Hugo Keenan might be the pathway poster boy for a Sevens rugby player to graduate into the longer version of the game with success.
But the injured fullback is not alone, with Ireland backrow Nick Timoney being another whose basic grounding in rugby at Blackrock College was run through the prism of playing in the Sevens Grand Prix Series with the Irish team in 2017.
Their generation are the last of the batch of Sevens-influenced players as the IRFU chose to discontinue the men’s programme at the end of the 2024-2025 season, a decision that caused more than a ripple of disappointment in the Olympic movement.
Timoney’s style of play in the Ulster and Ireland backrow has been influenced by the essential characteristics of Sevens rugby, with mobility a foundational element. His pace is not his only strength, but it is also the most eye-catching.
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“The one thing I would say is just the speed aspect of Sevens teaches you how much you actually can run fast and how much sprinting you can actually do,” he said.
“Sometimes, certainly as a forward in 15s, it can be easy to get into being a bit one-paced and it’s a bit of a slog the whole time. I guess just that experience of Sevens, where games are won and lost on the ability to sprint. I’d like to keep that going in myself as much as possible.”
It is not the only thing Timoney has in common with other Irish players. His first appearance in a Six Nations match was in the 36-14 defeat to France this year – for a 30-year-old player, patience and belief has been the cornerstone of his current high standing.
Last year he was not picked to be part of Simon Easterby’s Ireland squad, but, like Ulster team-mate Stuart McCloskey, the virtue of hanging in has been rewarded.
“There were times where I would be fairly sure I wouldn’t be playing for Ireland again,” Timoney said. “Like last year at Six Nations, didn’t get picked in the wider squad and when you’re 29 and you have a couple of caps, so it’s not like you’re a complete unknown.
“It’s easy to believe that chances might not come around again. So, yeah, I’d say I was relatively proud of myself for not getting [disheartened] and sticking at it and backing myself and being able to get back to this point.”
McCloskey, at 33, is older than Timoney. One of the standout players against England in the 42-21 win at Twickenham, he too spent years biding his time, with Bundee Aki resolutely holding on to the 12 shirt.
Injury and suspension have given rise to a broader notion that change is now a necessary reality. Timoney takes heart from McCloskey’s late rise and is now keen to make his first Six Nations start.
“Everyone wants to start and I’d love to start as well. A lot of people have said that to me, ‘When are you going to start?’. Friends and family are obviously trying to imply that I’ve been going well off the bench and obviously I would love to start. But I still feel like I’m playing the game,” Timoney said.
McCloskey, who played for Bangor Grammar but was not selected for Irish age grade sides, was capped in 2016, but is only now being fully appreciated.
“I almost even said it to him the other day,” Timoney said. “There is an incredible story there, really, of perseverance. For me, being so close to him and for being in quite a similar position in a lot of ways, but for any professional rugby player, it’s a great story.
“I think it’s a great reflection on Irish rugby that he’s probably never been a starter consistently until this year. He’s 33. There’d probably be a lot of places in world rugby where the door would be closed at that stage. I think it’s an incredible story.”
For now, Timoney must see how Ireland coach Andy Farrell sees his role against a Wales side starved of wins over the last few years. The Ireland team is due to be announced at 2pm on Wednesday with all the star-studded Irish backrow players hoping to flank captain Caelan Doris on Friday night at the Aviva Stadium.
Timoney is among them. Off the bench, great. In the starting team, better. The Sevens player from Dublin, who has spent almost 10 years playing with Ulster, won’t sweat it either way.
“I’ve loved it,” he said of his first season of Six Nations action. “Obviously, I haven’t played in the Six Nations before this season and [it’s] something you always dream of. So, from that point of view, I’ve been feeling incredibly grateful, grateful to be given the opportunities.”
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