Former Ireland and Australia head coach Joe Schmidt will work with Ulster in a consultancy role focused on the province's coaching pathway. As Ulster statement said Schmidt would "support the ongoing development of coaches across the province, helping to strengthen a clear and connected coaching pathway" throughout the organisation. "Ulster has a proud rugby tradition and further developing the coaching pathway in the region is something that we believe can add value," said Schmidt. Prior to that, Schmidt had worked as an assistant at Clermont and served as Leinster's head coach for three years, winning a pair of Heineken Cups with the latter. Schmidt has recently been linked with a return to the RDS, with head coach Leo Cullen set to leave at the end of the 2026-27 season after more than a decade in charge.