‘We’re going to be a young side, and we’re hoping to play an exciting brand of rugby’ – Richie Murphy’s high hopes for Ulster

Since it was early June since Richie Murphy last sat down to chew the fat, and back then it was hardly upbeat after another knockout beating by Leinster, it’s fair to say that enough time has elapsed to make the conversation flow.

Ulster play their opening pre-season friendly on Saturday when Benetton come to Ravenhill and after the following week’s fixture at Exeter Chiefs it’s full-on with no soft landing for the URC as champions Glasgow Warriors are in BT6 for round one.

This will be Murphy’s first full season since being parachuted in after Dan McFarland’s departure last February — he was then given a two-year deal three months later — and though there has been some change ahead of this campaign the inescapable feeling is that this is now an Ulster rebuild which will be primarily focused on promoting youth from within.

There are some new faces around. A forwards coach in Murphy’s former colleague at Ireland U20s Jimmy Duffy whose previous job was at Western Force, a fresh take at 10 with Kiwi Aidan Morgan along with Murphy’s son Jack being one of several young players relocating from Leinster and, of course, the long-known signing of the experienced utility back Werner Kok from the Sharks.

Of course, there is also Zac Ward fresh from starring for Ireland Sevens at the Olympics and on trial at Ulster as he attempts to return to the full-fat version of the game and convert himself into a powerhouse winger in double quick time.

But over to Murphy to sell the vision of what might be about to unfold in the months ahead which could be challenging enough especially with an Emerging Ireland tour on the horizon.

"I’m very happy with the squad we have under the circumstances that we have here at Ulster at the moment," he stated.

"We’re going to be a young side,and we’re hoping to play an exciting brand of rugby.

"On days they click they’ll be very good and some days they’ll struggle, and I think from our point of view as coaches as guardians of that group we have to point them in the right direction, try to hold them to high standards on a daily basis and try to drive Ulster Rugby forward."

He continued: "Although we have lost senior members of that squad (from last season), what tends to happen in these situations is that when there is a void somebody tends to put up their hand and steps in there.

"From a leadership point of view some of the mid 20-year-olds have really stepped up.

"(And) the information from coach to player and player to coach is strong now so we hope to build on that."

All sounds reasonable ahead of what could be a bumpy enough season though there was evidence towards the back end of the last campaign that with Murphy the province will certainly have an attacking structure and shape to trouble anyone.

Converting Ward back towards the 15-a-side game could be something very valuable and the 25-year-old may well feature at the weekend in the hit-out with Benetton which will be an occasion without input from Ireland’s tourists to South Africa as well as both Iain Henderson and Marty Moore — with the former hopefully being fit for the URC opener with Glasgow — as their lengthy recovery from injury continues.

"We’re trying not to overload him, we’re trying to let him be who he is which is a big, exciting ball-carrying player with a lot of power," explained Murphy in regards to Ward whose younger brother Bryn is with the Academy.

"We haven’t had him for long and there is a quite a lot of learning over the next two weeks for him, the stuff like his positional play on the wing and his timing, running lines, they are the things that we’re trying to go after.

"It’s a tight timeframe and in order to get a look at him before the start of the season we have to get him out there."

Forwards coach Duffy knows that much improvement is needed even with Cormac Izuchukwu, Harry Sheridan and Scott Wilson coming through strongly from last season, and having someone on the ticket he knows well must be a bonus for Murphy.

"Myself and Jimmy I think worked together 20 years ago for the first time and then in the Irish 20s as well.

"He’s a close friend of mine, a brilliant coach and technically very strong around scrum, lineout and breakdown area."

While Duffy goes about his work, Murphy can oversee Ward’s progress as well as the attacking nuances and hoped for direction at No.10 from Morgan who hooks up with Ulster from the Hurricanes.

"He’s shown us plenty so far," the head coach says of Morgan. "He’s been great, our game over here is quite different to theirs and Super Rugby so he has adjusted quickly and fitted in very well and has a great attitude and works really hard.

"His skills set is also very good, very quick and sharp on his feet, good passer and sees the space well."

And what of Murphy Senior and Junior working together on a daily basis and not just in the U20s environment?

"We have gone through a lot of that stuff in relation to me understanding him and him understanding me and the difference between me being his father when I go home and being his coach out there," he said.

"So, Jack runs with it, gives me a few cheeky looks now and again but he’s fine."

Here we go then, another fixture list beckons.