Schmidt hints at planning Irish exit after low-key win

Joe Schmidt has dropped the broadest hint yet he will leave his Ireland post after next year’s World Cup.

Schmidt, who will make his decision public in the coming days, said the IRFU had urged him not to be “rash”, adding he had been told: “If you change your mind, we’d love to continue that conversation.”

After the high of last weekend’s historic win over the All Blacks, this game inevitably felt like an anticlimax.

When the Mexican waves are being cracked out 10 minutes into the second half, and the biggest cheer of the night is for an under-10s player for a try scored in a game of mini-rugby at half-time, you know it has not been a cracker. Still, it was a 12th home win in a row, using a largely second-string team against the world’s 13th ranked side.

Few teams could live with even a reseve Ireland at the moment. The United States made a good fist of it for half an hour. Arriving fresh from a 31-5 victory over Romania, the Eagles managed to do twice in 20 minutes what New Zealand had failed to do once in 80 minutes – score a try.

Hooker Joe Taufete’e got their first, muscling his way over after Andrew Conway had given Ireland a fourth minute lead. After Conway added his second, the US hit back again thanks to a penalty try when Ireland were adjudged to have collapsed the maul.

But Ireland’s scrum – and bench – were far too strong. Fly-half Ross Byrne came on for the injured Darren Sweetnam, with Joey Carbery moving to full back. The floodgates opened with Jack Conan crossing before the break, with Tadhg Beirne, Stuart McCloskey, Quinn Roux, Conway – named man of the match – and John Ryan adding further efforts in a one-sided second half.

Attention now will turn to Schmidt’s future. “I just need to speak to certain people,” he said. “It might be frustrating for you but it’s really wrecking my head.”