La Rochelle trip 'will be a mark on his reputation for years to come' - Neil Best

Leaders should lead as far as they can and then vanish. Their ashes should not choke the fire they have lit.

In front of what has been reported as one of their lowest attendances of the season Ulster comfortably saw off the Ospreys to secure Champions Cup Rugby next season.

For some time now, I’ve been a proponent of wholesale change at Ulster and the playoff against Ospreys held no upside for the Club’s current top brass. A win couldn’t make good their irreparable relationship with the fans – significantly reflected by the playoff attendance – and losing would only add to the noise for more departures. There is something seriously wrong when some fans feel forced to resort to not attending matches just to be heard.

Weak leadership has been one key factor in the Club’s more recent decline. Add to that poor management and player recruitment and you have a culture of failure that can only be cured by wholesale high level change. It pains me to say that I played in the last Ulster side that actually won anything – and that’s by now already over a decade ago.

And as difficult as the last number of seasons have been, it was the moment Ruan Pineaar was forced out of Ulster that has proved to be the turning point. Supporter optimism, tolerance and patience snapped as it became clear Ulster felt unable or were unwilling to steer their own ship. It was even rumoured that CEO Shane Logan threatened to resign over the Pienaar issue but was ultimately seduced by self-preservation. In retrospect he should have, potentially salvaging his reputation in the process. Because once he became a victim of IRFU interference it was only ever going to repeat itself. For Ruan, read Jackson and Olding, and for Jackson and Olding read Carbery or Keatly.

But for Ulster’s unhealthy relationship with the IRFU and poor provincial management – I hold responsible not just CEO Shane Logan, but operations director Bryn Cunningham. Bryn, a one-time teammate, has responsibility for “the professional game” at Ulster, and has to date managed to skilfully sidestep much of the criticism levelled at the CEO. Yet both have culpability for recent failings – in coaching and player recruitment and retention.

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When Gibbes announced he was leaving Ulster he gave an interview to the Belfast Telegraph, at the beginning of March, disclosing that he had told Les Kiss before joining Ulster that he might not see out his contract. And by Christmas, within only a few months of arriving -for whatever reason – he was already looking his exit.

It was never probed as to what stage Logan or Cunningham were made aware, but you do have to question the logic of bringing in a coach – even with a Gibbes level reputation – who tells you upfront he might not see out his contract. And somewhere in the organisation someone must take responsibility equally for that as with Dan McFarland’s potential late arrival. Interestingly, Brendan Fanning – a man with a good ear for rumblings at the IRFU – in his independent.ie preview of the playoff he made explicit reference to Cunningham being held responsible in Dublin for the McFarland “cock-up”. If this is right it might rule out Bryn’s chances of seeing of succeeding Logan as CEO.

But as much as I see neither Cunningham nor Logan as part of the solution – they cannot be held responsible for Jono Gibbes daft behaviour in recent days. At one time many believed Gibbes would be a large part of the solution at Ulster, performances and results improved under his stewardship. And when he dropped the bombshell of needing to return home, the announcement was greeted with sympathy and regret. Then La Rochelle.

Whether Gibbes likes it or not his French jaunt will be a mark on his judgement and reputation for years to come. Not because it impacted on the team’s technical preparation – but because it provided a huge distraction only days before the biggest game of the season. And because it encouraged people to form the impression he hadn’t been completely candid when he first announced he was leaving.

He got annoyed when he was asked post-match if events of last week had left a sour taste – he denied it – but many will feel cheated by him and bitter. Not least his employers who received no advanced notice of his trip and had to rely on the media for their information.

If I was La Rochelle I would be closely scrutinising his statements about events over the last six months before formalising any contract.

Against that remarkable backdrop the Ulster players lifted themselves in adversity and won a season-defining match. And that gives hope. Maybe when the off-field change finally happens the future might be bright after all.

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.