Nick Timoney: 'There were times I was fairly sure I wouldn't play for Ireland again'

Nick Timoney thought his window had closed. Why would he think any differently?

His third cap had been earned in November of 2022 when a much-changed Ireland team stuttered to what Andy Farrell had labelled a “pretty underwhelming” win against Fiji in Dublin. 

Timoney had actually done pretty well, but the fallout was widespread.

Joey Carbery has never played for Ireland again. Kieran Treadwell didn’t do so badly but only managed another seven minutes for Ireland. Max Deegan didn’t get another shot until last summer’s mini-tour of Georgia and Portugal.

It was three years before Timoney wore a green jersey again.

“There were definitely times where I would be fairly sure I wouldn't be playing for Ireland again. Like last year at Six Nations, didn't get picked in the wider squad. You're 29 and you have a couple of caps so it's not like you're a complete unknown or anything.

“It's fairly easy to believe that there's a chance you might not come around again. So, yeah, I'd say I was relatively proud of myself for not getting disenthused (sic) or anything and sticking at it and backing myself and being able to get back to this point.” 

Thirty since August, this is actually his first Six Nations. The run off the bench in Twickenham in round three was only his eighth cap. It’s no shock to hear him say he’s “loved it” so far, even if everyone seems to be asking when he’ll get to start.

Timoney was electric off the pine when Ireland found some belated rhythm in Paris on opening night, not quite so influential when introduced against Italy at home, but impactful third time around in the away win over England, cameos likely to earn him a start against Wales.

The feedback from the coaches seems to have been just as positive. 

So, that start?

“Everyone wants to start, and I'd love to start as well, but a lot of people have said that to me. ‘When are you going to start?’ Friends and family are obviously trying to imply that I've been going well off the bench … but I still feel like I'm playing the game.

“If you come on for 30 minutes in Twickenham, maybe you'd argue the game wasn't necessarily in the balance at that stage, but that's a pretty important part of things. I've always tried to not worry too much about selection or whatever it is.

“But the fact is that the coaches are backing me to be in the squad and to come on when games are being decided or not, and I'm getting to do what I've always dreamed of doing. I’m not worrying too much about what number I've got on my back.” 

It’s just as well.

Strength & conditioning coach Ciaran Ruddock with Nick Timoney. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

The Dubliner doesn’t inhabit the reserve ranks much at all for Ulster. It doesn’t matter. This is a man who feels “grateful” to be playing 20 or 30 minutes so he isn’t overthinking it. It’s enthusiasm and energy that is fuelling him, not any tactical considerations.

Simple, and very effective.

That approach was screenshot against England when Jamison Gibson-Park made a tackle on the back of Timoney’s keen kick-chase and tackle. It’s something he saw the former Munster and Ulster 10 Bill Johnston do long before the kick-chase was in fashion.

Johnston would circle around the backfield timing his sprint. Timoney saw it, loved it and copied and pasted it into his own game. A zero-talent moment and an easy way to get yourself into a game and earn brownie points.

If any air of desperation for more air time is notable for its absence here then maybe it’s because all it needs is one glance around the Irish dressing-room to see how some of his teammates at Ulster have made the breakthrough after years of biding their time.

Jacob Stockdale got back into the side for the loss in Paris for a first Championship start in five years, Robert Baloucoune has made the right wing position his own for now, and Stuart McCloskey is the ‘breakout’ star of maybe the entire tournament.

Timoney could laugh and joke about McCloskey’s confidence levels being through the roof but his midfield colleague is showing the sort of form that his provincial pals believe make him “one of the best players in the world”.

It can’t be hard to take inspiration from that.

“I almost said it to him the other day. There actually is an incredible story there really of just perseverance. For me, being so close to him, and from being in actually quite a similar position probably in a lot of ways, definitely. But just for anyone really, any professional rugby players, it's a great story.

“It's a great reflection on Irish rugby that he's probably never really been a starter consistently until this year. He's 33. There'd probably be a lot of places in the world, in world rugby, where they'd be close-minded enough where the door would be closed at that stage. It's actually an incredible story.”