Paddy Wallace: Ulster have been riven by 'disconnect' between coaches and players

Former Ulster back Paddy Wallace believes there's been a growing disconnect between the coaching staff and the players at the province over the past year, which culminated in Dan McFarland's departure as head coach on Wednesday.

Ulster confirmed that McFarland would be stepping down with immediate effect after five and a half seasons in charge, with the side currently eighth in the URC and eliminated from the Champions Cup.

Ireland's hugely successful under-20 coach Richie Murphy has assumed the role on an interim basis.

McFarland succeeded Les Kiss as head coach after the traumatic 2017-18 season for the province, and initially steadied the ship somewhat, guiding them to successive quarter-finals in the Champions Cup in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The side came agonisingly close to reaching the final of the inaugural United Rugby Championship in 2021-22 but were pipped by the Stormers in the semi-final in Cape Town.

"There's been rumblings behind the scenes for a number of weeks now. Slightly surprised it's come so quickly - with immediate effect," Wallace said on Game On on RTÉ2fm.

However, the team's form has declined drastically this season, reaching its nadir with a shocking display against Harlequins in January, which sealed their elimination from the Champions Cup at the pool stage.

"Dan came into Ulster when the team were not playing well. He solidified things. There were some very, very bright moments in his coaching career at Ulster. They were a whisker away from making the final of the URC (in 2021-22).

"It descended in the last couple of years, where there's been the odd good performance mixed in with not so great. In the last couple of months there has been a steady decline in the performances of the team on the pitch.

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