The IRFU performance director David Humphreys has confirmed that his one-time rival for the Ireland number 10 jersey, Ronan O’Gara, is one of the candidates in the frame to succeed Leo Cullen when he steps down as Leinster head coach at the end of next season.Humphreys also revealed he met the La Rochelle head coach prior to their away Challenge Cup quarter-final in April, which the French side lost 41-24.“I met Rog two or three months ago when La Rochelle were in Belfast, and we talked about where his coaching ambitions were. He’s done what so many good coaches have done – he has left Ireland, he has got experience throughout the world, and he’s been successful. So of course I would say he’ll be a candidate for every job that comes up in Ireland.“We’re in a fortunate position that we have got some really, really good Irish coaches and somebody coming into the Irish system, because it is slightly unique, it’s definitely a positive in where the recruitment goes. But there will be a long list of very well-qualified coaches, of which I would assume Rog will be one.”Another who might be in the conversation is Stuart Lancaster, although Humphreys suggested the former Leinster senior coach may remain at Connacht beyond his current two-year deal to the end of next season. “We brought Stuart into Connacht for a very good reason. He’s one of the best coaches around, and you’ve seen yourself the impact that he’s made in Connacht and I think that there’s huge potential there.“He’s excited by what he’s done. He has enjoyed bringing a lot of these young players through, and now it’s about where he can take Connacht over the next few years.”Sam Illo and head coach Stuart Lancaster after Connacht's URC win over the Stormers in Cape Town in April. Photograph: EJ Langer/Inpho Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi might be another contender. While the appointment would ideally be announced as soon as possible, Humphreys added: “We know it’s going to be somewhat difficult with the World Cup and trying to find someone that may or may not be in international rugby.”He also stressed: “He (Cullen) has had an unbelievable career and he will definitely be missed, and the legacy that he leaves, he will leave big shoes to fill.”Leinster will lead the recruitment process, and Humphreys has been in discussions with the province’s chief executive Shane Nolan and chief operating officer Guy Easterby. “But because it is an IRFU contract, the IRFU will be involved towards the latter stages of that appointment,” he added.After Munster and Roger Randle mutually agreed not to proceed with his appointment as attack coach earlier this year, Humphreys was reluctant to go into detail about the IRFU’s role in the matter pending an external review. “I think, coming out of that, it will be very clear that there were definitely things we could have done better and things we could have done differently.“There may be some recommendations that are made that will be implemented in how we see some of the higher profile recruitment, but we do not want to be involved in every provincial decision. We want to give them the flexibility to make decisions that are right for Munster.” Humphreys added that whether Randle had been paid any compensation was “confidential”.Join our Irish Times Rugby WhatsApp communityGet the best of our writing in the Irish Times rugby community (©INPHO/Henry Simpson/©INPHO/Henry Simpson) Join our Irish Times Rugby WhatsApp community and get our best rugby writing sent directly to your messages inbox. From provincial news to coverage of Ireland’s inaugural Nations Championship campaign, you won’t miss an update. Join here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DaV5S7cDxWF0xDDILjarcwReflecting on “a hugely difficult number of months for Munster for a couple of reasons”, he said the appointment of Jared Payne as attack coach and Jimmy Duffy as forwards coach “will definitely strengthen them from where they’ve been this year.”An James Lowe’s departure from Leinster, Humphreys said while he was “disappointed” to see the 34-year-old leave the Irish system, Humphreys highlighted the winger had been on a provincial contract. James Lowe after Leinster's URC quarter-final win over the Lions at the Aviva Stadium in May. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho “He has never been on a national contract, and the negotiations to extend his current contract were with Leinster.”The IRFU had offered support through a PONI (Player Of National Interest) payment, although this option would have been performance-related. “But details beyond that are inappropriate, in the same way we have 40-odd players leaving the Irish system this year.”Leinster have 11 of the 14 players on central contracts, and in a bid to address the gulf between them and the other provinces, the increase in funding (from 30 per cent to 40 per cent) has generated extra spending in the region of €650,000. “We are now allocating that (funding) to the three provinces, into schools in Munster and Ulster, and into the club and the wider academy pathway in Connacht,” said Humphreys.“We believe the investment in the schools, through the director of rugby schools programme, is a starting point,” he added. “The detail of that will be announced towards the end of the summer when we’ve got all the paperwork and documentation.”The biggest challenge facing the IRFU is aligning all four provinces and the various strands in Irish rugby toward ensuing the success of their “number one priority”, the men’s international team. “Plus, we are absolutely committed to accelerating the women’s game as part of a strategic plan. Ultimately our Irish women’s team is getting better year-on-year,” said Humphreys, noting the record 31,294 crowd at the Aviva Stadium for Ireland’s game against Scotland game during this year’s Women’s Six Nations.“We want the game thriving across all aspects; schools, clubs, men’s, women’s. That’s what I enjoy about the role, it’s so wide. There’s so many aspects to it, but it’s trying to make sure the levers we’re pulling are supporting all of them and making sure they’re all improving without damaging anywhere along the line. That’s the balance in the world that we’re in.”