ULSTER RUGBY
Head CoachRichie Murphy
Richie Murphy is the head coach of Ulster, a skills specialist who won back-to-back U20 Grand Slams with Ireland before stepping up in 2024.
Tenure record
as of 22 May 2026By competition
United Rugby Championship 18P · 9W · 1D · 8L
Challenge Cup 8P · 6W · 0D · 2L
Richie Murphy has overseen 26 completed Ulster Rugby matches in our database since September 2025 — 15 won, 1 drawn, 10 lost. That is a 57.7% win rate, with 759 points scored and 594 conceded.
Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.
Coaching career
- 2024- Ulster Head Coach
Honours
- 2023 Six Nations U20 Grand Slam (Ireland U20)
- 2022 Six Nations U20 Grand Slam (Ireland U20)
- 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam (Ireland, skills and kicking coach)
- 2015 Six Nations Championship (Ireland, skills and kicking coach)
- 2014 Six Nations Championship (Ireland, skills and kicking coach)
Players under Richie Murphy
Full squad →
About Richie Murphy
Richie Murphy is the head coach of Ulster, appointed permanently in May 2024 and since signed through to the end of the 2027–28 season alongside Willie Faloon and Mark Sexton.
Born in County Wicklow in July 1974, he was a goal-kicking out-half for Greystones, Clontarf and Old Belvedere, with a provincial spell at Leinster. A knee injury ended his playing career in his late twenties and he was never capped.
A specialist’s route
Murphy joined Leinster as skills and kicking coach in 2010, then held the same role with Ireland from 2013 to 2021 under Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell — a period covering two Six Nations titles and the 2018 Grand Slam. He took over Ireland Under-20 in 2021 and won consecutive Grand Slams in 2022 and 2023, reaching the World Rugby U20 Championship final.
Ulster
He stepped up as interim head coach in March 2024 after Dan McFarland’s departure and was confirmed permanently two months later. Ulster finished sixth in the 2025–26 URC and topped their Challenge Cup pool. He has yet to win a trophy with the province.
Style
His background shows in the work: forensic individual technical development, particularly with kickers and playmakers, and a willingness to promote academy players earlier than most.
Frequently asked
Who is the head coach of Ulster Rugby?
Richie Murphy is the head coach of Ulster Rugby.
When did Richie Murphy take charge?
Richie Murphy took over at Ulster Rugby in May 2024, around 2 years ago.
What is Richie Murphy's record?
From 26 matches in our database: 15 wins, 1 draws and 10 defeats — a 57.7% win rate.
What nationality is Richie Murphy?
Richie Murphy is Irish.
How old is Richie Murphy?
Richie Murphy is 52 years old.
What has Richie Murphy won?
Honours include: Six Nations U20 Grand Slam (Ireland U20) (2023), Six Nations U20 Grand Slam (Ireland U20) (2022), Six Nations Grand Slam (Ireland, skills and kicking coach) (2018), Six Nations Championship (Ireland, skills and kicking coach) (2015), Six Nations Championship (Ireland, skills and kicking coach) (2014).
