Joe Schmidt extends Ireland deal but Lions coaching question still lingers

News that Joe Schmidt is to extend his stint as Ireland coach until June 2017 received a predictably positive response yesterday, but the addition of just one year onto the Kiwi’s current deal raises as many questions as it provides answers.

Schmidt was already contracted through to the summer of 2016, and the new deal will therefore expire more or less as the Lions depart for their 2017 tour to New Zealand. Perfect timing? Anything but, actually.

Warren Gatland took a sabbatical from his job as Wales coach to prepare for the last Lions voyage, to Hong Kong and Australia two years ago, and it would be almost impossible to imagine anyone taking on that role without giving it a similar level of undivided attention.