Ulster and the CEO split ways immediately.

Jonny Petrie has departed Ulster and the IRFU mutually agreeing to end their relationship.

In a brief statement, the Irish province announced Petrie’s retirement and announced the impending appointment of an interim CEO while the hiring process was underway.

“The IRFU and Ulster Rugby appreciate Jonny for the five years spent with Ulster Rugby and wish him well, both personally and professionally, for the future,” stated IRFU CEO Kevin Potts in a statement.

Petrie left Ulster in January 2019, following a tumultuous season thus far for the team. Dan McFarland, the former head coach, also left Kingspan Stadium last month after nearly six years of employment.

In addition to a difficult season on the field, Ulster recorded losses for the 2022–2023 season of £900,000. Petrie pointed to the late cancellation of La Rochelle’s Champions Cup match in December 2022 as a reason for the team’s losses.

Seventh in the United Rugby Championship, Ulster will take on the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday in the second leg of their two-game series in South Africa. The Duban-based team moved up from the bottom of the table with only their second league win of the season, a 22-12 loss to the Sharks over the weekend.

In addition to the defeat, flanker Sean Reffell (ankle) and fly-half Billy Burns (shoulder) underwent scans today for injuries they sustained during the game.