Nathan Doak wants to finish the URC season on a positive note away in Edinburgh on Friday night – to put himself in contention for Ireland’s two summer matches against Portugal and Georgia.

The game in the Scottish capital is a dead-rubber for Richie Murphy’s side in terms of play-off qualification but a number of players will be looking to impress Paul O’Connell, who has been at Kingspan Stadium to cast his eye over the potential candidates for the touring squad.

Doak was drafted into the Ireland squad last summer before the second test in South Africa but didn’t get capped.

The scrum half started for Ireland A against their England counterparts at Bristol in February and he hopes he can make the plane in the summer.

placeholder image — Ulster’s Nathan Doak. (Photo by Arthur Allison /Pacemaker Press)

“It's something I'd love to be involved in, it's a tough season here at Ulster, hopefully...if I play well on the weekend,” said Doak. “It gives myself another chance to try and put my hand up there...it's something I'd love to be involved in and, hopefully can, make it in. I think from a personal point of view, I'm really looking forward to Edinburgh.

"I’ve said it numerous times, any time you get to put an Ulster jersey on it's so special. I've been here a few years now and I've played with these lads and they're good friends with the lads that are leaving...‘Hendy’ (Iain Henderson, captain) asked the group today, what does this mean for us?

“The over-riding feeling was we want to win and we want to give these lads a good send-off. It's their last game and that's the one they'll remember for a while. There's no shortage of motivation for us to try and go over and make it as special for them as possible.”

Doak, naturally, isn’t happy that the curtain comes down on Ulster’s season after the Edinburgh game following failure to make the play-offs.

“Devastated, it's probably the word that comes to mind when you think about,” said Doak. “Not a nice position to be in as players and people who support the club, there's definitely a bit of hurt going round the changing rooms...we have another game this weekend."

Ulster have confirmed deals for Sam Crean and Rory McGuire to join this summer from, respectively, Saracens and Leinster.

Doak added: “I think if you look at the whole season, there's a lot of things that you could pick out.

“We haven't quite done that yet because we've obviously got a game this week, we haven't sat down and had a season review or anything like that.

“It's been very much harsh, honest truths about the Munster game and what we didn't do well there and trying to fix them for this week.

"I think everyone knows there's a lot we could have done better throughout the year.”

Despite their lowest league finish ever, Doak is confident Ulster can take their learning from this campaign and come back strong next season.

“I think if you look at the squad as a whole, over the course of the season, it's chopped and changed quite a lot,” he said. “We've had quite a lot of injuries throughout the year, that'll hold us in good stead for next season.

“There's a lot of guys that have got opportunities that you mightn't expect to get opportunities.

“Going into next year, hopefully, not as many injuries and everyone's fit, I'd say training will be very competitive.

“There'll be a lot of guys around my age, maybe a bit older, they'll want to kick on and they'll want to start pushing some boys out and try and get into the starting team.

“I think it'll be really competitive next year because I feel like everyone will feel they've got a chance to start in this team.”