Ireland assistant Andy Farrell to help Ulster after Six Nations

Andy Farrell will help out Ulster in a temporary capacity after the Six Nations

Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell is to help out at Ulster after the conclusion of the Six Nations.

Farrell was defence coach with England under Stuart Lancaster and also helped out at Munster for a period in 2016.

Head coach Jono Gibbes took charge of the province following the departure of Director of Rugby Les Kiss last month.

Ulster Operations Director Bryn Cunningham has confirmed nobody will permanently join the coaching staff before the end of the season.

The area of defence coaching may need bolstered before next season and while Ulster are looking at Jared Payne in a potential future role, they are hopeful he will return as a player in the near future rather than a coach.

Gibbes and assistant Dwayne Peel both signed two-year contracts so will be at the Kingspan next season.

Farrell joined Joe Schmidt's Ireland backroom team as a defence coach in 2016 and has also formed part of Warren Gatland's British and Irish Lions coaching team on the 2013 tour to Australia and New Zealand in 2017.