Joe Schmidt is considering throwing his hat into the ring to become the next All Blacks head coach, according to reports in New Zealand. Currently, Crusaders coach Scott Robertson and Japan’s Jamie Joseph are considered the leading contenders to succeed Ian Foster, but the race for New Zealand’s top coaching job could take an interesting twist. According to Stuff.co.nz, while All Blacks assistant coach Schmidt has not yet put himself in the running, he is considering it after “being bitten by the coaching bug”. The 57-year-old stepped down from a successful seven-year tenure with Ireland in 2019 to return to New Zealand and has since expressed no desire to return as a national head coach. However, having settled back home, and with the support of both senior players and the current All Blacks coaching staff, Schmidt could yet be convinced to put himself forward as a candidate.

Source: Stuff March 07, 2023 18:32 UTC