Blues boss backs Schmidt for big comeback

STUART LANCASTER has backed Joe Schmidt to return to rugby in the near future. Schmidt stepped down as Ireland head coach following the 2019 World Cup in Japan after six trophy-laden years in charge of the national team. The New Zealander is currently taking a break from coaching, but the 54year-old has been linked with roles at Bath and Gloucester, while a newspaper report last weekend suggested that he is the frontrunner for a new high-performance role with World Rugby. And Lancaster feels that it is only a matter of time before Schmidt is back in the big time again. ‘I haven’t spoken to Joe, but certainly from my point of view, the sooner Joe’s back in the game, the better really,’ said the Leinster senior coach. ‘If he was anything like me during lockdown, I had three months without coaching and by the end of it I was like, “please get me back”, and I’m sure Joe will be the same. ‘He’ll have had plenty of offers, both within rugby in terms of coaching, or within the administration of the game, such is his knowledge and intellect so it will be

interesting what plays out but I just hope Joe is back in the game soon. I’m sure he will be.’ Meanwhile, Lancaster has addressed speculation linking him with a possible role on Warren Gatland’s backroom team ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa next summer. ‘Just to clarify, we had a conversation but it wasn’t necessarily about the Lions or anything in detail really,’ Lancaster added. ‘He was across in Ireland actually for some event I think.

I’ve caught up with him a few times. ‘Obviously I coached against him for England since 2012 so I know him pretty well, but he definitely didn’t offer me a role with the Lions. ‘I think his next step would be to come back from New Zealand, speak to the CEOs of the unions and see which of the international coaches would be available. ‘Obviously he has taken a certain coaching team before so it would be very much up to him to have those conversations, find out who is available and who would be interested in joining up with him. From a personal point of view, would I be interested? ‘Of course, as a coach you want to coach at the highest level, coach the best players and I don’t think it gets any higher than coaching the Lions against the current world champions but it’s speculation for the time being.’ Elsewhere, Munster are set to unleash their Springbok stars Damian de Allende and RG Snyman on Leinster on August 22, but Tadhg Beirne is set to miss the interprovincial derby after he suffered a ‘low-grade leg injury’ in training.