RICHIE MURPHY SAYS that Tom O’Toole’s successful switch across to loosehead prop with Ireland has not surprised anyone at Ulster.
O’Toole has played the last three rounds of the Six Nations covering the unfamiliar loosehead side of the scrum, starting there against Wales, and is expected to get the nod again for Saturday’s showdown with Scotland.
The Ulster head coach also admitted that O’Toole is still likely to move back again to his more familiar tighthead spot when he returns to the province following the conclusion of the Six Nations.
“Tom has done an excellent job,” said Murphy of the 27-year-old, who has provided a solution for Andy Farrell due to the lack of fit loosehead props.
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“For us, he has been performing well on the tighthead side and has had some really big performances there but to be able to switch to the loosehead and do what he’s done with this is pretty cool.
“We’re not surprised that he’s able to do it, and we’re happy to see him go so well.
“He will come back to us and probably end up going back to the tighthead.
“At this moment in time,” Murphy continued, “we see Tom as a tighthead, but we know that he can play on the loosehead side. His focus, when he comes back to us, will be sliding back across the scrum.”
As for having seven Ulster players in last weekend’s Ireland squad when the province had none for the corresponding clash with Wales in 2025, Murphy said: “Did we think it was possible? Absolutely.
“It’s like what we’ve said: if they play well for Ulster, and Ulster are in a good place, they’re in the shop window.
“It’s much easier then to come through and play in the green jersey. It’s great to see so many players picked.
“There are a number of players within that seven who didn’t play very much last year,” he added, referring to Robert Baloucoune’s injury woes and issues that were shipped by both Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale.
Meanwhile, Ulster travel to Edinburgh on Friday evening for their rearranged game due to Storm Amy forcing the postponement of the original fixture back at the start of October.
“This is a game that shouldn’t be in this window,” Murphy stated, as Ulster bid to avoid back-to-back away defeats after losing at the Ospreys at the end of last month.
“It is what it is. We’ve just got to get on with it really.”
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'If they play well for Ulster, and Ulster are in a good place, they're in the shop window'
RICHIE MURPHY SAYS that Tom O’Toole’s successful switch across to loosehead prop with Ireland has not surprised anyone at Ulster.
O’Toole has played the last three rounds of the Six Nations covering the unfamiliar loosehead side of the scrum, starting there against Wales, and is expected to get the nod again for Saturday’s showdown with Scotland.
The Ulster head coach also admitted that O’Toole is still likely to move back again to his more familiar tighthead spot when he returns to the province following the conclusion of the Six Nations.
“Tom has done an excellent job,” said Murphy of the 27-year-old, who has provided a solution for Andy Farrell due to the lack of fit loosehead props.
“For us, he has been performing well on the tighthead side and has had some really big performances there but to be able to switch to the loosehead and do what he’s done with this is pretty cool.
“We’re not surprised that he’s able to do it, and we’re happy to see him go so well.
“He will come back to us and probably end up going back to the tighthead.
“At this moment in time,” Murphy continued, “we see Tom as a tighthead, but we know that he can play on the loosehead side. His focus, when he comes back to us, will be sliding back across the scrum.”
As for having seven Ulster players in last weekend’s Ireland squad when the province had none for the corresponding clash with Wales in 2025, Murphy said: “Did we think it was possible? Absolutely.
“It’s like what we’ve said: if they play well for Ulster, and Ulster are in a good place, they’re in the shop window.
“It’s much easier then to come through and play in the green jersey. It’s great to see so many players picked.
“There are a number of players within that seven who didn’t play very much last year,” he added, referring to Robert Baloucoune’s injury woes and issues that were shipped by both Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale.
Meanwhile, Ulster travel to Edinburgh on Friday evening for their rearranged game due to Storm Amy forcing the postponement of the original fixture back at the start of October.
“This is a game that shouldn’t be in this window,” Murphy stated, as Ulster bid to avoid back-to-back away defeats after losing at the Ospreys at the end of last month.
“It is what it is. We’ve just got to get on with it really.”
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