland will face for the first added that scrum-half Casey "is a real leader" and warranted his selection as captain for the tour. "He is a real leader with a strong personality and it is a huge personal honour for him," O'Connell added."It's an opportunity that I know he will relish over the coming weeks." Ireland squad and fixtures Forwards: Tom Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Max Deegan (Leinster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Alex Kendellen (Munster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Darragh Murray (Connacht), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Stephen Smyth (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster).Backs: Shayne Bolton (Connacht), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Connacht), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Ben Murphy (Connacht), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Tommy O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).Training panellists: James McNabney (Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Zac Ward (Ulster).FixturesSaturday, 5 July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 18:00 BST)Saturday, 12 July: Portugal v Ireland, Estadio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 19:00 BST)
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ulster 'devastated' to miss URC play-offs
Nathan Doak says Ulster's players are "devastated" after missing out on the United Rugby Championship play-offs and a place in next season's Investec Champions Cup. Ulster's hopes of securing a URC play-off spot were ended by last Friday's defeat by Munster at Thomond Park as the Irish province also dropped to the second-tier Challenge Cup competition in Europe for next season. "There is a lot of hurt in the camp but we know we've got to turn up this week," said scrum-half Doak, 23, who was speaking after the team resumed training for Friday's away contest against a 10th-placed Edinburgh side who need a victory to maintain their play-off hopes. Doak said that skipper Iain Henderson urged the squad on Tuesday to deliver a performance for the group of Ulster players departing the club at the end of this campaign. Ireland internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell are among those exiting the Irish province along with Alan O'Connor, Andy Warwick, Matty Rea, Reuben Crothers, Corrie Barrett and Michael McDonald. "Hendy actually asked us all what it meant to play this week," added Doak. "There are guys that are leaving who mean an awful lot to us so there is a lot for us to play in terms of personal pride. There is definitely full focus on trying to go over there and win and make it a last special appearance for the boys that are leaving." Doak added that his fellow scrum-half Cooney had spoken to him at Tuesday's training session. "He came up to me today and said 'this is our final week together' which is probably the first time it hit me that we'll not be having him running round the place [any more]. "He's a great friend and he'll be sorely missed not just by me but by everyone round here." Despite a hugely disappointing campaign, Doak appealed to Ulster's fans to continue to back the team. "We'll be back. I've no doubt about that," he said. "We'll work as hard as we can to make sure that next year we're not in this position and that we get some play-off rugby again."
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ulster 'devastated' to miss URC play-offs
Nathan Doak says Ulster's players are "devastated" after missing out on the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs and a place in next season's European Champions hopes of securing a URC play-offs spot were ended by last Friday's defeat by Munster at Thomond Park as the Irish province also dropped to the second-tier Challenge Cup competition in Europe for next season."There is a lot of hurt in the camp but we know we've got to turn up this week," said scrum-half Doak, 23, who was speaking after the team resumed training for Friday's away contest against a 10th-placed Edinburgh side who need a victory to maintain their play-off revealed that skipper Iain Henderson urged the squad on Tuesday to deliver a performance for the group of Ulster players departing the club at the end of this internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell are among the players exiting from the Irish province along with Alan O'Connor, Andy Warwick, Matty Rea, Reuben Crothers, Corrie Barrett and Michael McDonald."Hendy actually asked us all what it meant to play this week," added Doak."There are guys that are leaving who mean an awful lot to us so there is a lot for us to play in terms of personal is definitely full focus on trying to go over there and win and make it a last special appearance for the boys that are leaving."Doak added that his fellow scrum-half Cooney had spoken to him at Tuesday's training session."He came up to me today and said 'this is our final week together' which is probably the first time it hit me that we'll not be having him running round the place [anymore]. "He's a great friend and he'll be sorely missed not just by me but by everyone round here."Despite a hugely disappointing campaign, Doak appealed to Ulster's fans to continue to back the team."We'll be back. I've no doubt about that. "We'll work as hard as we can to make sure that next year we're not in this position and that we get some play-off rugby again."
The 42
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Ulster pipped by Sharks at the death in blow to URC play-off hopes
Ulster 19 Sharks 22 DESPITE CONSTRUCTING A 19-0 lead against the Springbok-laden Sharks, Ulster were unable to hold on and this defeat has dented their hopes of now making the URC play-offs. The South Africans only led when Jordan Hendrikse slotted a 77th minute penalty and held on, even though Ulster threw everything at getting a score back. After a shaky enough looking start, Ulster were out of the traps nice and early. Six minutes were on the clock when Jacob Stockdale raced through, Ulster recycled, and Cormac Izuchukwu offloaded to Jack Murphy to score. The out=half missed but was spot on with his next attempt just three minutes later. Ulster's second arrived when a ball hacked downfield by Nathan Doak was collected by Ward and Jude Postlethwaite ran in unopposed. Nine minutes had gone, and Ulster led 12-0. Advertisement Ulster's Stuart McCloskey with Jordan Hendrikse Sharks. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO The hosts then increased their lead on the half-hour and again Stockdale was the architect as he chipped, collected and then put Nathan Doak over under the posts. Murphy's conversion then made it 19-0. The Sharks finally responded and on penalty advantage, Makazole Mapimpi scored in the left corner, and though Jordan Hendrikse missed the conversion, Ben Whitehouse showed Stockdale a yellow card for an act of foul play and the hosts were down to 14. They were then breached once more by Mapimpi who got over in the same corner only for his effort to be ruled out for a forward pass which allowed Ulster to end the first half leading 19-5. On the hour, the Sharks got over for their second try when on penalty advantage, Manu Tshituka smashed and Jordan Hendrikse converted to cut Ulster's lead to seven. Ulster's Werner Kok and Siya Kolisi of Sharks after the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO It was all Sharks now and on 69 minutes, sub centre Jurenzo Julius weaved through a tiring Ulster defence to dot down at the posts, allowing Jordan Hendrikse convert to tie things up at 19-all. However, the momentum was all with the visitors. A penalty in the 77th minute, put over by Jordan Hendrikse, saw the Sharks lead for the first time. ULSTER: J Stockdale, W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; A Warwick, R Herring, S Wilson; A O'Connor, C Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney. Replacements: T Stewart for Herring (70mins) , C Reid for Warwick (62mins), B O'Connor for Wilson (74 mins), M Dalton for Izuchukwu (74 mins), K Treadwell for O'Connor (70 mins). SHARKS: A Fassi, E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi, J Hendrikse, J Hendrikse, O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch, V Tshituka, J Jenkins, J Venter, M Tshituka, S Kolisi. Replacements: H Jacobs for Koch (HT), J Julius for Am (52 mins), F Mbatha for Mbonambi (62 mins), N Mchunu for Nche (62mins), P Buthelezi for J Venter (62 mins), B Davids for Jaden Hendrikse (73 mins) Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales).
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ulster trio to start for Ireland 'A' in Bristol
Ulster trio Jude Postlethwaite, Nathan Doak and Tom O'Toole have been named in the Ireland 'A' starting team for Sunday's game against England 'A' in Bristol (13:00 GMT). O'Toole joins skipper Max Deegan, Ciaran Frawley and Shane Daly as the four Ireland full caps named in the starting side for the Ashton Gate contest. The replacements bench also including full internationals Oli Jager and Harry Byrne. Scrum-half Doak, who was a late call-up to the squad after Ben Murphy was ruled out, partners Frawley in the half-backs with Jude Postlethwaite named at centre alongside Connacht's Hugh Gavin. Munster's Daly starts at full-back with Tommy O'Brien and Shayne Bolton occupying the wing berths. In the pack, O'Toole joins Diarmuid Barron and Jack Aungier in the front row with Evan O'Connell and Darragh Murray selected in the lock roles. Deegan leads the side from blindside flanker as he joins Alex Kendellen and Sean Jansen in the back row. "There has been a good edge to training this week and I've been really impressed by the application of the squad since meeting up on Monday," said Ireland 'A' coach Mike Prendergast. "With a summer tour to Georgia and Portugal coming up, Sunday presents another chance to impress." Ireland 'A': Shane Daly (Munster); Tommy O'Brien (Leinster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Hugh Gavin (Connacht), Shayne Bolton (Connacht); Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Nathan Doak (Ulster); Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Diarmuid Barron (Munster); Jack Aungier (Connacht); Evan O'Connell (Munster); Darragh Murray (Connacht); Max Deegan (Leinster) capt, Alex Kendellen (Munster), Sean Jansen (Connacht) Replacements: Stephen Smyth (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Oli Jager (Munster), Conor O'Tighearnaigh (Leinster), Alex Soroka (Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Leinster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Brian Gleeson (Munster)
