There was no white smoke emanating from either Leinster or Newport Gwent Dragons yesterday about the impending appointment of Declan Kidney as Leinster's new coach, and although the Welsh were publicly reiterating he is under contract to them, all the signs are Kidney will be installed by the end of the week, writes Gerry Thornley.
It has emerged Leinster themselves received a significant fee in compensation for releasing assistant coach Willie Anderson in time for him to link up with the Scottish squad on their six-match tour to Australia and a one-off test against Samoa in New Zealand.
This would at least offset compensation to the Newport Gwent Dragons if, as expected, they have to pay in the region of £50,000 for the first six months of Kidney's two-year deal.
In what has been an expensive season for Leinster, they will probably have paid something similar, if not more, as compensation to Gary Ella for the remaining two years of his contract.
In choosing Kidney, and granting him more leeway in the appointment of his back-up staff and primarily his assistant, Leinster's decision-makers have taken less of a hands-on approach than with Ella, and it will be interesting to see who will come on board the Leinster coaching ticket.
One name linked with Kidney at the time he himself was being touted for the Ulster job was Keith Patten, a former Irish schools coaching partner, while a couple of other names on the Leinster grapevine in recent days following the announcement of Anderson's departure were Connacht's assistant coach and Buccaneers coach, the Australian John McKee, and Clontarf's Phil Werahiko.
CONNACHT: The Connacht Rugby manager John Fallon has announced he will be stepping down for the new season after two years at the helm.
Connacht have just completed their busiest and most successful season ever, going out of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup by a single score in the semi-final to eventual winners Harlequins.
"It is with great reluctance that I have reached this decision but at this point I believe it is the best option. I have enjoyed two great seasons with Connacht and it has been great to have been part of a success story," he said.
"It is good to be leaving Connacht rugby in such a healthy state . . . It remains vitally important that the big increase we have seen in crowds this season is maintained as Connacht can achieve a lot more success under Michael Bradley, a coach who it has been a pleasure to work with," added Fallon, who came to the Connacht job after 18 years in journalism and is now considering his career options.
MUNSTER: Munster's Jeremy Staunton has agreed a two-year contract with Parker Pen Cup winners Harlequins.
The 24-year-old made his Ireland debut against Samoa in 2001 but has struggled to hold down a place with Munster since the arrival of Christian Cullen.
AUSTRALIA: Eddie Jones named five new players on Tuesday in a 27-man squad for the first Test against Scotland in Melbourne on June 13th.
The quintet - wingers Mark Gerrard and Clyde Rathbone, locks Mark Chisholm and Radike Samo and prop Nic Henderson - are all members of the ACT Brumbies side that beat New Zealand's Crusaders 47-38 to win the Super 12 title on Saturday.
AUSTRALIA (squad v Scotland): Al Baxter, Matthew Burke, Brendan Cannon, Mark Chisholm, Matt Dunning, Elton Flatley, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, George Gregan (captain), Justin Harrison, Nic Henderson, Stephen Larkham, Chris Latham, David Lyons, Jeremy Paul, Clyde Rathbone, John Roe, Joe Roff, Wendell Sailor, Radike Samo, Nathan Sharpe, George Smith, Lote Tuqiri, Morgan Turinui, Daniel Vickerman, Phil Waugh, Bill Young.
