Ulster’s interim head coach, Richie Murphy, has expressed an interest in adopting the role on a full-time basis. As the coach of Ireland’s Under-20 team, Murphy was a hair’s breadth away from securing three successive Six Nations titles last week. He will be at the helm of Ulster’s team for the first time on Saturday, facing the struggling Sharks in Durban.
Murphy is expected to guide the northern province up to the end of the season. John Fogarty, Ireland’s scrum coach, will be aiding him part-time, fulfilling the responsibilities previously held by sacked head coach Dan McFarland. Murphy admitted his interest in a long-term role during his first press conference after moving to the northern province. He anticipates that these plans will be clarified in the coming weeks after further discussions.
Currently residing in Bray, Murphy is already looking into relocating to Belfast. He clarified Fogarty’s contribution, bringing his specialist scrum knowledge to the squad currently positioned fifth in the URC rankings with seven remaining games before the playoffs. Fogarty, who will be present for part of each week, will assist with preparing the scrum for each match. He will travel to South Africa for the upcoming Sharks match, where he will oversee, review and prepare for the subsequent game against the Stormers.
Murphy stated that being aware of several present Ulster squad members, having worked with them through the U20s pipeline and during his tenure with the senior squad, he plans to implement subtle changes in the province’s playstyle in the near future. By stating, “I’m honoured to work for Ulster Rugby and thrilled with the players at our disposal, the aim is to start moving in a slightly different direction”, he made his enthusiasm for helping shape the future of Ulster Rugby clear.
There are subtle improvements I won’t disclose, but I expect they will become evident on the field in due course,” shared Murphy. “Our strategy is to strategically position the ball, adhering to the core principle of my approach – thrust the ball into gaps rather than charging at opponents, though sometimes, compacting space necessitates engaging with rivals.”
“I envision my role as aiding a squad that’s seen better days, and I believe minor adjustments could make the difference, provided we maintain a present focus, and not let our ambitions run wild. We need intense focus on the nowness of things, ensuring our mental aptitude is in sync with our physical positioning.”
Post this weekend’s fixture against the Sharks, the lowest-ranked team, Ulster will subsequently journey to Cape Town to face off the Stormers, before heading back home and further proceeding to contend with Montpellier in the Challenge Cup’s last 16 stage.
An assembly of 30 players has been announced by Ulster for the forthcoming dual match tour to South Africa, and it includes Six Nations squad members from Ireland, such as Iain Henderson, Stuart McCloskey, Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney and Tom O’Toole.
However, Marty Moore, Dave Ewers and Luke Marshall will be absent from the visiting squad, and Jacob Stockdale, another member of the Ireland squad, will be staying back home after welcoming his second child into the world.