BEFORE LEAVING THE Aviva Stadium press room and heading off to toast his Test debut, Nathan Doak had to answer the question which gets put to every debutant after winning their first cap.
What song was he going to sing in the team function room that night?
“Angels, Robbie Williams. I just hope I remember the words.”
The Ulster player has certainly had to sit and wait for his chance in the green jersey.
The 24-year-old has been on the scene for some time now, hitting 100 appearances for Ulster earlier this year. He’s been in and around Ireland squads previously, and was one of the few touring players who wasn’t capped on last year’s summer tour to Georgia and Portugal.
Speaking after Friday’s defeat of Wales, Andy Farrell said Doak had been ‘desperate’ for his chance at international level, but the man himself didn’t see it that way.
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“No, I don’t think desperate is the right word,” Doak said.
“I think every player wants to play for Ireland. I have a hundred caps in the URC, so I’m well experienced and I have had to wait my time, but I have had to get better at my game to deserve a shot. So, I feel like this is the right time for me, now I feel like I’m playing my best rugby at the minute, so that was quite fitting.
“When you’ve been around quite a bit, at such a young age, you’re just eager to get in there, because that’s where your aspirations are. But, at the same time, Ulster have to be playing well, and you have to be at the forefront of that to get in here because it’s not easy to play for Ireland. They’ve been the best team in the world, it’s kind of showing that Ulster are doing well, and we’re reaping the benefits of that, that we’re finally getting a chance in here.”
The strong Ulster flavour in the squad has no doubt helped Doak during this window. On Friday the province had seven players in the matchday 23, meaning Doak took the first step of his Test career surrounded by players he’s known closely for years.
“It’s been class. It’s been a class week, my family were down there for the jersey presentation during the week, had dinner with them at the Shelbourne, so that was a nice touch. And then had them here tonight with me, so it has been a great week.
“All the lads have made me feel very at home throughout the whole week, through the last four or five weeks or so. It’s really easy to fit in here and be yourself.”
Doak didn’t have to wait long to ditch his tracksuit, getting called into the action after just 24 minutes as Jamison Gibson-Park left to get a blood injury cleaned up.
Doak came in early against Wales. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
“I don’t actually think that’s happened to me before. But because it was so quick, you don’t have time to think, so it was actually quite a nice thing as well, and then obviously makes it easier coming on the second time as well. So it helps settle nerves.”
The second time arrived in the 75th minute, the Ulster man coming back on to help Ireland see out the game.
“On reflection, I think the biggest thing for me was just I wanted to be myself, and I was probably thinking about how I feel out there and I felt really calm. I think that’s the biggest takeaway I’ll have is I want to play at this level and have the confidence to play at this level, so I’ll go back and have a look at this game and see where I can get better.”
After the game, Doak was pictured celebrating with family and friends. His father, Neil, also sat on the Ireland bench during his playing days, but didn’t get the call to enter the action. Still, the former Ulster player was able to offer his son some words of advice.
“Just to relax, be yourself, and you know you deserve to be there. He’s helped me throughout my whole career, a sounding board for me. I haven’t spoken to him that much after the game, but I know he’d be delighted, so he will.”
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'I feel like this is the right time for me, I'm playing my best rugby at the minute'
BEFORE LEAVING THE Aviva Stadium press room and heading off to toast his Test debut, Nathan Doak had to answer the question which gets put to every debutant after winning their first cap.
What song was he going to sing in the team function room that night?
“Angels, Robbie Williams. I just hope I remember the words.”
The Ulster player has certainly had to sit and wait for his chance in the green jersey.
The 24-year-old has been on the scene for some time now, hitting 100 appearances for Ulster earlier this year. He’s been in and around Ireland squads previously, and was one of the few touring players who wasn’t capped on last year’s summer tour to Georgia and Portugal.
Speaking after Friday’s defeat of Wales, Andy Farrell said Doak had been ‘desperate’ for his chance at international level, but the man himself didn’t see it that way.
“No, I don’t think desperate is the right word,” Doak said.
“I think every player wants to play for Ireland. I have a hundred caps in the URC, so I’m well experienced and I have had to wait my time, but I have had to get better at my game to deserve a shot. So, I feel like this is the right time for me, now I feel like I’m playing my best rugby at the minute, so that was quite fitting.
“When you’ve been around quite a bit, at such a young age, you’re just eager to get in there, because that’s where your aspirations are. But, at the same time, Ulster have to be playing well, and you have to be at the forefront of that to get in here because it’s not easy to play for Ireland. They’ve been the best team in the world, it’s kind of showing that Ulster are doing well, and we’re reaping the benefits of that, that we’re finally getting a chance in here.”
The strong Ulster flavour in the squad has no doubt helped Doak during this window. On Friday the province had seven players in the matchday 23, meaning Doak took the first step of his Test career surrounded by players he’s known closely for years.
“It’s been class. It’s been a class week, my family were down there for the jersey presentation during the week, had dinner with them at the Shelbourne, so that was a nice touch. And then had them here tonight with me, so it has been a great week.
“All the lads have made me feel very at home throughout the whole week, through the last four or five weeks or so. It’s really easy to fit in here and be yourself.”
Doak didn’t have to wait long to ditch his tracksuit, getting called into the action after just 24 minutes as Jamison Gibson-Park left to get a blood injury cleaned up.
“I don’t actually think that’s happened to me before. But because it was so quick, you don’t have time to think, so it was actually quite a nice thing as well, and then obviously makes it easier coming on the second time as well. So it helps settle nerves.”
The second time arrived in the 75th minute, the Ulster man coming back on to help Ireland see out the game.
“On reflection, I think the biggest thing for me was just I wanted to be myself, and I was probably thinking about how I feel out there and I felt really calm. I think that’s the biggest takeaway I’ll have is I want to play at this level and have the confidence to play at this level, so I’ll go back and have a look at this game and see where I can get better.”
After the game, Doak was pictured celebrating with family and friends. His father, Neil, also sat on the Ireland bench during his playing days, but didn’t get the call to enter the action. Still, the former Ulster player was able to offer his son some words of advice.
“Just to relax, be yourself, and you know you deserve to be there. He’s helped me throughout my whole career, a sounding board for me. I haven’t spoken to him that much after the game, but I know he’d be delighted, so he will.”
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Ireland Nathan Doak Rugby Six Nations 2026