Ulster head coach Richie Murphy believes players in his squad are “definitely further up the pecking order” than in previous years when it comes to Ireland selection for the Six Nations.
The northern province provided only four players for Andy Farrell’s original panel for the Autumn series last year and representation was even smaller for the 2025 Six Nations when then interim head coach Simon Easterby named only Iain Henderson, Rob Herring and Cormac Izuchukwu in his 36-player squad.
Murphy has reversed Ulster’s fortunes this season, however, with the side having won eight of 11 games in all competitions, topping their Challenge Cup pool after Saturday’s win over Stade Francais and sitting third in the United Rugby Championship.
Farrell will name his Six Nations squad next week and Murphy believes the team’s form will show his international hopefuls in a “really good light”.
“I’m really hopeful,” he said.
“I think there’s a number of players who are definitely further up the pecking order than they were this time last year, let’s say, and that’s on the back of the work that the guys are doing together in order to really put on some good team cohesive moments.
“I think the big thing that we have at the moment is players fitting into our system and fitting into it really well, and once you execute like that the team drags the individuals forward as well and puts them in really good light.”