Williams exit leaves Leinster in limbo

LEINSTER rugby was left reeling - and coachless - last night with the shock announcement that Matt Williams is to be appointed Scottish national coach.

The province are now in a desperate race to sign a top-line coach to replace Williams for the crucial pre-season period in which their player line-up will be finalised.

However, names already in the frame include former Queensland and Stade Francais coach John Connolly, who recently departed from cash-strapped Swansea.

The news of Williams’ departure came at tea-time yesterday but it appears that his contract with the Scottish Rugby Union was finalised over the weekend.

The SRU were due to formally announce the appointment today in South Africa, where the national team are on tour.

However, Leinster broke the news last night because they are anxious to start the process to find a replacement as quickly as possible.

Williams was approached by the SRU some weeks ago, something which created unrest among the Leinster players, but it appeared to have come to nothing when no further contact was made.

However, it is understood that Williams’ representative John Baker had talks with the SRU on Saturday last and agreed a financial package with them.

This news came as a shock because, as one insider put it last night: “the SRU hadn’t even phoned him after the initial interview to see had he got home all right.”

As per his contract with the IRFU, Williams notified the Irish union. He was going into the final year of a three-year contract which required him to serve out a six-month notice period, but the IRFU apparently waived that clause because of the need to find a replacement in short order.

The news broke when Leinster Chief Executive Mick Dawson announced that Williams was to leave to take up a Director of Rugby position with the Scottish Union (SRU).

Commenting on the move, Dawson said: "Leinster are disappointed to lose the services of Matt Williams, yet we do understand the attraction of moving to an international position. Matt has done well here in Leinster and we had a good working relationship.

"We are now in the market for a Director of Rugby and will be advertising shortly. Assistant coach Willie Anderson will take charge of the team's coaching programmes in the interim.

"We have 31 quality players signed up for next season and Leinster's new Director of Rugby will take charge of one of Europe's best teams.

“We will endeavour to attract a proven coach and also to complete our playing squad.”

Williams, 42, took over as Leinster's head coach from Mike Ruddock prior to the 2000/2001 season.

He had joined Leinster in 1999/2000 as Ruddock's assistant coach.

Williams was previously coach with Super 12 outfit the New South Wales Waratahs, where he worked with Alan Gaffney.

He then recommended Gaffney to Leinster as his assistant, where they worked successfully last season. Gaffney then moved to Munster as Director of Rugby this season.

In 2001/2 Leinster won the Inaugural Celtic League and the Guinness Interprovincial Championship and reached the Heineken Cup quarter-finals where they were defeated by Leicester at Welford Road.

This season saw Williams steer Leinster unbeaten through the Heineken Cup pool stages, and to victory over French champions Biarritz in the quarter-final before surprisingly losing to Perpignan in the Heineken Cup semi-final at Lansdowne Road.

Leinster also missed out on the Celtic League play-offs.