O'Toole lived in Australia for 10 years

Tom O’Toole has worked hard at Ulster to carve a way into the Ireland team.

He is skilled at scrum time and has good game management.

Read more: Ireland Six Nations squad

Ten things you should know about Tom O’Toole

1. Tom O’Toole was born on 23 September 1998 in Drogheda, Ireland. He stands at 6ft 1in (1.85m) and weighs 19st (120kg).

2. He plays for Ulster and has done so throughout his senior career. He was named Young Player of the Year at the club for the 2019-20 season.

3. O’Toole won his Ireland cap in 2021 against the United States of America.

4. He started playing rugby regularly when he realised Aussie Rules was not for him. He told The 42: “Then I realised I didn’t have the body type for AFL and they kept putting me in goals in soccer.

“That wasn’t too much fun so I thought, ‘Give me a rugby ball and maybe I can hit a few people as well.’ My older brothers went to secondary school and I watched them play rugby and thought ‘that’s what I want to do’.”

 

5. He went to Campbell College, a boarding school, where he honed his craft. He told the Irish Examiner: “It was unbelievable, Brian Robinson the ex-Ireland international was my coach so it was a lovely two years.

“It was one of those two years you reflect on, I really enjoyed my school rugby, I really loved Belfast, it became home quite quickly.”

6. O’Toole received a red card and was suspended for three weeks for a high tackle in Ulster’s game against Toulouse in 2022.

7. When he was six he and his family moved to Australia. They were there for ten years because of his father’s work commitments.

8. Growing up he played football and hurling.

Tom O'Toole

Tom O’Toole in training for the Six Nations (Getty Images)

9. He has previously worked with the Dogs Trust Ireland, a dog welfare charity.

10. O’Toole has multiple tattoos.

Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.

Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.