Doak plays it cool on Ulster coaching role

Neil Doak may have ambitions to become a head coach but that does not necessarily mean he would be comfortable succeeding Mark Anscombe at Ulster in the near future.

The province’s backs coach is clearly highly thought of in IRFU circles, having worked with the Irish Wolfhounds in recent seasons alongside Anthony Foley, and led this season’s successful Emerging Ireland tour to Romania with Dan McFarland. Yet after a summer of upheaval at Ravenhill, with David Humphreys departing as director of rugby, followed hot on his trail by the exit of head coach Anscombe, 42-year-old former scrum-half Doak appears reluctant to throw his hat into the ring for the head coach job in Ulster.

Instead he is far more comfortable assisting interim director of rugby Les Kiss in preparing Ulster for the season ahead.