Joe Schmidt and the IRFU are anxious that either one of Leinster's back-up out-halves - Joey Carbery and Ross Byrne - move to Ulster to replace the exiled Paddy Jackson.

According to a report in The Sunday Times this morning, IRFU performance director David Nucifora visited the Leinster training centre to tell Leo Cullen that he needed to make a choice between keeping Byrne or Carbery.

Leinster were reportedly unhappy about the timing of the intervention as they were preparing for the Champions Cup semi-final but the IRFU and national coach Joe Schmidt are nonetheless determined to see one of the players move north.

Ulster have endured a torrid season, overshadowed by the highly publicised trial. They exited the Champions Cup in the pool phase and coach Les Kiss was sacked in January.

With Jackson having had his contract revoked, they are badly in need of some clarity as to who will fill the out-half position next season.

Joe Schmidt, meanwhile, is especially anxious that Carbery gets regular game-time at out-half, ahead of next year's World Cup.

The 23-year old Byrne has yet to be capped by Ireland but has performed well at 10 in Pro14 and Champions Cup games in Sexton's absence.

The switch has been mooted several times before but Carbery has insisted in the past that he is happy at Leinster and he didn't see himself moving.