Clarke Dermody, the newly appointed forwards coach of Ulster Rugby, has praised Joe Schmidt for his "amazing eye for detail" as the former Ireland head coach takes on a consultancy role with the province. Dermody joined Ulster from the Super Rugby team Highlanders to replace Jimmy Duffy on head coach Richie Murphy's coaching staff. Schmidt, who previously coached Australia and led Ireland to success, has taken on a new role this summer, focusing on the development of coaches across the province. Dermody described Schmidt as a "world-renowned coach" who brings a unique perspective to the game and is open to sharing his knowledge without being overly prescriptive. He emphasized the value of Schmidt's presence at the club, especially in working with younger players and those in the development pathway. Dermody noted that it means a lot to the club that Schmidt has chosen to spend time with the team, offering guidance and support. Ulster Rugby has a pre-season match against Ospreys on Friday, followed by the start of the United Rugby Championship (URC) on 25 September. While the team had a challenging end to last season, finishing ninth in the URC and losing to Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final, Dermody believes the foundation is in place to improve. He acknowledged the need for better performance, noting that several games were close enough to have changed the team's final standing. Dermody, who played against Ulster during his career with London Irish, recalled the team as "extremely hard to beat." He emphasized the importance of getting the forwards right to complement the team's attacking play. Although the style of play has evolved slightly, he stressed the need for the forwards to display physicality and strength on the field.