Change continues at Ulster Rugby with today’s announcement that forwards coach Roddy Grant will be leaving his role with the province by mutual agreement.
The announcement comes just days before preseason preparations commence for Ulster’s 2024/25 campaign.
Grant has spent five years with the province having joined Ulster as forwards coach in 2019 under then head-coach Dan McFarland.
Last year, the former Scotland international signed a two-year extension to his deal which would have taken him to the end of the 2024/25 season.
The 37-year-old’s announcement comes in the wake of several changes in recent months at Ulster Rugby including the departures of head-coach Dan McFarland and CEO Jonny Petrie.
New head coach Richie Murphy has been recently been joined on the coaching ticket by his former Ireland U20 assistant Jimmy Duffy, with the lineout and scrum specialist being brought in to work with Ulster’s forwards.
Grant joined Ulster from Edinburgh in 2019, with the former flanker credited with helping strengthen Ulster’s pack and in particular the province’s lineout maul which became a potent attacking weapon and a rich source of tries.
The former flanker made 138 appearances for Edinburgh and retired in December 2015 due to injury.
Grant took on a role coaching in the Scottish Rugby Academy before returning to his old club Edinburgh as assistant forwards coach in May 2017 before joining Ulster two years later.
In 2020 under Dan McFarland’s new coaching team, Grant helped Ulster reach the final of the Pro14.
With the reasons for the surprising timing of Grant’s departure still unclear, it is understood the Botswana-born former professional player will be leaving the province in search of a new challenge with immediate effect.
“I’m extremely proud of our work as forwards over the past five years. I feel that I leave with the pack in a better place than when I arrived, with the guys having built a very strong reputation as a forward pack,” said Grant.
“I gave it my all, and I went all in. Thank you to all the players who gave everything, and went all in for me too.”
Head coach Richie Murphy commented: “Roddy has given a lot to the club over the past five years, and we would like to thank him for all his hard work that is set to stand by us as a squad in the seasons ahead.
“From a personal perspective, I really enjoyed working together at the end of last season. Roddy is a coach that gives it his all, and I know how much maintaining the highest standards means to him.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, I would like to wish Roddy every success for the future.
”The Ulster squad are due to reassemble on Monday July 23 for their first full preseason training under new head coach Richie Murphy.