Jacob Alexander Stockdale (born 3 April 1996) is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team.International playing statistics at itsrugby.com
From 2018 to 2025 he held the record for tries scored in a single Six Nations Championship, scoring seven tries for Ireland in the 2018 tournament, for which he was also named Player of the Championship. The record was eventually beaten by Louis Bielle-Biarrey's eight tries in the 2025 tournament. He won the Nevin Spence Irish Young Player of the Year award in 2018, and was nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year in 2019.
Early life He was born in Newtownstewart in County Tyrone before his family settled in Lurgan. He grew up idolising Tommy Bowe and Jonah Lomu.Gerry Thornley, "Jacob Stockdale living the dream playing alongside his boyhood heroes", The Irish Times, 11 November 2017 He attended Wallace High School in Lisburn, where he played in the back row before moving to centre. He played for the school's first team in his final year,Jack O'Toole, "Jacob Stockdale - From Wallace reserves to one of the best wingers in the world", Sports Joe, 2019 was selected for Ireland at Schools and under-18 level, and was named Ulster Schools Player of the Year in the 2014 Ulster Rugby Awards.Richard Mulligan, "Trimble celebrates hat-trick", News Letter, 5 May 2014
Stockdale is a Christian (his father is a Presbyterian minister) and prays before each game.
Stockdale has been married to Hannah since 2021 and they have two daughters, Phoebe and Bonnie.'Jacob Stockdale: Tries and Lowes'. BBC Sport: The Ireland Rugby Social, 20 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026
Professional career Stockdale joined the Ulster academy ahead of the 2014–15 season,"Jacob Stockdale has signed a new deal with Ulster", The Irish Times, 21 February 2018 while studying criminology at Ulster University at Jordanstown. He moved to wing from centre because of Ulster having strength in depth at that position. He made his senior debut for Ulster against Benetton in January 2016, making six appearances, including five starts, in the 2015–16 season, and was selected for Ireland under-20s in the 2016 under-20 Six Nations and the 2016 under-20 World Championship. In the 2016–17 season he made 20 appearances including eight starts, and scored nine tries. At the end of the season he was named Ulster's Young Player of the Year."Departing Duo Receive Ulster Rugby Awards", Irish Rugby, 7 May 2017 He was named in the Ireland squad for the 2017 Summer Tour, and made his international debut against the United States.
In 2017–18 he made 19 appearances for Ulster, including 18 starts, and scored ten tries. He played his first home game for Ireland in November 2017, against South Africa where he scored a try. Two weeks later in the same November series he won "man of the match" after scoring two tries in Ireland's 28–19 victory over Argentina. He was named Player of the Championship in the 2018 Six Nations Championship, after setting a tournament record for most tries scored with seven as Ireland won the Grand Slam. He was awarded the Nevin Spence Young Player of the Year award by Rugby Players Ireland in May 2018,"Zurich Irish Rugby Player Awards announced", Rugby Players Ireland, 16 May 2018 and won BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year in December 2018."Jacob Stockdale named 2018 BBC Sport Northern Ireland Personality of the Year", 12 December 2018
In 2018–19 he made twelve appearances for Ulster, including eleven starts, and scored seven tries. He was nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year in 2019."EPCR European Player of the Year nominee #13 – Jacob Stockdale (Ulster Rugby)", European Professional Club Rugby, 26 February 2019 For Ireland, he won eleven caps, including five in the 2019 Six Nations Championship and four at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and scored three tries, including one in Ireland's first ever victory against the All Blacks on Irish soil,
In 2019–20 he made 13 appearances, all starts, for Ulster, and scored two tries. For Ireland, he won five caps in the 2020 Six Nations Championship. In 2020-21 he made 14 appearances, all starts, for Ulster, and scored three tries. For Ireland, he won five caps three in the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup, one in the 2021 Six Nations Championship, and one against Japan in July 2021. In 2021–22, he injured his ankle in Ulster's opening United Rugby Championship match against Glasgow Warriors, which kept him out for the rest of the season, eventually requiring surgery in January 2022."Jacob Stockdale: Ulster and Ireland wing to miss rest of season with ankle injury", BBC Sport, 18 January 2022 He made his 100th appearance for Ulster at the end of the 2022–23 season.Paul McIntyre, "Stockdale and Herring hit milestones as Ulster eye URC semi-final spot", The Irish News, 5 May 2023 He was called up to Ireland's preliminary 42-man squad ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup,Josh Graham, "Ireland Rugby World Cup squad 2023 – Farrell names 42 players", Rugby World, 30 May 2023 and made his first international start since 2021 against Italy on 5 August 2023."Ireland 33-17 Italy: Grand Slam winners begin World Cup warm-up series with solid home win", BBC Sport, 5 August 2023 He was called up to the Ireland squad for their two-match tour of South Africa in July 2024."Ireland Squad Update", Irish Rugby, 8 July 2024 On 5 February 2026, Stockdale started his first Six Nations Championship match in close to five years when he named in the team to play France.
Career statistics List of international tries Number Position Points Tries Result Opposition Venue Date 1 Wing 5 1 Won Red Bull Arena 10 June 2017 2 Wing 5 1 Won Aviva Stadium 11 November 2017 3–4 Wing 10 2 Won Aviva Stadium 25 November 2017 5–6 Wing 10 2 Won Aviva Stadium 10 February 2018 7–8 Wing 10 2 Won Aviva Stadium 24 February 2018 9–10 Wing 10 2 Won Aviva Stadium 10 March 2018 11 Wing 5 1 Won Twickenham Stadium 17 March 2018 12 Wing 5 1 Won Aviva Stadium 17 November 2018 13 Wing 5 1 Won Murrayfield 9 February 2019 14 Wing 5 1 Won Rome 24 February 2019 15–16 Wing 10 2 Won Millennium Stadium 31 August 2019 17 Fullback 5 1 Lost Aviva Stadium 31 October 2020 18 Wing 5 1 Lost Twickenham Stadium 21 November 2020 19 Wing 5 1 Won Aviva Stadium 3 July 2021 Jacob Stockdale, ESPN Scrum, 9 February 2019
Honours Ireland 1× Six Nations Championship: 2018 1× Grand Slam: 2018 1× Triple Crown: 2018
Individual 1× Ulster Schools Player of the Year: 2014 1× Ulster Young Player of the Year: 2017 1× Six Nations Player of the Championship: 2018 1× BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year: 2018 1× EPCR European Player of the Year nominee: 2019
References
External links
Ulster Rugby profile United Rugby Championship profile Ireland profile