Tom O’Toole Banned for Dangerous Tackle

Tom O’Toole, Ulster prop will miss Ireland’s first two Six Nations games after receiving a six-game ban for a dangerous tackle during a recent United Rugby Championship match against Munster. O’Toole received a red card for a high-risk clearout on Munster centre Alex Nankivell in Ulster’s 22-19 loss at Kingspan Stadium last month. The disciplinary panel found that O’Toole breached Law 9.20e by targeting the lower limbs of an opponent.

O’Toole, who played in three games during Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series will miss Ireland’s Six Nations opener against England on February 1 and their away match against Scotland on February 9. He will also sit out three Ulster games, including the final two pool matches in the Investec Champions Cup against Leicester and Exeter Chiefs as well as a URC fixture against Zebre. Initially, O’Toole faced a 10-game ban for his dangerous tackle which caused Nankivell to suffer a hamstring injury.

However, the URC reduced his suspension by 40% due to his admission of the foul play, his immediate apology and good conduct post-match. The URC did not apply all mitigating factors because O’Toole had previously received a red card for foul play in a 2022 match against Toulouse. Ireland’s interim head coach, Simon Easterby mentioned that O’Toole would likely remain part of the squad unless he suffers an injury or faces further suspension.

Despite this setback, Tom O’Toole continues to be a regular member of the senior Ireland squad since his debut in 2021. After the Six Nations matches against England and Scotland, Ireland will face Wales, France and Italy in their quest for a third consecutive title. Easterby will announce his squad for the Six Nations on January 15.