ULSTER OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Bryn Cunningham says the province have signed their new head coach ahead of next season but won’t be able to reveal his identity for “another few weeks.”
Current boss Jono Gibbes will leave at the end of the current season to take over Waikato in New Zealand.
Rory Best and Ulster could only manage a draw against Munster. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Ulster have been interviewing candidates to replace Gibbes in recent weeks and Cunningham says the province have now secured their next head coach.
“We have the coach lined up, signed and agreed, our number one candidate, so we’re obviously very happy within Ulster and the IRFU,” said Cunningham after Ulster’s 24-24 draw with Munster saw them miss out on the Pro14 play-offs.
“Unfortunately, we’ll not be in a position to announce that for potentially another few weeks. As a group, we’re obviously happy that that’s been put to bed because it was a big thing for us.
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“At this stage of the season with everything going on, it was really important that we got a bit of solidity around what’s going on with Ulster next season and for the next few years.”
When asked why there was a delay in announcing who the new head coach will be, Cunningham indicated that the person is currently employed by another club.
“It’s just a mutual thing from our point of view and where the coach is coming from,” said Cunningham. “You have to have respect for each other’s situation and it’ll take a bit of time before both are content to release it formally.”
Former Northampton coach Jim Mallinder, Australia 7s boss Andy Friend and current Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore have been linked with the position in recent weeks, but Ulster indicated that the real identity of their next coach has not been reported yet.
Asked if the person is Irish or foreign, Cunningham declined to shed any further light.
“At this stage, it would be disrespectful of me to go against other people and their wishes but I’m positive we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.
Jono Gibbes is leaving Ulster this summer. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“Whenever you go into the market, you’re not just looking at coaches who are available and on the market. You’re looking potentially at coaches who are in contract but have an out clause or are keen to move on.
“We tried to keep the net as wide as possible and had no real fixed ideas on it, with some criteria around it as well, but you’re just trying to find who you believe is the best candidate and once we looked through the list, there was one name for us – for where we are right now and where we need to go in the immediate future.
“Thankfully through a fair bit of negotiation and time in the background, we’ve managed to attain that and obviously we’re very happy with that.”
Ulster missed out on the Pro14 play-offs with their draw in Limerick this evening and they may still have to take on the Ospreys in a Champions Cup qualification game in three weekends’ time.
The knee injury sustained by second row Iain Henderson will be a concern for the province, as well as for Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt, who will be hoping to include Henderson on the tour to Australia in June.
Henderson was limping heavily and in clear pain as he was helped off the pitch in the first half, and it appears that he is now in danger of spending time on the sidelines.
“It certainly looks like that, but it’s very early to tell the extent of it,” said Cunningham. “He’ll take a day or two to let the swelling go down and get a proper look at it.
“Hopefully, it’s not too bad because he’s been a talismanic figure for us but we’ll see what the injury report is at the start of the week.”
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Ulster have their next head coach 'lined up, signed and agreed'
Murray Kinsella reports from Thomond Park
ULSTER OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Bryn Cunningham says the province have signed their new head coach ahead of next season but won’t be able to reveal his identity for “another few weeks.”
Current boss Jono Gibbes will leave at the end of the current season to take over Waikato in New Zealand.
Ulster have been interviewing candidates to replace Gibbes in recent weeks and Cunningham says the province have now secured their next head coach.
“We have the coach lined up, signed and agreed, our number one candidate, so we’re obviously very happy within Ulster and the IRFU,” said Cunningham after Ulster’s 24-24 draw with Munster saw them miss out on the Pro14 play-offs.
“Unfortunately, we’ll not be in a position to announce that for potentially another few weeks. As a group, we’re obviously happy that that’s been put to bed because it was a big thing for us.
“At this stage of the season with everything going on, it was really important that we got a bit of solidity around what’s going on with Ulster next season and for the next few years.”
When asked why there was a delay in announcing who the new head coach will be, Cunningham indicated that the person is currently employed by another club.
“It’s just a mutual thing from our point of view and where the coach is coming from,” said Cunningham. “You have to have respect for each other’s situation and it’ll take a bit of time before both are content to release it formally.”
Former Northampton coach Jim Mallinder, Australia 7s boss Andy Friend and current Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore have been linked with the position in recent weeks, but Ulster indicated that the real identity of their next coach has not been reported yet.
Asked if the person is Irish or foreign, Cunningham declined to shed any further light.
“At this stage, it would be disrespectful of me to go against other people and their wishes but I’m positive we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.
“Whenever you go into the market, you’re not just looking at coaches who are available and on the market. You’re looking potentially at coaches who are in contract but have an out clause or are keen to move on.
“We tried to keep the net as wide as possible and had no real fixed ideas on it, with some criteria around it as well, but you’re just trying to find who you believe is the best candidate and once we looked through the list, there was one name for us – for where we are right now and where we need to go in the immediate future.
“Thankfully through a fair bit of negotiation and time in the background, we’ve managed to attain that and obviously we’re very happy with that.”
Ulster missed out on the Pro14 play-offs with their draw in Limerick this evening and they may still have to take on the Ospreys in a Champions Cup qualification game in three weekends’ time.
The knee injury sustained by second row Iain Henderson will be a concern for the province, as well as for Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt, who will be hoping to include Henderson on the tour to Australia in June.
Henderson was limping heavily and in clear pain as he was helped off the pitch in the first half, and it appears that he is now in danger of spending time on the sidelines.
“It certainly looks like that, but it’s very early to tell the extent of it,” said Cunningham. “He’ll take a day or two to let the swelling go down and get a proper look at it.
“Hopefully, it’s not too bad because he’s been a talismanic figure for us but we’ll see what the injury report is at the start of the week.”
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Boss Bryn Cunningham candidate one Guinness Pro14 Head Coach Ulster