Ulster Rugby’s performance has been dismal over the past year, both on the playing field and administratively. Consequences have been severe with their head coach and CEO leaving their roles within the last month. The club is now on the brink of appointing interim individuals for both positions.
The troubled season is eerily reminiscent of the struggles faced by the province in 2018, albeit with seemingly no quick solutions to resort to this time. The financial situation is also worrying, with Ulster having to bear a loss of about €900,000 last season due to sudden changes in their Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle and an unplanned second trip to South Africa for URC.
Commercial targets have fallen short of expectations this season, compounding the club’s troubles. Meanwhile, the IRFU has confirmed the departure of CEO Jonny Petrie in a short statement – motivated by mutual agreement.
Performance issues can also be found on the pitch. Following a period of overachievement under the auspices of Dan McFarland, Ulster’s performance has slipped over the past year and a half. With a lacklustre and inconsistent season, Ulster missed out on making it to the Champions Cup knockout stages, and they are currently precariously positioned just above the cut-off point for URC playoffs. Interim coach Richie Murphy is set to lead the team in their upcoming game against the Stormers.
The end of this season will also see a number of releases including Billy Burns (set to join Munster), Will Addison, Luke Marshall, Dave Ewers, Eric O’Sullivan, Greg Jones. Angus Curtis is taking retirement and skills coach Craig Newby is also likely to leave. Amidst all this, Nathan Doak and Jake Flannery are expected to fill in as outhalf.
Further instability looms as Lyon chases Iain Henderson, and Bayonne and Montpellier show interest in Stuart McCloskey. French clubs willing to secure these players may need to buy out portions of their contracts, a common practice amongst Top 14 clubs. Leinster’s attempts to acquire Tom O’Toole have reportedly been thwarted by the IRFU.
Following the acquisition of Manu Tuilagi by Bayonne and Jan Serfontein agreeing to an extended contract at Montpellier, it appears Stuart McCloskey will continue to remain with Ulster for another year. Ulster has an extensive history of significant signings, including Johann Muller, Ruan Pienaar, John Afoa, and Marcel Coetzee. Yet, the decision to designate World Cup champion, Steven Kitshoff, as their flagship acquisition raises questions around the strategic vision.
Further fuelling the uncertainty, is the recruitment of South African winger, Werner Kok by Ulster, which strikes as an oddity, given the existence of Robert Baloucoune, Jacob Stockdale, Ethan McIlroy, Aaron Sexton and Michael Lowry. Concededly, the progress of these native players, including James Hume, has seen a considerable slowdown.
In a welcome development, Bryn Cunningham will likely be more actively involved in supervising Ulster’s professional game components. The impending arrival of David Humphreys as the IRFU’s high-performance director also appears to be immaculately timed.
Ulster’s last trophy victory was secured with Humphreys as fly-half back in 2006. Despite current challenges including Leinster, the French Top 14 sides teeming with funds, the reduction in Premiership clubs from 13 to 10, and next season’s anticipated salary cap increase, Ulster faces an uphill climb. Additionally, South African franchises continue to grow, further intensifying competition in the URC and Champions Cup.
Despite their financial hurdles, Ulster’s fortunes won’t see immediate transformation – any progress will instead be gradual, primarily hinging on the development of emerging local talent.