James McNabney has been named in the Ireland squad for the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures, marking his first call-up to the senior national team.

The 23-year-old Ulster back-row forward was previously selected as a training panellist for last summer's Tests in Georgia and Portugal and for the Six Nations, but an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in training sidelined him for the season.

McNabney described the injury as happening when he sidestepped, planted hard with his leg, and heard a pop. He acknowledged that the setback was difficult but said overcoming it helped build resilience. He reflected on taking steps forward and then hitting speed bumps that set him back, but he has now returned to action.

His inclusion in Andy Farrell's 36-man squad comes after Caelan Doris and Jack Conan were ruled out through injury. McNabney has started only one of his four appearances for Ulster this season but has become a first-choice player for the province.

McNabney said training with the national squad has been a step up in speed and attention to detail, describing it as a bit of a shock to the system at first. He said he is aware that all the quality players from the provinces are together and everything moves to another level.

Before focusing full-time on rugby, McNabney competed in mounted games, representing Northern Ireland and Great Britain. He took part in the Royal Windsor Horse Show when he was around 14 or 15 and travelled to the United States for an international mounted games exchange when he was 15 or 16.

He received the nickname "Horse" from former Ulster head coach Dan McFarland after a run in a game against Glasgow, when McFarland remarked that McNabney looked like a big horse as he ran up the pitch.

McNabney, who is from near Ballymena in County Antrim, also worked on his family's dairy and sheep farm while growing up. He said farming feels like a game of golf to him on a down day and that he hopes to take over the family farm one day as the third generation.

He began playing rugby at Cambridge House Grammar School at age 11 and said he felt he had size, aggression, and determination that carried over from horse riding. He did not take to the sport instantly but enjoyed it from the start.

McNabney said he has not yet played at senior international level and is working hard to earn an opportunity. He added that representing Ireland would be a dream come true and that he does not know if it is achievable, but with his squad selection it may now be on the radar.