Pro14: Ulster's John Cooney considered Scotland switch before Ireland call-up
- Published
Cooney made his Ireland debut aged 27 against Japan in 2017
Ulster's John Cooney has revealed he considered declaring for Scotland before receiving his first Ireland cap on their 2017 summer tour of Japan.
The scrum-half, whose father is from Glasgow, has gone on to win seven caps for his country but admitted he was tempted to try his luck with Scotland having reached the age of 27 without an international cap.
"It definitely crossed my mind a couple of years ago," said Cooney, whose Ulster side meet Edinburgh in Saturday's Pro14 semi-final.
"If I didn't get that cap on the tour of Japan it probably would have been something that I would have looked at going down the route of."
The Dubliner struggled for recognition having failed to hold down the starting jersey at Leinster and Connacht, but is now firmly in the international conversation following three excellent seasons with Ulster.
Cooney's career could have taken a very different path had he chosen to follow up a conversation with Scott Johnson, Scotland's interim head coach between 2013 and 2014 who contacted the scrum-half to discuss a potential move.
"I wasn't too sure if it was a prank phone call," Cooney said.
"He was only interim coach at the time so I didn't see any point in declaring for Scotland when there was an interim coach that might not be there in the long term.
"I had also only just turned 22 and was hoping to get a lot of game-time with Leinster and push on with Ireland.
"At the time I just didn't think it was the right decision and then after I didn't hear anything."
'I have a gap on my wall for a medal with Ulster'
Since arriving in Belfast in 2017 Cooney has become a key player at Ulster and is a hugely popular figure among fans having risen to the challenge of replacing the similarly popular South African Ruan Pienaar.
Despite considerable improvement under head coach Dan McFarland, Ulster have not reached a competition final in seven years and are without a trophy since their 2005-06 Celtic League triumph.
"I have a massive gap on my wall for when I do win a medal with Ulster," said Cooney.
"We've worked so hard over the last couple of years and even those couple of hard seasons that felt like our back was against the wall.
The scrum-half has become a hugely popular figure in three seasons with Ulster
"I think it would be even that bit sweeter to come through that adversity and come together as a collective and win silverware in a province that deserves it."
Ulster have both of their games since rugby's return last month, and will require a considerably better performance if they are to get beyond Conference B champions Edinburgh at Murrayfield.
However Cooney has dismissed the idea that their recent displays are an indicator that Ulster are not ready to make a serious challenge for silverware.
"We've earned the right to be in the semi-final with a lot of good play throughout the season," he said.
"Rory Best said last season you don't get what you deserve, you get what you work for, and we're sick of always saying 'well, next season we'll learn'.
"It's important that this week we deliver, we have been talking too much in the last two weeks so we just need to go out and play well."