HEADING INTO IRELAND’S 2022 tour of New Zealand, there were calls for Andy Farrell to give James Hume a shot at starting one of the Tests.
The Ulster outside centre had been outstanding all season and many felt Hume had what it takes to make an impact on the biggest stage.
Hume had already been capped three times by Ireland, making his debut at number 13 against the US in the summer of 2021 before coming off the bench against Wales and Italy during the 2022 Six Nations. A few months later, he was named Ulster’s player of the season for 2021/22.
Hume was part of the group for the trip to New Zealand and started the first midweek game against the Māori All Blacks but suffered a groin injury in the second half. Tour over.
Four months of torturous rehab followed, extending well into the 2022/23 season. Hume later revealed he lost a lot of lateral power – his ability to explosively move sideways – with the injury and it took even longer for him to get that back to where it had been.
He played for Ireland A against the All Blacks XV in November 2022 but it was a tough night for the Irish side. There’s no doubt last season was a challenging one for Hume as he gradually recovered fully from that serious injury.
Having benefited from a good pre-season, Hume has been in strong form in the current campaign. It hasn’t helped that Ulster have had bad patches collectively, sometimes masking the quality of Hume’s individual contributions, but his quality is appreciated within the group.
Indeed, such is Hume’s growing influence that he has captained Ulster recently, taking over the role during the clash against the Ospreys in February before being named starting skipper against the Dragons in March in their first game after head coach Dan McFarland’s exit.
In truth, Hume probably wasn’t seen as captaincy material until recently. He has always been a superb player but his influence on others was usually through moments of excellence on the ball or in the tackle.
But at the age of 25, he has become more of a voice within the Ulster group. He speaks very well in interviews, showcasing a thoughtfulness about what’s going on in his world and Ulster’s world. That’s reflected in a greater selflessness in his play. A new three-year contract that runs until June 2027 speaks volumes for how Ulster view him.
What matters most is that Hume is back playing the kind of rugby he is capable of. The fact that Ulster aren’t in the form they were back in 2021/22 means he hasn’t grabbed the limelight in the same way but those watching closely can see he is playing well.
Because some of his attacking qualities – that explosive stepping, his power through tackles, and clever offloading – are so obvious, it can be overlooked that Hume is a fine defender. You have to be at outside centre. He is smart and assertive, bringing leadership for Ulster in that department.
So as Ulster look to finish this troubled season on a high under interim boss Richie Murphy, potentially by having a crack at the Challenge Cup trophy, Hume is key. After overcoming Montpellier last weekend, the Ultserman are back in France this Saturday afternoon to take on Clermont in the quarter-finals.
Win that one and Ulster would be away to Edinburgh or the Sharks [in Europe, rather than South Africa] in the semi-finals. Getting to the decider in the glamorous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday 24 May would be brilliant.
Ulster also want a good crack at the URC play-offs. The Champions Cup is where Hume and his team-mates want to be playing next season, so these next two months are huge.
One of the reasons the IRFU took drastic action in Ulster recently, removing head coach McFarland and CEO Jonny Petrie, is that the northern province has been contributing fewer and fewer players to Ireland matchday squads.
Iain Henderson featured off the bench twice in this year’s Six Nations, inside centre Stuart McCloskey had one start and a replacement appearance, while prop Tom O’Toole played 25 minutes off the bench. Nick Timoney, Tom Stewart, and Jacob Stockdale were unused wider squad members.
The IRFU obviously wants to see greater Ulster representation in the Ireland team or at least genuine competition for spots in the frontline matchday 23.
Hume is a player with the talent to return to Test rugby, even if the path ahead of him is jammed with high-quality players. Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw are excellent outside centres.
There has been lots of talk recently about why Munster man Antoine Frisch hasn’t been picked by Ireland and how he could add depth, but Hume should be considered in the conversation. Hume is still only 25 and has three caps already under Farrell, so he is part of the depth chart along with Leinster’s versatile 22-year-old Jamie Osborne.
Farrell will be bringing his big guns to South Africa for two titanic battles in July, injury permitting, but Hume could realistically eye this year’s autumn Tests as a chance to get back into the Ireland mix.
He can’t really worry about that now though. He’s young and, as he knows, injuries are part and parcel of rugby. Hume just has to keep playing well and improving his craft as his importance continues to grow in Ulster.
