Andy Farrell Names Ulster’s James McNabney for Ireland Debut vs Fiji
Ulster back row James McNabney is in line to make his Test debut for Ireland on Saturday night against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium, after being named among the replacements by head coach Andy Farrell.
The 23-year-old former Ireland U20 star reached the squad following a breakout 2024/25 season where he played 17 games in all competitions for Ulster. He earned selection as a development player for the 2025 Six Nations before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Ireland camp ahead of summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal, sidelining him for the entirety of last season.
Farrell discussed the player’s unconventional route into elite rugby from a dairy and sheep farm in Ballymena. McNabney took up the sport at Cambridge House Grammar School while simultaneously juggling rugby with horse-riding during his time with Ulster’s U18 side.
“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 told RTÉ.
“Obviously, for the size of him you would have worried for the horses at that stage, wouldn’t you?” Farrell said.
“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 told RTÉ.
McNabney stands at 6ft 5in and weighs roughly 120kg. Had it not been for the knee injury sustained prior to the 2025 summer fixtures, he could already possess senior international honors.
Alongside the inclusion of the debutant, Farrell has made seven changes to the matchday 23 following last week’s fixture. Nick Timoney starts at number 8, joined in the back row by openside flanker Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird.
“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 told RTÉ.
Further changes see Bundee Aki and Jamie Osborne enter the starting XV in the centre partnership, replacing Stuart McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw. Aki missed last week’s game due to an illness that kept him isolated for 48 hours.
“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 told RTÉ regarding the 36-year-old.
Ireland faces Fiji on Saturday at 8.10pm at the Aviva Stadium, with live commentary available on RTÉ Radio 1’s Sport Extra and a live blog running on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.