McFarland to start at Ulster as Grobler speaks out on IRFU deal

DAN McFARLAND will begin his job as Ulster coach this morning after the IRFU negotiated his release from Scotland in time for the new season.

The former Connacht prop had been expected to fulfil his full notice period until the new year and has not been present for any of pre-season to date, but can now take over with immediate effect.

An Ulster statement confirmed his arrival yesterday, after the Irish and Scottish unions reached a “mutual agreement” that allowed him to depart his role as Gregor Townsend’s assistant coach.

Ulster kick off their campaign against Scarlets at home on Saturday week and this weekend went down 29-17 to Gloucester in Belfast in their opening warm-up game.

Former Munster lock Gerbrandt Grobler (right) scored a try for his new club on the day that he claimed he was offered a three-year deal by the IRFU that was subsequently withdrawn after controversy over his doping past blew up in January.

The South African second-row was banned for two years for taking a steroid in 2014 before returning to play for Racing 92 and then joining Munster on a one-year deal.

Injury limited his involvement for the first half of the season and, when he returned to fitness in January, questions were raised over his past and the IRFU’s decision to sanction his signing despite their “zerotolerance” policy on performance-enhancing drugs. “I was contracted with the IRFU and there were a few conversations about signing a three-year deal. But obviously that was shot down very quickly after the media fiasco,” he told the ‘Guardian’.

“I didn’t want to leave at that stage but I learned a lot and it was like a year was enough for me of being questioned, even if it was four years ago.

“Nobody likes their past being thrown in their face the whole time and you can only take it for so long. I would almost say I was a bit depressed but the sun does shine again.

“You can use all these things to say there was a silver lining. You move on, I’ve nothing bad to say (about Munster).”