Schmidt signs contract extension

Having ruled out any imminent possibility of succeeding Declan Kidney at Ireland, Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt signed a one-year contract extension that will see the New Zealander remain with the European champions until the end of the 2013/’14 campaign.

Leinster announced the deal yesterday on the eve of province’s RaboDirect Pro12 derby with Munster.

“I’m lucky to be part of such a positive coaching team and to have the top quality support staff we have,” he said. “The professionalism of the players is a real asset and they constantly challenge themselves and each other to improve, which makes them a great group to coach.”

Having delivered back-to-back Heineken Cup titles in his first two seasons with the province, the exciting brand of rugby Leinster play has made Schmidt favourite to succeed Kidney whose current deal with the IRFU expires this season.

While former ASM Clermont Auvergne assistant coach Schmidt has left open the possibility of coaching Ireland in the future in an interview with Donal Lenihan, published today in the Irish Examiner’s special 48-page Heineken Cup season preview, he described his current position as “pretty fulfilling and all-encompassing”.

“I’m not saying that if the Irish job came up I wouldn’t entertain it. I’d be flattered if they thought I had something to offer, but I’ve got a super playing and management staff at Leinster.”

Asked if he would make himself available if the IRFU approached him, Schmidt replied: “Not at the moment. [But] it would be a super opportunity as there is a good group there; Declan has a good group of coaches, especially Less Kiss and Gert Smal. I don’t set goals and the immediacy of what I am doing is pretty fulfilling and all-encompassing.”