Nathan Doak

Last updated

Nathan Doak
Nathan Doak 2021.jpg
Date of birth (2001-12-17) 17 December 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth Northern Ireland
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight87 kg (13.7 st; 192 lb)
School Wallace High School
Notable relative(s) Neil Doak (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021– Ulster 72 (304)
Correct as of 26 October 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021 Ireland U20 4 (58)
2022 Emerging Ireland 2 (5)
Correct as of 15 October 2022

Nathan Doak (born 17 December 2001) is an Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half and out-half for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

The son of the former Ulster scrum-half and head coach Neil Doak, [1] he was a mascot and a ball-boy at Ravenhill as a child. [2] He started playing rugby at Wallace High School, and was part of the team that shared the Ulster Schools' Cup with The Royal School, Armagh after the final was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] He won the Ulster Boys' Schools Player of the Year award in 2020. [4]

He represented Ireland at U18 and U19 level, and played for Ulster A in the 2019–20 Celtic Cup, before joining the Ulster academy for the 2020–21 season. [5] He made his Ulster debut in Round 10 of the 2020–21 Pro14 against Munster. [6]

He was selected for the Ireland national under-20 rugby union team for the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. He played in the victory against Wales, scoring three penalties, three conversions and a 50-metre try; [7] in the defeat to England, scoring a penalty and a conversion; [8] in the win over Italy, scoring two penalties and two conversions; [9] and in the defeat to France, scoring two conversions and three penalties. [10]

He signed a development contract with Ulster ahead of the 2021-22 season. He impressed in the absence of John Cooney with injury, scoring 48 points in nine appearances, and was awarded a senior contract in December. [11] He made his first Champions Cup start against Northampton Saints in January 2022, scoring a try in a 24-20 victory. [12] He finished the season with 23 appearances and 134 points, [13] and was nominated for Young Men's Player of the Year in the 2022 Ulster Rugby Awards. [14] He was selected for the Emerging Ireland squad for the Toyota Challenge in South Africa in September 2022. [15] He finished the 2022–23 season with 20 appearances and 80 points for Ulster. He unexpectedly made his 50th Ulster appearance against Glasgow Warriors in November 2023, being named on the bench at the last minute following the withdrawal of Jake Flannery, then playing most of the game at out-half after Billy Burns went off with a head injury. [16] Since the departure of former head coach Dan McFarland and the arrival of interim head coach Richie Murphy, he has been selected more regularly at out-half. [17] He was called up to the Ireland squad for the 2024 tour of South Africa after Craig Casey was injured in the first test. [18]

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The 2019–20 season was Ulster's 26th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's second season as head coach. Lock Iain Henderson was named captain in place of retired hooker Rory Best. They competed in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Both competitions were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he later stages being played in August, September and October 2020. In the Pro14, Ulster finished second in Conference A, making the playoffs and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup. They beat Edinburgh in the semi-final, but lost to Leinster in the final. They finished second in Pool 3 in the Champions Cup, qualifying for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Toulouse.

The 2023–24 season was Ulster Rugby's 30th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union. They competed in the United Rugby Championship the European Rugby Champions Cup, and the EPCR Challenge Cup. It was Dan McFarland's sixth season as head coach. Despite some good results, including a home win against Racing 92 in the Champions Cup and an away win against Leinster in the URC, Ulster slipped back in the league, and poor performances against Bath, Harlequins and Toulouse dumped them out of the Champions Cup. After an away defeat in the URC against Ospreys in February, McFarland left his position, replaced by former Ireland under-20 head coach Richie Murphy. CEO Jonny Petrie also left, replaced on an interim basis by Hugh McCaughey. Murphy oversaw two away losses in South Africa and a quarter-final exit in the Challenge Cup, but form improved in the league, with four straight wins, including a home win against Leinster, and a losing bonus point away to Munster secured a quarter-final place, losing away to a full-strength Leinster side, and qualification for next season's Champions Cup.

Richie Murphy is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. After three successful seasons as head coach of the Ireland national under-20 rugby union team, he became head coach of Ulster in 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "Nathan Doak". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Ciaran Donaghy, "Nathan Doak preparing for special Ulster debut 11 years on from proud night", News Letter, 2 January 2021
  3. ↑ Patrick McCarry, "'Why not? I'm not doing anything else' - The conversation that changed Nathan Doak's rugby career", Sports Joe, 11 April 2022
  4. ↑ "Ulster Rugby Domestic Rugby Awards: Winners revealed in virtual ceremony", Ulster Rugby, 26 June 2020
  5. ↑ "Abbey Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy squad for 2020/21 season is named". Ulster Rugby. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Ulster 15-10 Munster: Northern province hold off visitors to extend unbeaten run". BBC Sport. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "Stunning Doak score leads Ireland under-20s to bonus-point win over Wales", Six Nations Rugby, 25 June 2021
  8. ↑ "England under-20s keep Grand Slam dream alive after beating Ireland", Six Nations Rugby, 1 July 2021
  9. ↑ "Kendellen double leads Ireland fightback in thrilling win over Italy", Six Nations Rugby, 7 July 2021
  10. ↑ John McMurtry, "SIX NATIONS: IRELAND U20 28 FRANCE U20 34", The Front Row Union, 14 July 2021
  11. ↑ Orla Bannon, "Boost for Ulster as exciting scrum-half Nathan Doak signs first senior contract", Irish Examiner, 23 December 2021
  12. ↑ "Young guns repaying McFarland with adventurous brand of rugby", The Front Row Union, 19 January 2022
  13. ↑ itsrugby.co.uk Profile
  14. ↑ "Nominees announced for 2021/22 Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards", Ulster Rugby, 22 June 2022
  15. ↑ "Emerging Ireland Squad Named For Toyota Challenge In Bloemfontein", Irish Rugby, 14 September 2022
  16. ↑ Jonathan Bradley, "Nathan Doak taking unfamiliar 10 role in stride, insists Ulster coach Dan Soper", Belfast Telegraph, 29 November 2023
  17. ↑ Adam McKendry, "Ulster head coach Richie Murphy gives Nathan Doak the nod at fly-half", Belfast Telegraph, 29 March 2024
  18. ↑ "Ireland Squad Update", Irish Rugby, 8 July 2024
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