New head coach McFarland says lure of Ulster was 'special'

Ulster's new Head Coach Dan McFarland says it'll take time for him to restore some order at Kingspan Stadium.

The club has endured a summer of player departures and retirements, but McFarland is confident he's the right man to guide Ulster into a new era.

"I think given the amount of change there's been here over summer, there will be a loss in cohesion. Any organisation needs cohesion for it to work well."

"So for me at the moment it's a question of experiencing, understanding, getting to know people and then beginning to pull people together," says McFarland.

"When a province like Ulster speaks to you and says, 'we'd like you to be our Head Coach,' that's special. Was I ready to do it? I believed the time was right. Ultimately it was a good decision, I know that in my gut."

"When I look at Ulster from the outside, I see a successful legacy. I see a history with a lot of success in it. So what's the first thing I do? I look for the clues."

"What is it that brought the success in the first place. And then I'll look around - where are they? I'll draw those out and keep," says McFarland.

He begins his reign on Saturday, home to the Scarlets in the PRO14.