Ulster Appoint Dermody As New Forwards Coach

The 46-year-old from Invercargill is a former New Zealand international prop and joins Ulster from a long-standing coaching career with Super Rugby side, the Highlanders.

In his playing career, Dermody played for Southland, the Highlanders, and notably London Irish, where he made over 100 appearances before retiring in 2012 due to injury.

He played three Test matches for the All Blacks against Ireland and England in 2006. Following his playing career, he made a successful transition into coaching.

In 2014 he became assistant coach with the Southland Stags, while Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph also brought him into the coaching team with a focus on scrum sessions.

He formed an important part of the coaching set-up, as scrum coach, when the Highlanders won their first Super Rugby title in 2015. They also recorded a famous victory over the British & Irish Lions in 2017, with Dermody part of the coaching staff.

After four years of balancing both duties, in 2018 he joined Tasman Mako as co-coach alongside current Ireland senior Men’s backs coach Andrew Goodman. The duo won two successive National Provincial Championships in 2019 and 2020.

Dermody was appointed as Highlanders head coach in 2022, having impressed in his tenure as forwards coach.

In 2024, following a restructure, he transitioned into an assistant coach role, with former Japan head coach Joseph returning to the Dunedin-based team as head coach.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Ulster head coach Richie Murphy said: “While we are sad to say goodbye to Jimmy Duffy, who is moving on, as a coaching team we are very excited to be welcoming Clarke to Ulster this summer.

“He is an experienced coach, with a strong track record of developing top talent. We are looking forward to seeing him implement his methods and philosophy with our squad next season.”