Healy and Porter help Tom O’Toole embrace challenge of switching sides

Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty had first suggested that Ulster prop Ton O'Toole could switch first tighthead to loosehead. Given he had spent more than a year out of the national camp, he was grateful for the opportunity

Tom O'Toole replaced Jeremy Loughman against Italy for his first taste of Test rugby at loosehead. Pic:  ©INPHO/Ben Brady

There are less intimidating places to hone one’s tradecraft than in front of a full house at Twickenham but Tom O’Toole is determined to embrace the challenge, with a little help from his friends, if the tighthead prop gets to pack down on the other side of the front row on Saturday.

Ireland’s underdog tag going into this round-three Guinness Six Nations clash is underlined by the injury crisis at loosehead prop, with Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle all absent through injury. 

Fourth-choice Jeremy Loughman, backed up by Munster team-mate Michael Milne, held their own at scrum-time on an otherwise trying night for the national team in Paris on the opening night but the Irish front row was dominated last Saturday by a heavyweight Italy pack as Loughman, hooker Dan Sheehan and tighthead Thomas Clarkson found themselves under the pump at Aviva Stadium. Changes could be afoot.

The return of first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong off the bench to confirm his comeback form a calf injury helped steady the ship, eventually, while O’Toole replaced Loughman for his first taste at loosehead in Test rugby and the Ulster front-rower could be part of a new-look starting trio when head coach Andy Farrell reveals his selection for Twickenham on Thursday morning.

Changes seem likely and that may mean a recall for orthodox loosehead Milne to make a first Six Nations start having sat out the hard-fought 20-13 Italian victory but O’Toole is also ready for the number one jersey in one of the most daunting venues the international game has to offer, encouraged by his outing off the bench on home turf last weekend.

“Coming on with like 15 minutes to go, big game, tight game, I don't know, I trained well throughout the week,” O’Toole said. “I had that confidence, I have good guys around me.

“I met Cian Healy during the week, it was actually really nice to catch up with him again and we had a good chat on Thursday. He just said as soon as you cross the white line really just focus on your game, so that's what I try to do, not try and build it up too much and then just kind of get into it.

“But as I said, I had a good week's preparation, so I was actually just happy to get in, get stuck in, get an opportunity which was great.” 

Ireland's Tom O'Toole in action against Italy. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Having Ireland’s most-capped player Healy in his corner was undoubtedly to the 27-year-old’s advantage. The recently retired loosehead, who also covered tighthead at times and started on his “wrong” side occasionally for Leinster, was not the only wise counsel to visit the Irish camp last week with the injured Porter also around for O’Toole to sound out.

“I think reaching out to the guys that have been there and done that before and have played at the highest level, it's really important just to get a couple of things that hopefully you can implement into your game and hopefully that can relate into performance then,” O’Toole said, and that may explain why the tighthead is not fazed by the prospect of switching sides.

“No, not too much, I've obviously had a little bit of exposure over the last couple of years behind the scenes, up at Ulster, training at loosehead, scrum sessions.

“I had an opportunity against Fiji not so long ago, that was my first taste of international rugby at loosehead. So no, to be honest. I was just delighted to get an opportunity.

“I was confident enough in the preparation I've done in the last couple of years.

“When there's been talks about doing loosehead, it’s always something I keep chipping away at behind the scenes, keep working at it.

“So, to get an opportunity I was delighted to put that training into performance… just absolutely delighted.” 

He added: “I'm trying not to look too far down the line. Traditionally when I go back to my provincial side I'm back to tighthead but look, obviously there's been a few injuries which has probably opened the door for me to have an opportunity at this, so just very grateful for that. I just want to take that opportunity with both hands.” 

Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty had first suggested the switch and given O’Toole had spent more than a year out of the national camp, he was grateful to have had that conversation when the opportunity arose to win a 19th appearance, and first in 15 months, to end a challenging period out of the squad.

“I think it should be difficult for everybody. I maybe didn't play as much as other guys but I was in that group for a good few years and was a part of that Grand Slam-winning team (2023), went off to the World Cup (2023).

“So some big moments with this team, with this squad. A lot of the guys, because you spend so much time together, become a lot like family. When you're out of that, yeah it is (tough) but it's also your job and you've got to be professional about it.

“For me that reset was really important, especially the stage I'm at in my career. I'm 27 now, so coming into the next few good years in my career, I'm really looking to push on.

“Coming off a good season but also hopefully so far and then coming into this environment, I just feel like I'm in a good place.”