ULSTER AND IRELAND international back row Nick Timoney has signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him at the northern province until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Timoney, who was named man of the match in Ulster’s 17-7 victory away to Connacht on St Stephen’s Day, has been a regular inclusion in Andy Farrell’s Ireland squads in recent years and made his test debut against the USA in 2021.
Dubliner Timoney, 29, joined Ulster’s academy in 2015 having captained Blackrock College to a Leinster Schools Senior Cup title and impressing for both Ireland U20s and St Mary’s RFC.
He made his senior Ulster debut in 2017 and, that same year, he featured for the Ireland Sevens team who qualified for the 2018 Sevens World Cup.
“I’m delighted to sign a new deal with Ulster,” Timoney said. “I feel very at home here and believe we have the squad to develop and become better in the years ahead.
“We have some young talent coming through that adds to our group of experienced players and that is something that both excites and motivates you for the seasons ahead.
“I’ve said I want to keep progressing as a player and I fully believe I can become the best I can be here at Ulster.”
Ulster’s general manager Bryn Cunningham added: “Agreeing terms with Nick before the Christmas period was a high priority for us, and we are delighted that he is fully invested in what we are trying to build here.
“Nick is one of the most well-rounded back-row players in Europe and it’s been no surprise to hear about interest in him from other big clubs.
“His journey from the academy, Sevens, to playing for the ‘A’ team and breaking into the senior side has been full of hard work and dedication, and that has helped him develop into the athlete we see today.
“He is someone that is a standard-setter to those around him and is a very popular member of the senior squad because of the attitude, commitment and leadership he puts in every week, and he will be a key part of this team’s future.”
Here’s a player that is consistently a star performer and isn’t getting his rewards in caps and yet he doesn’t get near the column inches that Gavin Coombes gets despite the fact that Timoney is actually good.
@Patrick Breen: Rubbish comment
@Patrick Breen: he’s consistently in the Irish squad and rightly so. The fact that farrell didn’t give him 1 min of gametime in november is the joke here
@Patrick Breen: to say that Coombes isn’t good is nonsense. That said, Timoney should have more Ireland caps. The over reliance on the same squad has been a problem for Ireland over the last 20 years. We always come unstuck at world cups because we haven’t developed enough depth in all positions.
@Patrick Breen: 2 things can be right at the one time you m#ron
@mcdb06: He was unlucky in the earlier part of his career in that his opposition for Irish caps included Leavy, VDF & O’Connor. He’s not really big enough to compete with Doris or Conan for the 8 jersey (or indeed Coombes). POM has been the standout 6 with the likes of Baird & Ahern now appearing to be the type player being looked at. He’s 30 next year so his age is probably against him at this point. In another era he may have won more caps.
@mcdb06: realistically though he isn’t at the level of Doris, conan or vdf. So while it’s nice to say he should have more caps where would he get them? Same for Coombes. Just because you are a good player doesn’t mean you deserve a set number of caps. Be better than the guys ahead of you and you’ll be capped
@Niall Burke: Yes, but better in a certain way. Be easy to say better on paper (stats) which Coombes would be ahead of most, but he doesn’t suit the Irish game rn which favours mobility over bulk and puts Timony in a better position as (imo) he’s on the 7/ 8 side rather than the heavily supplied 4 / 5/ 6 / 8 side, this is where Cian Prend is also cometing imo
@Thesaltyurchin: *competing
@Niall Burke: he would get them by rewarding his form. He’s been playing out of his skin the last few seasons in an underperforming Ulster team. I’m not saying he’s going to push Doris or JVDF out of the starting team. I’m saying his form should have been rewarded and Ireland should rotate their squad now and again. As literally every other rugby nation does. Autumn tests and summer tours are good opportunities to test our depth in different positions. There is no sense in flogging the same XV week in and week out.
@TL55: The problem is the that both Ahern and particularly Baird have flattered to deceive in big games for club and country. Hence why POM at 36 is still getting picked for Ireland or even Beirne is being chosen there whereby his ability and skillset is in the second row as he had lost that bit of pace now. Abit of extra bulk at 6 wouldn’t be a bad thing and Coombes and Timoney being tried there during the six nations would be a decent logical experiment.
A great job at retaining his services.
Tremendous news. Him getting the captaincy in Galway sounded promising.
He’s number 2 two to josh
@Gary Galligan: amazing that he only has 3 Irish caps to his name. Certainly good enough to have won more. JVDF is one of the main reasons for that.
@Michael Corkery: also you are only going to have one 7 in the matchday 23, while you could have 2 blindsides , and 2 number 4′s.
@brian o’leary: It’s become a very interesting position for that reason, not room for middle ground, would say Cian Prendergast is competing on the same side of the scrum too, but yes, with Timoney as No2 to VDF
@Gary Galligan: yes although he’s not really an out and out 7 like Penney or Hodnett , agree he would do a great job at any back row position for Ireland
He is an absolutely quality player. Would have liked to see him get some well deserved minutes in November. Great news for Ulster.
I think it just leaves Cooney from the current squad who hasn’t signed up for next season. Shows the support is there for the Murphy project.
@Rab McCracken: AOC, Warwick, Andrew, Bobby B, Moxham, McIlroy …..
Irelands Ben earl
@Gary Galligan: both couldn’t get a start at 7?
@brian o’leary: Anyone leaving Earl out of a team right now would be mad (imo)
Timoney has upped his game in the last few months. Developed even more steel than before and rightly so should see green a few times this year.
@Noel Lynn: He’s been Ulster’s best forward for about four years.
Tigers v Exeter tomorrow. Handy for the Ulster scouting team. Assuming there is one!
Gwan
Ulster are building …