Rugby: Jonathan Callard is set to be named as the new Leinster coach today. The former Bath and England full back was one of 27 applicants for the position vacated by Matt Williams, the latter moving to Scotland to take over the national team after the forthcoming World Cup in Australia.

Callard was assistant coach to former Wales international Phil Davies at Zurich Premiership league clubs Leeds Tykes and his appointment is something of a surprise.

John Connolly and Tim Lane were two high-profile coaches linked with the position but Connolly, the Australian-born former coach of Queensland, Old Belvedere, Stade Francais and Swansea, bowed out of contention when he accepted an offer to become the Director of Coaching at Bath.

The English club confirmed that Connolly had accepted their offer to take over from former England coach Jack Rowell at the Recreation Ground, working alongside present coaches and fellow Australians Michael Foley and Brian Smith.

The latter name should be familiar to Ireland supporters as Smith wore the number 10 jersey under the then Irish coach Ciaran Fitzgerald before leaving for rugby league club Balmain Tigers prior to the 1991 World Cup.

Lane, also linked with the post, and like Connolly an Australian, was assistant coach to Rod Macqueen during Australia's 1999 World Cup victory and, following a spell in France, fulfilled the same role for successive Springbok coaches Harry Viljoen and Rudolf Straeuli.

Earlier this year he parted company with Straeuli, contrasting coaching philosophies cited as the main reason. Lane, who earned his reputation as a backs coach, retained his position as head coach of the Golden Cats but couldn't stop them finishing bottom in this season's Super 12.

The other candidates reputed to have made the shortlist were current Leinster assistant coach Willie Anderson, Ireland scrum and Ballymena coach, the Australian born Tony D'Arcy, former Wales international and Caerphilly coach Mark Ring and a couple of southern hemisphere underage coaches, Bryce Woodward and Laurie Fisher.

Woodward coached the New Zealand U-21 side to their recent World Cup success while Fisher guided the Australian team beaten 21-10 by the baby All Blacks in the final.

Leinster's hunt for a successor necessitated convening a four-man committee of Leinster Branch Chief Executive Mick Dawson, the IRFU's Director of Rugby Eddie Wigglesworth, Chairman of the new IRFU Management Committee John Hussey and his successor as Chairman of the Rugby Management Committee in Leinster, Brian McLaughlin, charged with finding Williams's successor.

A shortlist of seven was compiled and these were interviewed over two days last week, Thursday and Friday, Dawson taking a break from a family holiday in Spain. On the second day, four applicants outlined their case in interviews at Heathrow airport.

Callard obviously conducted a very impressive interview and the fact that as a player he enjoyed huge success with Bath and England and now as a coach has done a fine job at Leeds won him the committee's approval. Because he is a backs coach - and assuming Anderson stays - it seems changes in the Leinster set-up will be minimal.

The new appointment will be revealed to the Leinster squad this morning before being confirmed to the media. Callard won't have any say in the contract allocation for next season as the province is expected to confirm two more players over the next few days, scrumhalf Derek Hegarty and prop Darren Molloy.

Hegarty, formerly of Terenure College, Shannon and Leeds, previously played with the province and also had a season with Munster. He played his rugby with Leeds in the Zurich Premiership last season but has accepted a contract with Leinster, one of three scrumhalves, alongside Brian O'Meara and Brian O'Riordan.

Molloy, 31 in August, and for most of his career a prop at Wasps, once toyed with the idea of declaring for Ireland. He was never capped at senior level by England but did play underage international rugby and also for England A.

Meanwhile, Ulster expect to be in a position shortly to confirm the signing of former Hurricanes and Highlanders centre Paul Steinmetz.

The 26-year-old, who can play centre and outhalf, has won one cap for the All Blacks and is expected to join the Ulster squad at the conclusion of the NPC season in mid-October, linking up with another New Zealander, former Canterbury Crusaders forward Matt Mustchin.

Meanwhile, Owen Finegan has signed a new two-year deal with the ACT Brumbies, thereby ending speculation that he was heading for Ireland. Born to Irish parents, Finegan has stated that he would like to play here at some stage in his career, but obviously won't do so in the near future.