Jacob Stockdale: 'I'm getting back to where I want to be,' says Ireland back

Stockdale was named as part of Ireland's Six Nations squad but did not play

Ireland back Jacob Stockdale says "it was a bit of a no-brainer" to sign a new two-year contract with Ulster as he bids to put himself in contention for a place in Ireland's World Cup squad.

Stockdale missed almost the entire 2021-22 season through injury but his performance was one of the high points of Ulster's recent defeat by Leinster.

"I thought I performed well," reflected Stockdale of his display in Dublin.

"I feel I'm getting back to where I want to be in terms of my form."

The 2018 Six Nations player of the tournament was previously on an IRFU playing contract.

• Stockdale and Cooney sign new contracts with Ulster

Ulster's interest in this season's Champions Cup ended with their 30-15 reverse at the hands of their Irish interprovincial rivals at the Aviva Stadium on 1 April.

The sole focus for Dan McFarland's men now falls on the United Rugby Championship, beginning with the visit of the Dragons to Kingspan Stadium on Friday, followed by an encounter against Edinburgh.

Ulster sit third in the table, a position which will guarantee them a home quarter-final, but must overhaul the second-placed Stormers if they are to host a potential semi-final in Belfast.

"I'm excited for the next couple of games and how the season is going to run in," said Stockdale, who has won 35 Ireland caps.

"Obviously I want to put myself in the best position I can to be on that plane to France [for the Rugby World Cup in the autumn].

"There are some very talented wingers playing for Ireland who are in great form. I saw that during the Six Nations. I couldn't get a look-in, but rightfully so.

"You don't change a winning team and James Lowe and Mack Hansen have been brilliant for the last 18 months.

"All I can do is perform as best I can over the next few games and let my rugby do the talking."

Andy Farrell led his world number one Ireland squad to a Six Nations Grand Slam

The 27-year-old wing, who can also be deployed at full-back, adds that there is "a really good culture" in Andy Farrell's Six Nations Grand Slam-winning Ireland squad, with players "keen to help each other out".

"Faz [Andy Farrell] is brilliant. We had a pretty frank conversation at the start of the Six Nations and I was honest with him and said I didn't necessarily feel like I deserved to be there.

"I was obviously very happy to be picked and he assured me that it was because he trusted me as a player, which is obviously nice to hear.

"He kept checking in with me throughout the course of the Six Nations, how he felt I was going, and I wanted to show him I could be a good team-mate whether I was on the pitch or not, that I could add value to the squad.

"I feel I've hit the ground running since the Six Nations and I'm back on it.

"Getting back this season has been brilliant, I'm so happy to be sticking around at Ulster for another couple of years and seeing what we can do with an exciting pretty young squad."