Towering back-row forward Cormac Izuchukwu felt a “foot taller” pulling on the Ireland Test jersey for the first time following a restless night ahead of his international debut.
The 6ft 7in Ulster flanker impressed head coach Andy Farrell with his presence and athleticism during Saturday’s resounding 52-17 win over Fiji in Dublin.
London-born Izuchukwu, who has an Irish mother and a Nigerian father and moved to Offaly aged seven, experienced nerves before his milestone 50-minute outing at the Aviva Stadium.
The 24-year-old had been made to wait for his maiden cap after being a non-playing member of Ireland’s squad for the summer tour to South Africa and then overlooked for this month’s clashes with New Zealand and Argentina.
“It was unreal, it was class,” he said of his debut. “I’ve been blown away by how much the lads really got around me and made it special.
“When you pull on the jersey, you feel a foot taller. Whenever you’re not playing, it can be hard to see that but when you’re out there for the anthems, that huddle just before kick-off, it’s a special feeling.
“Andy is obviously class, the way he speaks, the vibe he brings, it’s unreal.
“I didn’t sleep much (on Friday) night, which is probably why I was cramping during the game.
“No matter who I spoke to during the day, they made me feel special and gave me that bit of a buzz to go out there and try and put in a bit of a shift.”
Izuchukwu previously played sevens rugby for his country and also went on the Emerging Ireland tours to South Africa in 2022 and earlier this year.
After sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament tear shortly after his provincial debut in 2021, he has become a regular in Ulster’s senior side since the appointment of head coach Richie Murphy in February.
What a win for @IrishRugby against Fiji! | FT 52 – 17
Huge congrats to Izzy on his debut and the entire team on a great game 🙌
What a performance in green ☘️ pic.twitter.com/SlfRPlPo1f
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) November 23, 2024
“I wasn’t playing a lot for Ulster, not playing consecutive weeks which makes it tough to get your foot in the door,” he said.
“Richie came in and I got my shot to play three or four games in a row which gave me the feel of it because I was out for the year with that ACL. That was still hanging over me.
“That run of games was what I needed to kick on and get the confidence. You can look yourself in the mirror and think maybe I’m all right, I’m up for it.
“I’m happy to be here and over the moon.”
While fellow debutant Gus McCarthy claimed one of Ireland’s eight tries, Izuchukwu was denied his own score by an adjudged forward pass from Mack Hansen.
“I had a feeling,” he said of the disallowed effort.
“I went down and dived but in the back of my mind I was thinking maybe it was a forward pass. I looked up and knew pretty quickly.
“A bit disappointing but that’s how it goes.”
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