4 weeks ago
Ulster interim leader Richie Murphy says he has had "positive" discussions regarding taking complete permanently astatine Kingspan Stadium, contempt speculation linking others to nan job.
Ireland Under-20s caput coach Murphy was installed connected a impermanent basis aft Dan McFarland was sacked successful February pinch Friday night's triumph complete Benetton his 3rd triumph successful six games.
The 54-year-old has agelong been considered nan favourite to lead nan broadside into adjacent season, and has stated his desire to return nan occupation on, but reports from Japan this week linked Kubota Spears coach Frans Ludeke to nan vacant post.
"I don't really salary overmuch attraction to what's going connected successful nan background," Murphy said.
"I person had conversations pinch Ulster and they've each been affirmative towards adjacent year, truthful it's still astatine that stage."
Murphy has faced six games successful six weeks since arriving aft nan underage Six Nations, pinch 2 of those played successful South Africa and 2 successful France.
His broadside person now won 2 games successful a statement pinch nan 38-34 triumph complete Benetton representing a measurement guardant successful position of performance.
In a tight United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off race, Murphy added that he has had to beryllium much focused connected results than his semipermanent future.
"It astir apt has an effect connected different group much truthful than me," he said of nan speculation.
"I'm rather happy pinch what I'm doing. I suppose erstwhile there's not certainty, it opens up to speculation. But speculation, I can't woody pinch that.
"I request to hole nan squad connected a Monday, a Tuesday and a Thursday to get them fresh for Friday. I woody pinch nan squad and I'm worrying astir really we tin beryllium bully capable to triumph connected Friday nights."
The interim caput coach is not nan only Murphy weighing up a early astatine Kingspan Stadium. His boy Jack, who started each 5 of Ireland's 2024 Under-20s Six Nations games astatine fly-half, is successful talks complete a woody successful Belfast too.
"The latest is he's been talking to Ulster, definitely," Murphy added.
"He hasn't signed immoderate contracts aliases thing for illustration that. He's looking astatine assemblage options and we'll spot really that progresses complete nan adjacent mates of weeks."
Ulster's five-try showing against Benetton lifted them from 10th to 5th successful nan URC array pinch conscionable 3 fixtures remaining. While they will hold and spot wherever they decorativeness nan play aft results elsewhere connected Saturday, nan 5 points against a play-off rival could beryllium important successful nan title to extremity nan play successful nan apical eight.
After a week disconnected to let for nan European semi-finals, Ulster will resume their convention run distant to Scarlets connected 11 May.
Having been without astatine slightest 10 regulars for nan Benetton win, Murphy hopes to person a fewer players backmost for that travel to Wales.
"There will beryllium 1 aliases 2 of those players back, it's really difficult to opportunity which ones," he added.
"They're moving difficult pinch nan aesculapian squad and they're doing a awesome occupation putting nan guys done their paces.
"We'd expect immoderate backmost but not anyplace adjacent nan magnitude that we person missing."
Injuries person been a accordant taxable of Murphy's short tenure pinch cardinal figures for illustration Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Nick Timoney and Kieran Treadwell presently retired of action, while it has already been confirmed that Springbok Steven Kitshoff has played his past crippled for nan province earlier a summertime return to Stormers.
In their absence, Murphy has had to trust connected a number of younger players, immoderate of whom he antecedently worked pinch astatine nan Ireland Under-20s.
"It's massive," said Murphy of nan effect of nan lengthy wounded list.
"When you suffer nan acquisition that we're losing, you've sewage 21-year-old Scott Wilson going 3 aliases 4 games successful a row, which shouldn't really happen, Harry Sheridan is successful a akin vessel astatine 22.
"Tight-five forwards retired location and being capable to do that, because that's wherever we're missing nan bulk of those players, it puts unit connected you.
"The guys will study from these experiences, and it will guidelines to them complete nan adjacent number of seasons, but for Ulster Rugby we request to triumph correct now.
"To beryllium capable to get done nan past number of games pinch nan magnitude of injuries that we've had has been really good.
"Getting those young lads into nan squad (now) builds nan title truthful that erstwhile nan different lads travel back, they're not conscionable handed backmost a jersey, they each person to activity really difficult to get into nan squad for nan adjacent game. That's nan large thing."
