Dan McFarland


Dan McFarland is a rugby union coach who is currently the head coach at Ulster Rugby. He was the assistant coach of the Scotland national team. He was formerly an assistant coach of Glasgow Warriors. He announced April 2018 that he was going to be the Ulster Head Coach and was released from his contract with Scottish Rugby in August 2018.

Playing career

McFarland started his playing career in rugby union as a loosehead prop at Richmond Rugby Club as the club turned professional in 1996. Richmond suffered financial troubles in 1999 - the club went back to its amateur status in 2000 - and McFarland left Richmond in 1999 for France.
In season 1999-2000 he played for Stade Français and they clinched the French Top 14 championship that year.
From 2000-2006 he played for Connacht amassing more than 100 caps for the province.

Coaching career

McFarland became the Forwards Coach of Connacht from 2006; becoming their Assistant Coach from 2010.
In 2007 he worked under the Ireland Under-20s Head Coach Eric Elwood to help coach the side to the Under 20s Six Nations championship. He later helped coach the Emerging Ireland side.
McFarland took over from Shade Munro as assistant coach at Glasgow Warriors in 2015, shortly after the club won the Pro12 for the first time.
In May 2017, it was announced that McFarland would be joining Gregor Townsend in moving to the Scotland national team as an Assistant Coach.
McFarland took up the head coaching position with Ulster Rugby in 2018.