Ulster chief executive Jonny Petrie leaves role

The former Scottish international back row’s five-year stint abruptly came to an end on Monday afternoon with the province’s finances in turmoil, with Ulster reportedly over £1 million in debt and the squad set be trimmed back again in the summer for a second consecutive season to cut costs,

Petrie oversaw the installation of a plastic pitch after last year’s Champions Cup game against La Rochelle had to be moved from Kingspan Stadium and played behind close doors at the Aviva Stadium at huge financial loss to the province.

On the pitch this season the team exited the Champions Cup at the pool stage after three defeats in four games and Saturday’s loss at the Sharks saw Ulster drop to seventh in the URC table and in a fight to make the playoffs.

After McFarland’s departure at the end of February, Petrie made a defiant statement about his own future.

He said at the time: “I’ve invested a huge amount because I really care about Ulster and I want us to be successful, and you operate in a difficult environment.

"It’s been fairly turbulent on the field and off the field and I’m committed to what I do here and I really care about seeing this province succeed.

“I want to see that through in the longer term.”

With this in mind, his departure confirmed in a statement from IRFU CEO Kevin Potts came as a shock.

The statement read: “The IRFU and Ulster Rugby thank Jonny for the five years spent with Ulster Rugby and wish him well, both personally and professionally, for the future.”

An interim CEO will be appointed in due course while a recruitment process is undertaken.

Forwards coach Roddy Grant – currently in South Africa – believes off-field matters won’t affect the team’s preparations for Saturday’s must win game against the Stormers.

“Pro sports teams are well used to focusing and keeping the head down and getting on with the job,” said Grant.

“Come the weekend and especially this weekend, you have got some big South Africans that are going to be physical, so you don’t have much room for anything else to consider other than what’s in front of us at the weekend.

“Sport is a great profession. Everyone can think of a million bits of pressure that you can think about but you have to focus on the task in hand.

“Any pressure like that, the players, the staff – you are judged on what you do so that quickly focuses the mind.

“It is a performance sport, so you have to focus on performance,” he added.

“It is probably more uncommon now not to have any changes.”

Following McFarland’s exit in February, Ireland U20 head coach Richie Murphy has taken the reins on an interim basis.