ULSTER PROP TOM O’Toole has given himself a reboot both on and off the pitch for this season and is already reaping the rewards after producing an all-action performance in the opening round win over the Dragons.
Having not played last weekend thanks to Storm Amy forcing the postponement of Ulster’s fixture in Edinburgh, the 27-year-old is raring to get back into action on Saturday evening when the province host the Bulls in Belfast.
“I felt really good at the start of the season against the Dragons,” the 17-times capped Ireland prop explained.
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“First game at home I felt energised and it’s hopefully something I can continue with that momentum rolling over the next few weeks.”
As Ulster are on their travels to South Africa after this weekend, meaning that they face three straight matches against Rainbow Nation opposition – the Sharks and Lions are set for rounds four and five – O’Toole knows that the physical and mental challenge will be at the max but feels he is in a better place this season to cope.
“Last year had been a real difficult year for us and it’s easy to overthink and try and cover all areas and try and do too much,” O’Toole explained of his new approach.
“Like this year, I just kind of wanted to enjoy my rugby and just channel my energy in the right way and not trying to worry about things that are out of my control.
“That sense of just keeping your mind focused in the game, not losing a moment and that’s what I wanted to implement this year,” added the player who was hit with a damaging ban last season after being red-carded against Munster.
“Just being next moment orientated and, you know, if something happens and you make a bad decision, you deal with it later.”
O’Toole has not entirely binned further tryouts at loosehead which was being floated last season with his Ireland involvements driving the idea, though staying at tighthead is the priority when it comes to Ulster.
“It’s always something that I’d like to kind of keep in my arsenal,” he says of loosehead, “something that I kind of play around with every so often at training.”
As for Ireland, he should be part of next week’s squad for the Autumn Series, though O’Toole downplayed that outcome: “I’m just trying to make sure that my performances are up there and I’m staying consistent and doing what I can to put Ulster into a good position.”
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'This year, I just want to enjoy my rugby and channel my energy in the right way'
ULSTER PROP TOM O’Toole has given himself a reboot both on and off the pitch for this season and is already reaping the rewards after producing an all-action performance in the opening round win over the Dragons.
Having not played last weekend thanks to Storm Amy forcing the postponement of Ulster’s fixture in Edinburgh, the 27-year-old is raring to get back into action on Saturday evening when the province host the Bulls in Belfast.
“I felt really good at the start of the season against the Dragons,” the 17-times capped Ireland prop explained.
“First game at home I felt energised and it’s hopefully something I can continue with that momentum rolling over the next few weeks.”
As Ulster are on their travels to South Africa after this weekend, meaning that they face three straight matches against Rainbow Nation opposition – the Sharks and Lions are set for rounds four and five – O’Toole knows that the physical and mental challenge will be at the max but feels he is in a better place this season to cope.
“Last year had been a real difficult year for us and it’s easy to overthink and try and cover all areas and try and do too much,” O’Toole explained of his new approach.
“Like this year, I just kind of wanted to enjoy my rugby and just channel my energy in the right way and not trying to worry about things that are out of my control.
“That sense of just keeping your mind focused in the game, not losing a moment and that’s what I wanted to implement this year,” added the player who was hit with a damaging ban last season after being red-carded against Munster.
“Just being next moment orientated and, you know, if something happens and you make a bad decision, you deal with it later.”
O’Toole has not entirely binned further tryouts at loosehead which was being floated last season with his Ireland involvements driving the idea, though staying at tighthead is the priority when it comes to Ulster.
“It’s always something that I’d like to kind of keep in my arsenal,” he says of loosehead, “something that I kind of play around with every so often at training.”
As for Ireland, he should be part of next week’s squad for the Autumn Series, though O’Toole downplayed that outcome: “I’m just trying to make sure that my performances are up there and I’m staying consistent and doing what I can to put Ulster into a good position.”
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Tom O'Toole Ulster