Has Stephen Ferris played his last game for Ulster?

Ulster coach Mark Anscombe has conceded that flanker Stephen Ferris is likely to leave his home Province at the end of the season.

By Declan Whooley

The powerful backrower has missed a great deal of the season through injury, but looks likely to be plying his trade in pastures new next season, with Japan thought to be one possible destination.

Out of contract at the end of the season, the IRFU are understood to have offered the 27 year-old a pay-as-you-play contract mindful of his catalogue of injuries. This season alone he has made just four appearances for Ulster and missed the entire Autumn Series and Six Nations . The former Lions player is believed to have rejected this and Ulster look likely to be without such an influential player for next season.

Asked if he believed Ferris would leave Ulster, Mark Anscombe told the BBC “Yeah, most probably at this stage - he is a great loss.”

“I don't know if it is signed or sealed at this stage - that's for Stephen and his support team to make those decisions. We haven't had a lot of him this season because of injury, but he is a world-class player,” he added.

His loss for Ulster, and potentially Ireland would be huge.