JOE SCHMIDT HAS come across as very relaxed in his dealings with the media in recent weeks, giving off the air of someone who has come to a big decision and is at ease with the call they’ve made.
We don’t know for sure whether that means Schmidt will stay with Ireland after the 2019 World Cup or leave, with the 53-year-old set to confirm his decision by the end of this month.
Those who warn of a Schmidt exit next year usually point to the All Blacks job as the main rugby reason for the Kiwi to leave – that being the dream role for most New Zealand-born coaches.
Schmidt at Ireland training yesterday. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Steve Hansen hasn’t officially confirmed that he will vacate the All Blacks head coach role after the World Cup but has previously indicated that he can’t see himself continuing, and many of Schmidt’s Irish supporters presume he would be an ideal successor.
Even back in New Zealand, Schmidt’s name does the rounds as the possible next-in-line.
“There is no doubt Joe gets talked about,” says All Blacks legend Richie McCaw. “People admire what he has done with the Ireland team and there is no doubt he is a good coach.
“At some point, it would be great to see him come back to New Zealand to use all that experience and knowledge he has got and picked up over the years, to offer it back to New Zealand.
“Whether that means he comes back as a Super Rugby coach first or comes in as an All Blacks coach, time will tell. There is no doubt he has done a pretty good job with Ireland and he is obviously Kiwi at heart. He would probably love to give it a crack.”
There are many other strong possible candidates for the All Blacks, with McCaw highlighting Scott Robertson’s back-to-back Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, as well as name-checking John Plumtree of the Hurricanes, Japan head coach Jamie Joseph, Wales’ Warren Gatland and Montpellier boss Vern Cotter.
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“I imagine if they all put their names in the hat you got a pretty good chance to get the best one,” says McCaw.
Richie McCaw is an AIG ambassador. Source: Stephen McCarthy/SPORTSFILE
“Then you’ve got a guy like Ian Foster who is the current assistant coach – he might put his name in the hat too. It will be hard work to decipher who is the right man for the job, I would say, but it’s a great position to be in if Steve decides he has had enough.”
McCaw suggests that “it might come down to those names I mentioned wanting to work together,” which would be an intriguing prospect.