Tom McAllister

Born on 18 January 2005, Tom McAllister is a back-row forward on the books at Ulster Rugby, where he has come through the provincial academy pathway. A flanker by trade, McAllister is built around a high work rate, looking to make his presence felt at the breakdown and in the defensive line. He profiles as an openside-style operator — quick to the ruck, competitive over the ball and willing to put in the unglamorous tackles by which loose forwards are measured. As one of the younger forwards in the Ulster system, his focus is on translating age-grade promise into senior minutes in the United Rugby Championship. Players in his mould are valued for their engine and their ability to slow opposition possession, and McAllister's development is geared towards adding the physical edge and consistency required at senior level. He remains a forward to monitor as Ulster continue to blood academy talent.