Schmidt set to replace Jones as Wallabies coach
Former Ireland coach and All Blacks assistant Joe Schmidt is poised to succeed Eddie Jones as Wallabies boss, with an announcement expected from Rugby Australia in the coming days.
Expressions of interest for the Wallabies head coach role closed on Friday but RA has been keen on Schmidt for some time.
Sources with knowledge of discussions, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told this masthead that only the paperwork had to be finalised before Schmidt was announced.
Schmidt, 58, coached Ireland from 2013 to 2019 and was instrumental in helping the national team climb to No.1 in the world rankings for the first time.
Ireland won the Six Nations three times under Schmidt and also beat the All Blacks twice. In 2016, Ireland defeated New Zealand for the first time in 111 years. Ireland suffered a 46-14 loss to New Zealand in the quarter-finals at the 2019 World Cup.
Schmidt transitioned into a role with World Rugby’s high-performance team. He then became an All Blacks selector before working as an assistant with New Zealand at the recent World Cup in France where the men in black finished runners-up to South Africa.
Jones signed a five-year deal at the start of 2023 but resigned in October after a horror run that saw the Wallabies win just two of their nine Tests last year and miss the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time.
When RA named Peter Horne as its new director of high performance and confirmed that former Ireland director of rugby David Nucifora was going to come on board in an advisory capacity, it seemed likely Schmidt would come on board.
Schmidt is highly regarded by officials in Ireland and will bring stability to a role the way RA hoped Jones would.
The length of Schmidt’s deal is yet to be confirmed but it paves the way for him to oversee the Wallabies during next year’s British and Irish Lions series. Schmidt is set to go head-to-head with Lions coach Andy Farrell, who coached Ireland at last year’s World Cup.
Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and Leicester coach Dan McKellar had also been linked with the job.
Schmidt, who used to be an English teacher, will be the third Kiwi to coach the Wallabies after Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie.
The Wallabies’ first assignment this year will be a Test against Wales in Sydney on July 6.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...18-p5eycl.html
Rugby Australia confirms appointment of Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach
Rugby Australia have put their trust in another New Zealand coach, confirming on Friday that Joe Schmidt will replace Eddie Jones as head coach of the Wallabies, starting the role officially on March 1.
Schmidt will coach the Wallabies for the next two seasons, leading the side through until at least the conclusion of next year’s inbound British and Irish Lions tour.
This is your time
Schmidt most recently worked as the All Blacks assistant coach, notably helping to mastermind a memorable quarter-final victory over Ireland that ended their 17-match unbeaten streak, before falling to South Africa in the final.
However, it is with Ireland that Schmidt earned his reputation as one of the world’s finest rugby coaches after arriving in Dublin to take over as head coach in 2013 with the country ranked ninth in the world and low on confidence and turning them into an outstanding team.
In his six years with Ireland, he won three Six Nations titles (including the 2018 Grand Slam), defeated the All Blacks for the first time, won a series in South Africa for the first time and led the country to No.1 in the world for the first time in 2019.
The new Wallabies coach will report to Rugby Australia’s new director of high-performance, Peter Horne, who led the recruitment process and will also work closely with his performance director for Ireland, David Nucifora, who will return to Moore Park to work as an advisor later this year.
Schmidt is keen to get started with the role given an extensive upcoming schedule that includes July’s upcoming home Tests against Wales and the grand slam tour in November against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
“I am conscious that the Wallabies have weathered a difficult period, and I am keen to help them build a way forward, with greater alignment and clear direction from RA,” Schmidt said.
“The upcoming Test matches against Wales will arrive quickly, post-Super Rugby, and the program through to the British and Irish Lions Tour next year presents plenty of opportunities and challenges, which I am sure will invigorate players and staff.
“I am looking forward to connecting with Super Rugby coaches, RA staff, and getting to observe and meet players in the coming months.”
Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh was impressed by Schmidt’s global reputation as a rugby coach and his extensive experience of working with a successful centralised system in Ireland.
“Joe has delivered success at every stop in his career – winning European titles with Leinster, winning Six Nations championships, leading Ireland to world No.1 for the first time and, most recently, his role in the All Blacks’ run to the World Cup final,” Waugh said.
“Given our stated plan to build a unified Australian rugby system, Joe’s experience with Ireland and New Zealand – two of the most aligned rugby nations in the world – will no doubt prove valuable as we move forward.
“He has a global view of the game from his experience in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and his appointment puts us in a strong position as we build towards the 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour.”
https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rugb...55b1d68fd&ei=9
Joe Schmidt: A look at the coaching legend set to takeover the Wallabies
Fri, Jan 19, 2024, 9:02 AM
Nathan Williamson
The Wallabies have got their man as Joe Schmidt has been unveiled as head coach.
Schmidt has signed a two-year deal, designated the task of turning around their fortunes after last year’s disappointing World Cup exit.
When you look at his resume, it’s easy to see why the 58-year-old was at the top of the list for many.
There’s a common theme: winning.
Born in Kawakawa, Northland, he started with success at the third tier with the Bay of Plenty, hoisting the Ranfurly Shield before Europe called, joining Vern Cotter’s Clermont as a backs coach.
He helped them claim their first Top 14 championship in 2010 after finishing runners-up in 2008 and 2009, their 11th appearance in the final.
This attracted the interest of Irish Rugby and Schmidt took over as Leinster coach from Michael Cheika, who was off to Stade Francais.
Instantly, Schmidt claimed the Heineken Cup (now European Rugby Champions Cup) in back-to-back seasons before winning the Pro 12, Challenge Cup and British and Irish Cup treble in 2012-13.
This ensured he was destined for international honours, with Ireland quick to recognise his domestic success with a three-year deal in 2013.
The period saw the Kiwi cement himself as an Irish Rugby legend, claiming the 2014 Six Nations Championship along with maiden wins over the All Blacks and 2018 World Rugby Coach of the Year.
By the time Schmidt departed in 2019, he was established as one of the best coaches in the World.
He was speculated as the next All Blacks coach and whilst Ian Foster held onto the position, Schmidt’s expertise is credited for helping to turn around their fortunes after joining in 2022 as an assistant.
As a coach, Schmidt has built a reputation as a fierce operator with one of the best Rugby brains in the world.
He has a remarkable eye for detail and knowledge of the game, with immense toughness.
This was on display in 2014 when Schmidt celebrated a victory over the Wallabies (a clean sweep of the November tests) with a trip to the hospital, having reportedly burst his appendicitis hours before the 26-23 win in Dublin.
"Guys were aware he was sick, he was kind of stand-offish, he was worried about passing on anything he had," said then captain Paul O’Connell reportedly after the game. "If you hadn't have been told, I don't think anyone would have known."
The respect the All Blacks have for him was evident in the build-up to their quarter-final with his old side Ireland, with Dalton Papalii referring to him as the ‘GOAT’.
“He’s one of the Goats in the coaching world,” Papalii said, spending time with him at the Blues in 2022.
He has a lot of knowledge of the game and especially for me and Mark, when he came into our Super team last year, he was a real difference-maker, and he did wonders for us
“Coming into this environment, he’s added his flavour and all the boys can feel it. You can’t really explain it. He’s awesome.”
"I’d say Joe knows more than other coaches; he knows the names of [other] players and when he talks about information, he knows a lot of information,” winger Mark Telea added.
“If you have a conversation with him, he’ll probably know more about you than you. He could probably even ref the game if he wanted to.”
The connection with David Nucifora made Schmidt an obvious candidate, the pair recognised as the architects behind the Irish rise.
Wallabies fans will be hoping he can do the same as they begin the build towards a home World Cup in 2027.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/who-is...-lions-2024118
