Three weeks ago, on these pages, I wondered aloud why Munster weren’t in the frame for Joey Carbery.

Departing coach Jono Gibbes was obviously elated that he is leaving on a high despite the traumas beforehand. “Losing two players in the warm-up wasn’t good,” said he said.

Ulster have confirmed the appointment of Dan McFarland as their new head coach.

When you had the season Ulster have endured, thoughts of moving quickly on to the 2018-19 campaign would be perfectly understandable, yet Rory Best is not done with 2017/2018 just yet, not while there is a Champions Cup place still grab.

With the likes of Simon Zebo, Andrew Conway and JJ Hanrahan to compete with, it hasn’t been easy for Stephen Fitzgerald to get a run in a Munster number 15 shirt.

Brian O’Driscoll’s comments about Ulster being a “bit of a basket case” has certainly hit a raw nerve around Ravenhill.

Brian O’Driscoll’s comments about Ulster being a “bit of a basket case” has certainly hit a raw nerve around Ravenhill.

Ulster start rookie tight-head Ross Kane against a fired-up Ospreys at the Kingspan Stadium this evening.

Former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Michael Bradley is being touted as a contender to take charge of Ulster.

It's been confirmed that Ulster head coach Jono Gibbes is returning to New Zealand.

Bring back Brian McLaughlin, all has been forgiven!

Ulster are set to lose head coach Jono Gibbes at the end of the season, just over a month after director of rugby Les Kiss departed the province by 'mutual consent'.

Catch up on the headlines.

Ulster are making no official comment on speculation in New Zealand and Australia that their newly appointed head man Jono Gibbes is being hunted by Wallaby coach Michael Cheika.

Ulster's director of rugby Les Kiss is leaving his post by "mutual consent, effective immediately".

While Ulster’s players and management insist that the focus is entirely on Saturday’s lunchtime clash with Pool 1 leaders La Rochelle, it’s become clearer who will be replacing Christian Leali’ifano when the Wallaby’s short-term contract ends this month.

Ulster head coach Jono Gibbes says his players are eager to take on Pool One leaders La Rochelle in the Champions Cup at Kingspan on Saturday, spurred on by the prospect of reaching the quarter-final stages for the first time since 2014.

“You always feel pressure, and that noise has been out there for a while, but there’s a weird nature in us beasts in that you almost revel in criticism and stand up and fight against it.”

Ulster Director of Rugby Les Kiss could hardly have been more candid in describing his team’s performance when he responded to a post-match query in Galway on Saturday night after his side capitulated to Connacht in the Guinness PRO14.

Ireland captain Rory Best will make a surprise return to Ulster action this weekend after hamstring trouble.

Ulster’s head coach Jono Gibbes knows all too well what lies in store for his side when they travel to face the ebullient La Rochelle outfit in the second stanza of Champion Cup action on Sunday.

Patience is a virtue for Ulster hooker John Andrew. He has won 31 caps for the province, but will only start his fifth game in three seasons when the Conference B table-toppers head to Italy on Saturday to face Michael Bradley’s Zebre outfit.

It’s just over three years since 29-year-old tight-head prop Wiehahn Herbst packed his bags and headed from Durban in the hope of starting a new sporting life in Belfast.

Tommy Bowe says he does not want to end his Ulster career without adding to the Celtic League trophy he won 11 years ago.

In Clermont they call it the “malédiction”, the curse that has seen them lose all but one of their 14 finals.

Clemont and Leinster have served up some cracking spectacles when their paths have crossed in Europe.

Ulster are expected to announce the signing of a southern hemisphere backs coach within a week or so following the news that they have whisked former Leinster forwards supremo Jono Gibbes away from Clermont Auvergne to take over from departing head coach Neil Doak at the end of the season.

Connacht’s search for a successor to Pat Lam will continue without two of the fancied contenders following confirmation that former All Blacks Tony Brown and Jono Gibbes are not in the running.

Another of the early front runners for the Leinster job has withdrawn himself from the race with Jono Gibbes committing himself to Clermont Auvergne until 2018.

Amidst the mountain of names mentioned yesterday as possible replacements for Matt O’Connor’s Leinster job, it was that of Robbie Deans that emerged on top with the New Zealander’s tumbling odds squaring with earlier smoke signals from sources.

Leinster advance to the last four of Europe but praise and congratulations aren’t coming their way.

Munster can turn their Rugby Champions Cup campaign around with a win over Clermont at the Stade Marcel Michelin — but it will take their greatest performance in 20 years of European rugby to do so, suggests Ronan O'Gara.

Clermont Auvergne have a full squad to pick from for Sunday’s Champions Cup showdown with Munster after coming through the bruising Thomond Park encounter unscathed.

Clermont Auvergne will have to improve if they are to score back-to-back Champions Cup victories over Munster on Sunday, their forwards coach Jono Gibbes has warned his players.

Anthony Foley needs his beaten up Munster squad to stand up and be counted this week as he prepares them for the biggest challenge of his short tenure as head coach. 

Never let it be said that the French don’t do hyperbole. Above the match analysis and the regulation quotes, the rugby newspaper Midi-Olympique has chosen to headline Clermont’s trip to Thomond Park: "Aux Portes de l’Enfer", At the Gates of Hell.

The tournament’s name may have changed but the key to European rugby remains to target four wins in the pool stages. Nothing else matters. Munster face a tough ask but possess players who can think for themselves and get the job done, writes Ronana O'Gara.

Jonathan Sexton said winning away to fellow Top 14 semi-finalists Montpellier has kick-started his second season in France in the best fashion possible.