Gibbes wavers but he leaves Ulster on high

AFTER a bizarre end to his time in Ulster, departing head coach Jono Gibbes said he doesn’t know where he will be next season, despite taking a mid-week trip to La Rochelle ahead of yesterday’s key Champions Cup play-off with Ospreys.

A brace of tries from winger Craig Gilroy and 15 points from the boot of John Cooney helped Ulster secure top-flight European rugby for next season, but the lead-up to the game was centred around their now former coach.

The ex-All Black, who arrived in Belfast last summer, announced in March he would be leaving the side to deal with a personal matter at home and taking a position with Waikato.

However, he visited La Rochelle on Thursday and could not rule out the possibility that he will instead be pitching up at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre next season.

“Next season, I don’t know categorically the answer to that,” he replied when asked about his future. “To be fair, I just wanted to do my part here the best I can and pay back the support I’ve had from Ulster, the people in the organisation who have backed me.

“I’ve been treated really well, supported really well. There have been massive challenges on and off the field, but I do believe there’s enough of the right people here to take it forward.”

Many questioned the timing of taking a meeting with the Top 14 outfit at such a stage, but he was quick to deny it had detracted from his side’s preparation .

“I would hate for them (supporters) to think that our preparation was compromised because it certainly wasn’t.”