Kidney poised to replace Ella

DECLAN KIDNEY will replace Gary Ella as Leinster coach within the next few days after the Australian stepped down from his post yesterday.

Despite having already signed a contract to coach the Gwent Dragons next season, and the Welsh club’s strenuous denials yesterday that Kidney was about to jump ship, it appears that some delicate negotiations will allow the former Munster and Irish assistant coach join up with Leinster.

Kidney is believed to be the players’ choice for the job and while the Dragons will be disappointed to lose the Corkman’s services, it’s believed that Lyn Howells of the soon to be defunct Celtic Warriors will take up the post at Rodney Parade.

Kidney, who is due in Wales this morning for talks with the club’s chief executive Andy Marinos and owner Tony Brown, was unavailable for comment last night. However, a source close to the Dragons stated last night they now expect Kidney to join Leinster.

Ella’s departure comes following a tumultuous 10-month spell in the Leinster hot seat. Two weeks ago a newspaper article, with strongly worded quotes from unnamed players, criticised the 42-year-old’s tenure at the province and although a statement of support for the coach was issued by the players soon afterwards, the die had already been cast.

The process was continued at last week’s meeting of the Leinster Branch’s provincial team management committee, whose five members unanimously agreed that Ella’s regime was not working out as planned and that immediate change was necessary.

Having been informed of the committee’s decision on Friday, Ella met with the province’s chief executive, Mick Dawson, yesterday and the 42-year-old agreed to hand in his notice, thereby avoiding the ignominy of getting the sack.

It is understood that Ella will be compensated with six months wages for the remaining two years of his contract.

“We’re very disappointed that it hasn’t worked out with Gary,” said Dawson yesterday. We felt he was the right man for the job but things haven’t worked out like that. He’s been quite unlucky with regards player availability and injuries. Gary’s an extremely nice guy and we wish him and his family the best of luck in the future.”

Ella’s 10 month reign has been something of a disaster, although it must be said that not all of this has been of the coach’s making.

The Felipe Contepomi registration debacle deprived the coach of his first choice out-half for the Heineken Cup, and when Christian Warner picked up an injury in the first pool game, Ella was forced to play the relatively inexperienced Matt Leek in that most pivotal of positions.

Injuries have also played their part in Leinster’s 14 defeats this season, with a staggering 22 senior players being unavailable to the coach at one point in early December.

The other names doing the rounds in the province yesterday - should Kidney be unable to wriggle out of his contract in Wales - were Connacht forwards coach John McKee and former Leicester coach Dean Richards.

McKee is highly regarded within Irish rugby circles but he was recently overlooked for the Ulster job and the Australian would probably be considered too low-profile for the Leinster post. That factor certainly wouldn’t apply to Richards.

The new man will also be given the opportunity to choose his own backroom team, with the confirmation that Willie Anderson is to become Matt Williams’ assistant at Scotland.