Nick Timoney’s Ireland renaissance a reward for years of quiet persistence

By the start of last season, Nick Timoney had turned 30 and had played just four games for Ireland. Three of those were as the starting openside, against the USA on his debut in July 2021, Fiji and Georgia. It hadn’t been a bad career, but it wasn’t the one his exceptional promise had suggested.

However, after a couple more appearances last November, Timoney suddenly became an ever-present in matchday squads during the Six Nations. Saturday’s Nations Championship game against Fiji will be his tenth successive Test for Ireland and his first start at number eight, after playing the last 35 minutes there a week ago in the win over Argentina.