“I think it’s a brilliant story,” Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said after naming uncapped Ulster back-row forward James McNabney in his squad for Saturday’s Nations Championship match against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium, [source: rte.ie].
The 23-year-old dairy and sheep farmer stands at 6ft 5in and weighs roughly 120kg. He is in line to win his first Test cap from the replacements bench on Saturday night, [source: rte.ie].
Had it not been for a serious knee injury, McNabney might already have secured international honours. He played 17 games during a breakout 2024/25 season for Ulster and earned selection as a development player for the 2025 Six Nations, [source: rte.ie].
However, an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in Ireland camp ahead of summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal sidelined the Ballymena man for the entirety of last season. Having returned to action for Ulster at the start of the current campaign, he has now forced his way into Farrell’s matchday 23, [source: rte.ie].
Unconventional Rugby Path
Farrell highlighted the player’s unusual route to the international stage. McNabney took up rugby at Cambridge House Grammar School, an institution not traditionally known for the sport, while juggling fixtures alongside horse-riding even after playing for Ulster’s under-18 side, [source: rte.ie].
“It’s not a conventional way of coming through, from a rugby point of view, riding horses and farming until he was 16 and making a choice there,” Farrell said, [source: rte.ie]. “Obviously, for the size of him you would have worried for the horses at that stage, wouldn’t you?”
“But from a school that’s not a traditional rugby school, I think it’s a phenomenal story for him to come through the U20s and do what he’s done at Ulster, and here he is, deserving his first cap opportunity on Saturday,” Farrell added, [source: rte.ie].
Back-Row Selection Changes
McNabney’s Ulster team-mate Nick Timoney has won the race to start at number 8. Josh van der Flier returns at openside flanker as part of seven personnel changes following last week’s fixture against Fiji, [source: rte.ie].
Farrell expressed confidence in the balance provided by a back-row trio featuring Timoney, Van der Flier, and Ryan Baird, [source: rte.ie].
“I think you saw Nick’s performance last week at seven and Josh also saw that and respects that so you’re seeing some good composition there,” Farrell said, [source: rte.ie]. “And then you’re seeing Ryan Baird, his performance in certain areas of the game was pretty good last week.”
“He’s not played international rugby for a long time now so for him to get a second hit out is going to be good for all three to gel together,” Farrell added, [source: rte.ie].
Midfield Adjustments
Further changes see Bundee Aki and Jamie Osborne form a new centre partnership, replacing Stuart McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw, with McCloskey dropping to the replacements bench, [source: rte.ie].
Aki has not started a Test match for Ireland in nearly a year. After missing the previous fixture due to a severe bout of illness that kept him isolated for 48 hours, the 36-year-old is eager to return at the Aviva Stadium, [source: rte.ie].
“It’s good to have him back, he’s great around the place, he’s in good nick, he’s really zoned in this pre-season to come out fighting at the start of the season,” Farrell said, [source: rte.ie].
“He seems in great shape, in great spirits, although he was pretty sick last week and we didn’t see him for 48 hours, he was locked in a room. But he’s back and healthy and looking forward to the game,” [source: rte.ie].
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fiji Fixture
When does Ireland play Fiji?
The Nations Championship match kicks off at 8.10pm on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium, [source: rte.ie].
The Ireland head coach made seven changes to his starting XV from the previous week’s win, [source: rte.ie].
Where can supporters follow the match live?
Supporters can follow a live blog on the RTÉ Sport website and the RTÉ News app, or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1’s Sport Extra, [source: rte.ie].
Related reading