With the new URC season fast approaching, Richie Murphy is preparing for his first full campaign at the helm with Ulster.
The former Ireland U20 head coach took over with Ulster midway through last season, after Dan McFarland's exit amid a dismal run of results.
Murphy brought some stability to the province but, in truth, any progress was not truly reflected in results, with Ulster taking a beating from Clermont at the quarter-final stage of the Challenge Cup and exiting the URC at the same stage at the hands of Leinster.
Ulster fans will hope that their fortunes turn around this season, with Murphy having had a full summer to settle into his new role.
However, the 50-year-old has lamented the upcoming Emerging Ireland tour as a "disruptive" influence on the province's start to the season.
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Richie Murphy laments 'disruptive' absence of Ulster's Emerging Ireland stars
18 May 2024; Ulster head coach Richie Murphy before the United Rugby Championship match between Ulster and Leinster at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Late this month, an Emerging Ireland squad led by Simon Easterby will travel to Bloemfontein for a series of touring matches. The Irish team will face South African sides the Cheetahs and Pumas, and Australian side Western Force.
The IRFU have communicated to the four provinces about the players under consideration for selection. Despite his previous heavy involvement with the U20s, Richie Murphy has lamented the impact the early-season tour will have on Ulster's start to the season.
Quoted in the Irish Independent, Murphy said:
With the Emerging Ireland team going away there is going to be disruption in relation to that, so that is all going to have to balance out.
I think it is going to take longer than (three rounds of matches) before we know exactly where we are. A number of guys will go to Emerging Ireland for round two and three, round four.
Really, we are starting in round five again. It’s a disruptive start to the season but we are hoping that we are being clear enough in what we expect from a rugby point of view that players can come in and out without a huge drop off in performance.
The 2022 tour to the same city saw several players who have since established themselves as Ireland regulars given their big chance - among them were Calvin Nash, Jamie Osborne, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, and Joe McCarthy.
That would suggest that the return to Bloemfontein will be a worthwhile exercise for Irish rugby, a point made by Simon Easterby when the tour was announced in June.
The 2022 Tour was of huge value, as evidenced by the cohort of players who have come through and been capped at Test level for Ireland since.
It will be a short preparation window leading into three tough matches but that is part of the challenge for the whole group, building connections and getting up to speed to meet the demands of playing in a green jersey.
As Richie Murphy attempts to rebuild an Ulster setup in turmoil, however, it is perhaps understandable that the head coach is not particularly enthused by what he sees as an unnecessary distraction.
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