McLaughlin to lose top Ulster post

Published Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Ulster Rugby have declined to deny press reports that head coach Brian McLaughlin is set to leave Ravenhill at the end of the season.

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Reports in several local newspapers on Tuesday morning indicated that Ulster chiefs would not be renewing McLaughlin's contract at the close of the current campaign.

In a statement, Ulster Rugby would only confirm that "the current coaching contracts are set to finish at the end of the season, and are under review."

McLaughlin is currently in his third season with Ulster, after being handed a one-year contract extension to his initial two-year deal which began in 2009 when he replaced outgoing coach Matt Williams.

Ulster have made significant progress under the stewardship of the former RBAI teacher in the last two seasons.

The Ravenhill side have qualified for the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup each of the last two seasons.

The possible exit of the coach is set to be a destabilising factor for the side before they face Munster in April in the Heineken Cup.

It has been suggested that Ulster's Director of Rugby David Humphreys and Chief Executive Shane Logan are looking to bring in a new coach to inspire the squad to even greater heights.

New Zealanders John Kirwin and Matt Sexton have been mentioned as possible replacements alongside former Ulster coach Mark McCall, who is currently with English Premiership side Saracens.

Comments

1 Comments

david in down wrote (113 days ago):

it must be impossible working with Mr Ulster Rugby, Mr D Humphreys who has an influence in everything involving the club, including apparently attempting to influence team selection. Apart from the odd good player he signed and the many Southern hemisphere wannabes signed he has added little to the Ulster Rugby set up. Perhaps Humphreys should consider his position.