WATCH: Jono Gibbes does not rule out a return to Northern Hemisphere next season

A potential return to coaching in France has not been ruled out by Jono Gibbes.

By The Newsroom

Published 21st May 2018, 12:57 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 08:38 BST

French newspapers had been reporting all week that the departing Ulster head coach could be joining La Rochelle in the Top14 next season.

Gibbes had been with French side Clermont prior to moving to Ulster last summer on a two year deal. But he was released from that contract early as he wanted to return to his native New Zealand for family reasons.

He then was confirmed as new coach at Waikato in his native homeland, but speculation about a return to France increased when he visited La Rochelle for talks last Thursday.

Gibbes did not feel doing that a few days before Ulster's crunch game with Ospreys on Sunday compromised the performance - Ulster did win 35-17 to secure a European Champions Cup place next season.

But he did not deny he could be back in the Northern Hemisphere after the summer. He returns to New Zealand on Wednesday.