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Gerry Thornley: Joe Schmidt taking Australia job adds intrigue to the Lions tour

Former Ireland coach had his imprint all over New Zealand’s victory against his former team in the Rugby World Cup

New Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty

Gerry Thornley's face
Gerry Thornley
Fri Jan 19 2024 - 15:11

Sitting in Crowes pub in Ballsbridge as these words are being penned, by an uncanny and even slightly uncomfortable coincidence, there is a large-framed photograph on the wall directly behind, as if peering on to this laptop.

It is a famous shot of all the Irish coaching, management and playing staff in the post-match dressingroom at Soldier’s Field on November 5th, 2016. They are celebrating Ireland’s long-awaited and decidedly overdue first ever win over New Zealand, by 40-29, and at the 29th time of asking over a period of 111 years.

Many have moved on, many have remained. There’s Jamie, seated at the front. Behind him is Joey, 21 in that week of his debut. Jordi’s left leg is in a brace after his try-scoring heroics.

Everyone is delighted, perhaps screaming, and holding their arms aloft. No one is faking the unconfined joy, least of all those standing on the benches at the back. Zeebs is beaming between Jayo and Robbie, who is jersey-less but clad in a tricolour, while Big Dev towers over everyone.

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Andy is sitting to the side, smiling broadly, and one could play a game of “where’s Joe?”. Except there’s no sign of him. This is both utterly inappropriate and yet fitting too, for no one did more to mastermind that historic day than Ireland’s New Zealand coach. But he has also increasingly hated the limelight too, albeit he was probably fulfilling post-match media obligations at the time of the photo.

Along with the gilded three seasons under his watch at Leinster, there had been the Six Nations titles of 2014 and 2015, and then before the 2018 Grand Slam there would be more history in the shape of a first Irish Test win in South Africa, a series win in Australia and a first win over the All Blacks on home soil.

As Johnny Sexton succinctly put it: “Joe taught us how to win.”

Yet somehow that win in Chicago seemed to be the day Ireland came of age as a proper force in international rugby.

When one team cannot beat the other in 28 meetings, it’s not much of a rivalry really, is it? But since that day, Ireland-New Zealand has become one of the most compelling rivalries in world rugby.

Farrell, Sexton et al took the Irish team on to another level and, incredibly, from that day in Soldier’s Field until the World Cup quarter-final, Ireland had won five out of eight meetings, including a historic series win in New Zealand.

Whereupon, of course, Joe pitched up with the All Blacks and that quarter-final win in the Stade de France last October had his darned imprint all over it.

With whistle in mouth, he had been barking orders during a prematch breakdown drill, but nothing bore his influence more than Will Jordan’s 52nd minute try in a near identical spot off a lineout just inside their 10-metre on the right touchline and a near identical set-up, but with lethal difference.

Genius, with all the surgical precision of a Schmidt strike play.

Now comes news of Joe’s seemingly imminent appointment as head coach of Australia. Andy and some of the Irish players could be forgiven for thinking Joe is now intent on spooking them.

Joe was always the clear and obvious choice if he could be persuaded to do so. With there being no room for him any longer on the All Blacks coaching ticket, taking on the Wallabies had the added appeal of both the forthcoming Lions tour in 2025 and, potentially if his initial two-year deal is extended, the World Cup in Australia in 2027.

There are caveats. Not least he’s a Kiwi overseeing the All Blacks and hence might not be cut much slack – witness the example of Dave Rennie, who should have been retained all the way through to the World Cup.

The Wallabies have more talent than a first Rugby World Cup pool exit might indicate, but it remains to be seen how they respond to Joe’s demanding and relatively prescriptive methods. And although well capable of talking in the public glare, Schmidt gave only three interviews in all his time with the All Blacks.

However, very often the key to any coach accepting a new challenge is simply the timing, and in another respect this is an opportune moment for Joe to take over the Wallabies. For they can hardly get any worse.

Having been sacked by England, Eddie Jones was hired by Rugby Australia after they fired Rennie (a daft decision) nine months out from the 2023 World Cup in part because of his World Cup track record but also because he would generate headlines for a sport which struggles for eyes and minds against Aussie Rules, rugby league and cricket.

True to form, the sharp-witted and combative Jones generated headlines all right, but his selections were wild, the performances rudderless and the results putrid.

In losing Jones to Japan and gaining Schmidt from New Zealand, the Wallabies and Australian rugby have exchanged a publicity-seeking head coach for a decidedly more reticent one, but they have undoubtedly hired the man most capable or reviving the Wallabies and with it, both the 2025 Lions’ tour and 2027 World Cup.

It sure adds to the intrigue anyway.