McLaughlin set to be shown door at Ulster

Ulster’s head coach Brian McLaughlin looks set to lose his job at the end of the season, despite pulling the side out from the depths of despair.

Informed sources say he will be left go when his contract runs out at the end of May.

It is believed that Director of Rugby David Humphreys and Chief Executive Shane Logan have already earmarked a New Zealand supremo with John Kirwan and Matt Sexton being touted as his possible replacement.

McLaughlin, 52, took over as head coach three seasons ago following the sudden departure of Australian Matt Williams, and then, temporary coach Steve Williams of Wales.

The former Ireland skills coach was a surprise choice to avert the slump that had swept through Ulster rugby.

He initially signed a two-year deal and helped revive the fortunes of Ulster rugby, including twice winning on English soil and defeating Bath four times in Europe, but was only rewarded with a one-year extension last year which ends in May.

McLaughlin has seen Ulster’s stature rise and the province is thriving, thanks to some great results and planning permission was agreed earlier this month for an €18m revamp of Ravenhill which will cater for up to 18,000 spectators.

It seems strange that, with the team primed to reach its full potential, the head coach and possibly his hard-working backroom staff are to be jettisoned.

Ulster are currently sitting in sixth place in the RaboDirect Pro 12 League and have reached the knock-out stages of Heineken Cup once again.

Their style of play has brought plaudits from near and far, particularly for that pulsating 41-7 demolition job on Leicester Tigers recently. There was one negative side in that Ulster failed to get home advantage for their quarter-final shoot-out, after fluffing their lines in Clermont.

Heading to Thomond Park to face mighty Munster would not be everyone’s idea of an easy ride into the Heineken Cup semi-finals, but the players have a reason to prove the odds wrong.

When you consider McLaughlin’s plans were disrupted through injuries and the World Cup, Ulster have still managed to keep up with the big guns.

Before that, McLaughlin, who lives outside Comber in Co Down, had already seen the goal posts moved when Ulster Rugby jettisoned forwards’ coach Jeremy Davidson, one of the most experienced personnel at Ravenhill. Along with new captain Muller, McLaughlin took on another responsibility, which has proved a big success considering the powerplay of the pack this season.

Sources say McLaughlin is unlikely to seek a post outside the province and instead seek a job back in teaching.

Meanwhile, 47-year-old Kirwan has vast coaching and playing experience at international level. The 1987 World Cup winner, who made 63 appearances for the All Blacks, coached Italy from 2002 to 2005 before taking over the Japanese job in 2007.

Matt Sexton played for Ulster during the Alan Solomons’ era before becoming Rugby Academy Manager with the Canterbury Crusaders.