'My phone's never buzzed so much' - Ireland Six Nations star McCloskey
The Ulster man made his Ireland debut in 2016 but has had to be patient for a prolonged opportunity at centre with the likes of Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw previously in his way. But with the former suspended for the first three games and the latter's injury troubles, McCloskey grasped the chance he always thought would come with both hands. "I didn't think it would take to 33 to get to five games in a row in the Six Nations," he added.
"I never thought I was too far away from actually playing and, not being arrogant, but I backed my ability that I still thought I had it and was a pretty good player. "Testament to Faz who kept me wanting to do it, it's easy for lads to get disheartened when not playing but it was a good environment to be in. " McCloskey and Aki had a playful spat when Ulster beat Connacht 29-24 in December.
While they are now friends, he admits when they were younger "we wouldn't have been as friendly" given they were both competing for the same position. "In our younger years there was probably a bit more friction and we didn't get on that well, we wouldn't have been as friendly," admitted McCloskey. "But now, as time has gone on, we've spent so much time in the squad together we are quite friendly now.
"It wouldn't have been a bad thing, we were both really competitive. I was trying to get past him when he was nearly world player of the year one year and Robbie was there, we've all been there for the guts of six seven years, it's a good relationship. "We're all as happy as we can be when the other is playing and going well.
There's a bit of jealousy, I'm sure the lads would have loved to play this tournament if Robbie hadn't been injured or Bundee having the small ban. " Who belongs in the team of the tournament for the 2026 Six Nations? When asked to pick personal and collective highlights from a Six Nations in which McCloskey shone and Ireland came agonisingly close to the championship, he opted for the NFL style try assist for Baloucoune against Italy and the post-match celebrations against England.