Schmidt close to finalising coaching team

Joe Schmidt hopes to have his coaching team in place by the end of next month and announced in August after he confirmed he has spoken to a host of candidates about becoming part of his ticket.

With forwards coach Gert Smal and defence guru Anthony Foley nearing the exit door and kicking specialist Mark Tainton already gone, the New Zealander needs new faces to add to Les Kiss, who will remain on from the Declan Kidney era.

Schmidt wants a smaller backroom team than Kidney, with four key lieutenants; a forwards coach, a backs coach, a skills and kicking coach a defence specialist in Kiss.