With Steve Hansen announcing his attention to step away from New Zealand after next year’s World Cup, Alan Quinlan has been speculating what this vacancy could mean for the departing Ireland coach, Joe Schmidt.
While few realistically expected that Joe Schmidt would never return to elite-level rugby coaching after his spell overseeing Irish rugby, questions will now be asked as to whether or not the New Zealander may be tempted into an early return.
Announcing his intention to depart the Irish set-up in the immediate aftermath of the forthcoming Rugby World Cup, Schmidt’s decision came a few weeks prior to the announcement that Steve Hansen would also willingly embrace unemployment after attempting to win a third-successive tournament with the All Blacks.
Although it seems unlikely that Schmidt would walk straight into a new job after professing his need to spend time with his family, Alan Quinlan remains intrigued by the prospect.
“It’s ironic the way it’s happened,” Quinlan remarked on OTB AM this morning.
“I genuinely don’t think Joe had any kind of ulterior motive, [however]. I think for Joe to finish after the World Cup, given what he’s said, I don’t know if [him taking the New Zealand job] will happen.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, [and] he’s achieved so much. When he goes home to New Zealand and he’s back in his environment, he may take that job and get involved with them.”
Not wishing to speak too flippantly of the man departing the role, Quinlan was at pains to point out that “Hansen has achieved a hell-of-an-amount, to be fair to him.”
The former Munster man did concede, however, that if Schmidt is at all open to the possibility of replacing Hansen, you can be certain New Zealand will ask the question.
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