After an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that forced him to miss the entire 2025-26 season, McNabney has made appearances off the bench in Ulster’s last three United Rugby Championship fixtures after starting the season opener against Edinburgh.
He replaced Juarno Augustus in the 64th minute of Saturday’s 34-26 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria and hopes the stern examination at altitude will benefit him heading into Ireland camp.
“It’s a good test at altitude, temperature, the massive humans we were up against,” added the Ballymena-born forward, who helped the Ireland under-20s win a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022.
“It was good. I would like more minutes. I only got 20 minutes at the end but you’ve just got to take what you’re given and try to raise it.”
McNabney joins eight Ulster team-mates in Ireland camp: fellow uncapped player Jamie Benson as well as Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney, Nathan Doak, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and Robert Baloucoune.
Shorn of their internationals, Ulster face the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (12:45 GMT).
Richie Murphy’s side, still without a URC win this season after two defeats and two draws, reported no fresh injury concerns before the Stormers fixture, while Tom Brigg, Sam Crean, Jed Findlay, Rob Herring, James Hume, Martin Moloney and Zac Ward have joined the squad in Cape Town.
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