ULSTER AND Ireland tighthead prop Tom O’Toole plans to be more versatile by learning to play on the loosehead side of the scrum.
The 25-year-old Ireland squad member is starting in his more familiar position for today’s round 12 URC clash with bottom team the Sharks in Durban but has been doing reps as a loosehead while down in national camp.
The switch of position for O’Toole appears to be partly driven by the current logjam at Irish tighthead, Oli Jager now coming on the scene, and the potential on offer of playing more Test rugby as a longer-term backup to Andrew Porter.
O’Toole, who has signed on for three more years in Belfast following rumours that he was considering switching to his native province Leinster, earned one cap off the bench against Italy in the recent Six Nations.
“We’ve got a lot of depth and experience (at Ireland) so for me to be able to play both sides is going to be hugely important,” said O’Toole who is due to win his 99th cap for Ulster today in what will be interim coach Richie Murphy’s first game in charge following last month’s dismissal of Dan McFarland.
“If I can have any opportunity to get my foot in the door and play both sides, I’m up for that.
“I was getting a few reps down there in (Ireland) camp and playing a bit of both sides.
“It’s exciting to see where I can go, and Fogs (Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty) is in with us now (at Ulster) so I’m sure we’ll continue to look at that and grow that.
“I’m sure I can get the grasp of it, I’d back myself that I could do a job there.
He continues: “We had conversations about how I felt about it and making sure I was comfortable with doing a bit of both (positions) but anything to help grow my game.
“Give me any opportunity to either play for Ulster or Ireland, I’m definitely going to take it.”
After today’s game in Durban against a Sharks side welcoming back Eben Etzebeth, Ulster move down to Cape Town to take on the Sharks and O’Toole feels that the tour environment is the perfect way for the squad and their new coach to get to know each other and hopefully progress towards securing a URC play-off place.
“There’s no better time for the group to gel (than on tour),” says O’Toole.
“With new coaches involved it’s great for them to get to know the guys who they don’t know so well.
“It will allow me to get to know Richie and him to know me a bit more.”
“We go well over these two weeks and I’m sure that will set us up nicely going into the last quarter (of the season).”