Tom O'Toole (rugby union)
 O'Toole representing Ireland during the Six Nations Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Thomas Niall O'Toole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 23 September 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Drogheda, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 123 kg (271 lb; 19 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Campbell College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Thomas Niall O'Toole (born 23 September 1998) is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team.
Early life
[edit]Born in Drogheda, O'Toole lived in Ratoath, County Meath until he was six years of age before moving to Brisbane, Australia for ten years due to his father's work commitments,[3] where he attended Padua College.[4] He was selected for the Queensland Reds development side and Queensland Schoolboys in 2015, before being connected with the Irish Exiles setup.[5] He moved to Campbell College in Northern Ireland which allowed him to link up with the Ulster and Ireland age grade setups, going on to play for Ireland at under-18, under-19 and under-20 level.[6]
Professional career
[edit]He joined the Ulster Rugby academy straight from school in 2017,[7] and made his senior Ulster debut on 6 April 2018 in round 19 of the 2017–18 Pro14, starting in the provinces 32–20 away win against Scottish side Edinburgh.[8][9] He made five senior appearances, including two starts, in the 2017–18 season,[10] and won Academy Player of the Year at the 2018 Ulster Rugby Awards.[11] He was awarded a development contract for the 2018–19 season, which would advance to a senior contract from the 2019–20 season until June 2022.[12] during which he made 18 appearances, including 3 starts.[1]
In the 2019–20 season he made 22 appearances, including ten starts,[1] and was named Young Player of the Year in the Ulster Rugby Awards.[13] He received his first call up to the senior Ireland squad on 15 January 2020 for the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[14]
In 2020–21 he made fifteen appearances, including two starts,[1] and made 141 tackes and one turnover.[15] In June 2021 he was called up again to the senior Ireland squad for the Summer tests,[16] and made his senior international debut in a 71–10 victory over the United States on 10 July 2021.[17] In the 2021–22 season he has made 15 appearances, including eight starts,[1] and appeared off the bench for Ireland in their 53–7 home win over Argentina in the 2021 Autumn internationals.[18] He was called up to the Ireland squad for their 2022 tour of New Zealand.[19] He was called up to Ireland's 2023 Six Nations Championship squad coming off the bench in all 5 matches as Ireland won the championship and Grand Slam.[20] He was called up to the Ireland squad for their two-match tour of South Africa in July 2024.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Club playing stats at ItsRugby.co.uk
- ^ International playing stats at ItsRugby.com
- ^ Doyle, Garry. "The road from Meath to the 2021 Six Nations via Brisbane and Belfast". The42. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Schoolzine. "Padua College eNewsletter". Padua College. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "I fell in love when I first laid eyes on Kingspan: Tom O'Toole". Belfast Telegraph. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ "From Queensland Schoolboys to the Ireland U20s: Tom O'Toole's tale". The42. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ Michael Sadlier, "Ulster recruit school stars for Academy fast-tracking", Belfast Telegraph, 29 July 2017
- ^ "Ulster team named for trip to Edinburgh". Ulster Rugby. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ "Edinburgh 20 Ulster 32". Ulster Rugby. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ Ulster Rugby: Who did what 2017-18, The Front Row Union, 25 June 2018
- ^ "Cooney scoops three awards at Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards Dinner", Ulster Rugby, 10 May 2018
- ^ "Ulster Rugby: Angus Curtis and Tom O'Toole earn upgraded contracts". BBC Sport. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ "John Cooney is named Ulster's Player of the Year as Marcel Coetzee wins hat-trick of awards", BBC Sport, 20 September 2020
- ^ "Six Nations: Johnny Sexton to captain Ireland as Andy Farrell's reign begins". BBC Sport. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ Ulster 2020-21 - Who Did What?, The Front Row Union, 12 August 2021
- ^ "Ireland Squad Confirmed For Vodafone Summer Series". Irish Rugby. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Baloucoune wonder try sparks Ireland to life as they put 71 points on USA". the42. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ Michael Bradley, "Tom O’Toole hailed as ‘exceptional’ after Ireland deal with upheaval to smash Argentina", Belfast Telegraph, 21 November 2021
- ^ Gerry Thornley, "Ireland name their 40-man squad for tour of New Zealand", The Irish Times, 14 June 2022
- ^ "Ireland finish over the top of England to claim glorious Grand Slam". the42. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Ireland Squad Update", Irish Rugby, 8 July 2024
