Ulster back row James McNabney says his confidence “is growing week by week” as he continues to establish himself as a regular starter in head coach Richie Murphy’s team this season.
The 21-year-old made three appearances for the Irish province in the 2023-24 campaign but has featured in seven games to date this term, including six starting roles at either flanker or number eight.
McNabney has been on the field from the start in the wins over Glasgow Warriors and Connacht, as well as defeats by Bulls, Leinster, Toulouse and Munster.
“I knew within myself I had the capability, I just needed the opportunity,” said McNabney before Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup pool game against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.
“Week by week confidence is growing and you can probably see that in my performances. As you get to know the players more the more you feel you can fit in and play round them.”
McNabney did not play mini-rugby – his early sporting interest was focused more on horse riding – but he took up the game while a pupil at Cambridge House Grammar School.
The Ballymena native went on to be part of the 2022 and 2023 Ireland Under-20s Grand Slam-winning sides under Murphy, as well as being a member of the Ulster Rugby Academy, an opportunity to “mature and grow”.
“It’s probably a good thing I came the path I did. I was more raw when I started, getting to know different rules and the knowledge that I didn’t have,” said McNabney.
“If you had gone to more of a rugby school you’d have gone into that in more depth and not coming from that the more I get to know now the more I’ve excelled.
“Other people have maybe hit their ceiling whereas I’m moving on.”
McNabney’s laid-back approach to the game leaves him relatively unfazed by the prospect of facing Michael Cheika’s English Premiership side but his determination to build on a URC win over Connacht in their last outing is clear.
“Every team you face are just 15 players and they are beatable so go out with confidence. I’ll just take it in my stride and hopefully play well,” he said.
“We know they’re going to be a big physical side and we know what they’re going to bring but you can only look at them so much because you need to focus on yourself and focus on the team.
“The win over Connacht was only one win. We need to back it up this week with a good performance.”
