Williams remains leading candidate

Round-up: The former Leinster and Scotland head coach Matt Williams remains the strong favourite to take over as Ulster's new coach for the remainder of the 2008 season.

If and when that appointment is made, Williams will become only the second coach of the professional era to have coached two Irish Heineken European Cup teams, Leinster and Munster - Declan Kidney, the present Munster coach, being the other.

The Australian, who was in Belfast on Wednesday to be interviewed by a committee comprising Neilly Jackson, Eddie Wigglesworth and Cecil Watson, looks set to fill Mark McCall's shoes as head coach early in the new year.

The 46-year-old flew in from Sydney, where he has been coaching the West Harbour Club in Australia's Shute Shield, but has since returned home to his wife and three children.

Following Ulster's worldwide search, which is understood to have been undertaken by sports management consultants Essentially, Williams headed a shortlist believed to also include the former Wales coach Gareth Jenkins and the assistant coach at Saracens, Richard Graham.

There are believed to be a number of issues to be resolved before any announcement is made, including negotiations over pay and conditions and the make-up of back-room staff.

It is understood the return to school in January of his children in Australia is a domestic complication for Williams, as is his involvement in a business partnership, which will require some time to sort out.

Although the Ulster chief executive, Michael Reid, has stated Ulster were hoping to have a coach in situ in early January, it's unlikely Williams would be available until closer to the end of the month or early February.

In essence, his principal task will be to help Ulster qualify for next season's Heineken European Cup by making sure they do not finish last of the Irish provinces in the Magners League (at present they languish at the bottom, below Connacht).

Williams will also be expected to put some shape on the team so as to make them serious contenders in next season's premier European tournament.

In his previous two high-profile jobs, with Scotland and Leinster, Williams brought in the former Ireland lock Willie Anderson as his assistant and forwards coach. But Ulster's current forwards coach and acting caretaker coach, Steve Williams, has a year and a half to run on his contract and is likely to remain in place until the end of this season at least.

Yesterday Ulster officials were adamant no appointment had yet been made and said interviews were continuing throughout the day and also into today.

Although Williams has been coaching in Australia, he has not been doing so at the highest level since his contract as Scotland coach was terminated in April 2005 after just three Test match wins from 17 outings.

But he has continued to keep close connections with Ireland and was a television pundit as well as an Irish Timescolumnist during the World Cup in France.

During his time at Leinster, Williams guided the team to a Celtic League title and a European Cup semi-final, when Leinster were famously beaten by Perpignan at Lansdowne Road, before turning down a move to Saracens in England.

Williams subsequently took the job with Scotland.