Welcome Matt

By Jim Stokes
BBC Sport

So Ulster Rugby have finally nailed their man. To parody Bruce Springsteen, you better watch out, you better not cry; Matt Williams is coming to town.

Matt Williams has eight games to turnaround Ulster's fortunes

To say that the articulate Australian had Ulster over a barrel would not be far off the mark. Having apparently been offered the post, well, you wouldn't travel all the way from Australia for discussions at La Mon Hotel if you hadn't, Williams proceeded to keep Ulster officials on tenterhooks.

And how the former Leinster and Scotland coach had them spinning. There did not appear to be a Plan B, and he was, from all accounts, the only person "interviewed" following a "world-wide" trawl by an independent international sports marketing company.

It was nine anxious days of waiting and wondering by the Ulster hierarchy. But having taken care of all matters domestic including the future of his three children's education, Williams has made the plunge into the deep end.

He's a good swimmer, though, having paddled through many a tricky situation in his days.

It will come as a relief to the players themselves, who were disgracefuly kept in the dark about the coaching situation since 13 November. Yes, okay, many will say that they should have just got on with it and forgot about who is in charge. They are paid to play.

But let's not forget, rugby is primarily all about the players, and in this instance, it is professional players. It is their livelihood; some have wives and children, most have mortgages. It's their full-time occupation and like you and me, they want to know about their future.

606: DEBATE What's your verdict on Ulster and the new coach Matt Williams

A new coach will have a major bearing on the future of some. Psychologically that can have a detrimental effect on your job, like anybody else in the general malaise of public life.

Some would deem that, in some way, it is responsible for some players of a high standard churning out wretched performances of late.

Anyway, the new coach will be heading north of the equator to Belfast on Wedneday to allay fears of some of those 17 full-time players whose contracts are due to run out at the end of May.

Williams may have a job of convincing one or two, but with his ebullient and strong personality plus his charisma, the majority should respond to his future plans for Ulster Rugby.

Some may point to the fact that Williams has been out of serious coaching since being purged by Scotland in April 2005. But he has spent quite a lot of that time nurturing his motivational skills - and that is just what Ulster require at the present time.

We can now put aside the fraught running of things during the past year or so now that one of the gaps in Ulster Rugby's set-up has finally been plugged. There will still be questions asked as to why no temporary filler was applied in the first place after Mark McCall's expected resignation.

It all started to go wrong just over a year ago. The players knew it, the fans knew it, even the dogs in the street had a strong inkling there was something amiss.

Williams has a stronger personality than his predecessor, and will want full control of matters with little or no interference

But alas, nothing was done except for the virtual shovelling sideways of assistant coach Allen Clarke into job within tje dungeons of the IRFU. Matters had already gone stale by the turn of the year, and a complete strategic reorganisation should have been put into motion there and then.

Williams, however, has a stronger personality than his predecessor, and will want full control of matters with little or no interference, something akin to what he had at Leinster.

After he looks on to see what he has taken on board when Ulster face Munster in their next Magners League outing, Williams flies home again and is to return in time for the start of the Six Nations campaign when opposition teams will be at their weakest. Excellent timing by the shrewd Aussie.

Williams now has eight games to turnaround Ulster's dismal season starting with the visit of the Dragons to Ravenhill on 15 February. The season is far from finished yet with Ulster needing to finish ahead of Connacht to ensure Heineken Cup qualification. Playing in the Challenge Cup is not an option.

There's nothing like pressure to bring the best out in any coach worth his salt. The stature of Williams will be fully tested and if he comes through this season, good days can return to Fortress Ravenhill ... afterall the only way now is up.