Joe Schmidt’s Time With Ireland Could Be Coming To An End
Latest posts by Will Matthews (see all)
Joe Schmidt is wanted back home.
The Ireland boss has been linked with his home nation’s top job on numerous occasions in the past, but the job has never really be open for discussion.
Now that we pretty much know that Steve Hansen will step down from his role as All Blacks coach following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, rugby’s biggest job is set to be up for grabs, and Joe Schmidt is among the candidates being scouted by New Zealand rugby.
Hansen is yet to officially confirm his departure, but has made his intentions public. NZR chief executive Steve Tew, reckons assistant coach Ian Foster is frontrunner, but has also suggested Joe Schmidt may be approached, along with Warren Gatland and Vern Cotter.
“In my view Ian Foster is sitting there as a very strong candidate when Steve does finish but there’ll be others,” said Tew.
“Joe (Schmidt) is sitting in Ireland and we’d like to have him back. Vern (Cotter) is coaching at a very high level and you wouldn’t rule Gatty (Warren Gatland) out either.”
