For all the talk of new faces, transition and development on the pitch for Ulster this season, the coaching box has undergone something of a makeover as well.
While head coach Richie Murphy’s arrival as interim boss in place of Dan McFarland gave him the end of last season to bed in before being named to the post permanently, summer arrival Jimmy Duffy got his first taste of competitive action in Saturday’s dramatic United Rugby Championship opener against Glasgow.
The former Connacht and Ireland underage coach has linked again with long-time collaborator Murphy after two seasons coaching in Australia with Super Rugby side Western Force.
And his time at Ulster began with a 20-19 win over the reigning URC champions, achieved with a Dave Shanahan try deep in the red at the end of the match to delight the home supporters.
“It was a noisy crowd, which was great to have on my side – a welcome change,” said Duffy.
“It was brilliant to get off the mark at home with a win against really top-quality opposition. For us it’s probably the ideal start to the season.”
Duffy, who worked with Connacht development structures and was part of the coaching team when the western province won the league title in 2016, also enjoyed success with Murphy and the Irish U20s.
That history of operating with burgeoning talent and evolving squads was part of what attracted Duffy to the job of working with Ulster’s forwards – a young unit in a young squad that is very much the future of the province.
“For me, it’s probably what gets me out of bed in the morning,” he said.
“You like working with people that want to get better and there’s a constant stream of young players here that just ask the questions continuously, look for extras, seek advice and aren’t afraid to ask those questions.
“I’ve been blown away by the level of commitment in terms of learning within the group. It’s really does energise you in the morning.
“They work hard throughout the day, they’re brilliant for each other, they get on with each other, they work hard and they compete, so it hasn’t been hard at all. It’s been great, it’s been really refreshing.”
Duffy also paid tribute to Marty Moore after Ulster announced the tighthead prop has retired with immediate effect on medical advice to focus on his mental wellbeing.
Moore, a Six Nations winner with Ireland in 2014 and 2015, joined Ulster in 2018 and made 94 appearances for the province.
“I’ve only just come in the door, I was always on the other side of it [to Moore] but he’s been brilliant for this club and he’s left a legacy behind,” said the former Connacht coach.
“The lads speak really fondly of him – he was in speaking with them during the week – and he’s left a good legacy in terms of what the standard for a tighthead for Ulster should be. Disappointed, but that’s life and I think whatever is best for him and his family is crucial.”
Ulster head to South Africa on Wednesday for matches on consecutive Saturdays, starting with the Lions in Johannesburg this weekend then the Bulls in Pretoria seven days later.
Scrum-half John Cooney, who missed the match against Glasgow with a hamstring injury, will make the flight to the southern hemisphere having resumed full training.
