After Ulster's emphatic second half performance against Munster in the BKT United Rugby Championship on Friday night, the province’s skipper made a not-so-subtle call for their form to be recognised in the Six Nations.
"I really hope the Irish coaching staff have a look at these young lads and see how they fit into an exciting Ireland squad going forward," Iain Henderson said.
International caps have been few and far between in Belfast in the last couple of seasons.
Henderson and Rob Herring were the only Ulster players to feature for Ireland in the Six Nations last year, one bench appearance each for a combined 30 minutes in five games, while no Ulsterman toured with the British and Irish Lions this summer.
In November, the province fared slightly better with Stuart McCloskey forcing his way into the starting team for the games against New Zealand and Australia, before injury ruled him out of playing South Africa, while Nick Timoney was also rewarded with a couple of appearances.
However, it was notable that there were no Ulster representatives in the final game of that slate against the Springboks.
Given how the province were playing last season, it was hard to argue against their lack of representation in the Ireland squad, but their 2025/26 form might force Andy Farrell’s hand, with several players making a case for selection.
Some of those players are already capped, such as Jacob Stockdale and Tom Stewart (below), while the likes of Nathan Doak, Zac Ward and Jude Postlethwaite are yet to make international debuts, but have been involved in wider senior squads and A teams in the past.
And Bernard Jackman believes there are several players in Belfast whose form will be hard to ignore.
"The lads who you've watched consistently over the last three or four years in Ravenhill or in away grounds are obviously very good players, but they just seem to have found another 10%," Jackman said on this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"I think what's going to be really interesting for Ulster's long-term future is that they're getting more out of their established players."
And the former Ireland hooker says Doak, Stewart and Stockdale look the most likely trio to make a push for an appearance in this year’s championship.
"I think Nathan Doak is much improved. He’s playing with confidence, and probably able to play a faster pace than maybe I thought suited him.
"Surely, he's number three in Irish scrum-halves. He missed out in November. So he gets in there, he gets better for that experience.
"Stockdale gets back in the Irish starting team potentially. Obviously, with Hugo Keenan coming back, he's probably not going to play full-back, but maybe on the wing.
"And Tom Stewart, I think, has to be looking at being back in the Irish squad ahead of maybe Gus McCarthy, who's not getting much game time.
"You add Izzy [Cormac Izuchukwu] and Henderson, and [Jude] Postlethwaite, suddenly Ulster can have maybe eight, nine, 10 players [involved]. That's vastly different than what we were looking at a year ago."
🗣️ "It's vastly different to what we were looking at a year ago..." - @bernardjackman
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 7, 2026
Will Ulster's good start to the season be reflected in Ireland's Six Nations squad? ☘️
RTÉ Rugby pod: https://t.co/bvMkYZL3Hg pic.twitter.com/JEdhQdj3Kf
Jackman was joined on the RTÉ Rugby podcast by former Exeter Chiefs Champions Cup winner Gareth Steenson, who gave further insight to the rebuild taking place at the province under Richie Murphy.
But the Ulsterman believes while his native province have been in brilliant form, their lack of involvement in the Champions Cup could play a factor when Farrell is announcing his Six Nations squad in two weeks.
"It'll come down to what Andy [Andy Farrell] is looking for. Ultimately, it's going to be down to what way they want to play the game," he said.
"How many actually get in and play, I think the next couple of weeks are really important and the problem that Ulster probably have is they're playing in the Challenge Cup, which may be a hindrance to them, maybe not, I'm not sure.
"But it'll really boil down to the way Andy wants to play the game and what way he sees it.
"I'd like to say this is probably the best opportunity you've got of seeing a few more Ulster boys potentially getting a run out in this year's Six Nations."
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