Australia have confirmed the appointment of former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt as their new head coach.
The 58-year-old takes the reins as the Wallabies' successor to Eddie Jones, who ended his brief and unsuccessful second spell in charge of Australia to rejoin Japan after the World Cup.
Rugby Australia has confirmed that Schmidt has signed a two-year deal as head coach, which will keep the former New Zealand attack coach at the helm until the conclusion of the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour.
"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 in a statement.
"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. I'm desperate for the Wallabies to be competitive and if I can help, that's why I'm here."
Schmidt has committed the next two years of his career to Australia in the wake of the Wallabies' worst-ever World Cup campaign in 2023, where they failed to make it out of the pool stage for the first time ever, winning two and drawing two of their fixtures under Jones.
© Reuters
Following a handful of assistant coach roles, Schmidt's first top job came with Leinster from 2010 to 2013, with whom he won the European Challenge Cup, two Heineken Cups and the United Rugby Championship before being snapped up by Ireland.
During a glittering six-year reign in the Ireland hotseat, Schmidt clinched three Six Nations titles, including the Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 2018, the same year he was named World Rugby Coach of the Year.
Schmidt's Ireland tenure ended on a sour note, though, as he oversaw a crushing 46-14 loss to New Zealand in the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals before joining the All Blacks, first as a selector and then an attack coach, helping the nation clinch the 2022 Rugby Championship.
When asked during a press conference if he could envisage himself staying on as Australia coach after 2025, Schmidt was loath to look too far into the future, as he also takes care of his epileptic son.
"It's pretty much public knowledge that I have a young man at home who suffers quite badly with epilepsy and this job will take me away from the time that I'd committed to pitching in and helping him out," Schmidt added.
"If we can get the job done over the next 18 months and get the momentum heading in the right direction then I will feel like I've done my part of it and I'll be happy to be hands-on. Or if some Australian coaches come through, I'm really keen to help get some of the Australian coaches more experience as well so they can pitch up and lead the Wallabies.
"You want to make sure you've got a decent run at it but at the same time if we get to the end of the British and Irish Lions series and things are going in the right direction and discussion amongst the board and Phil (Waugh) and Pete (Horne) is that the best thing is for me to stay, then that's a bridge we will cross then."
Schmidt's appointment as Australia head coach will see the 58-year-old face off with his Ireland successor Andy Farrell, who was recently named the British & Irish Lions head coach for their 2025 tour of Australia.
