Ulster Rugby: Difficult season comes to premature end for province

With Ulster having had to cut their cloth accordingly in a different financial landscape, there will be a concern that off-field struggles impacting on-field results becomes something of a spiral.

Already, the pattern of the season’s conclusion seeing plenty of experienced stalwarts heading out the door was set to be repeated.

John Cooney has been a talisman for the province since arriving from Connacht in 2017 but the 11-times capped Irish international has signed a three-year deal with Brive.

Lock Kieran Treadwell, who has also won 11 caps for Ireland, will return to Harlequins, while Andy Warwick and Alan O’Connor, who have represented Ulster a combined 421 times, are among the summer exits too.

All told, eight departing players accounted for 93 outings this season and, to date, the impressive signing of Northampton Saints number eight Juarno Augustus is the only confirmed arrival.

While more are set to come in, the loss of income associated with missing out on knock-out rugby in the URC and the Champions Cup next season will not make it any easier to build a competitive squad.