Joe Schmidt favours Ireland over Lions’ gig

Joe Schmidt has made it clear he would rather lead Ireland next summer than tour his native New Zealand with the British & Irish Lions.

The national team’s head coach has seen his name linked with an assistant role to Warren Gatland, who was reappointed to the post in September having guided the side to victory over Australia in 2013.

Gatland himself promoted the possibility of the Ireland boss joining his coaching team in the wake of Schmidt’s achievements last Saturday in Chicago, when he masterminded a first Test win against the All Blacks in 111 years.

The Lions head coach was at Soldier Field to witness the 40-29 win and he said there was “potential there” for Schmidt to coach the Lions now his future with Ireland had been resolved with a new contract signed last month to see him through to the 2019 World Cup.

Asked about the Lions after he named an inexperienced Ireland side to play Canada tomorrow, Schmidt yesterday accepted he could now be available to tour with Gatland’s travelling party.

Yet, in the politest possible terms, he explained Ireland’s summer Tests in the United States and Japan held more appeal.

“A big part of the motivation for me not being involved in the Lions was going to the USA and Japan and working with this next cadre of players. Because the best of our players will go on the Lions and the more the better. That would be fantastic and hopefully a few more will put their hands up for Warren Gatland on Saturday.

“But the ones that don’t go, they will become a really interesting group for us. And for me, I want to make sure I get to know those guys. And getting away on tour is one of the best ways to do it.

“I thought even in South Africa, those three weeks we had getting to know everyone, you start to assess whatever further development players may have, what the ceiling may be for them and where the progress may extend out to.

“So you are always trying to make those decisions. It’s hard to make those decisions if you are not there.”

Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell, on the 2013 coaching ticket when he was an England assistant, could be in line for another Lions stint with Gatland set to reveal his staff “in the next few weeks”.

“I would be delighted if Andy went,” Schmidt said.

“Firstly, he is a tremendous coach and he does a fantastic job. And it also means that Andy will keep a bit of an eye on our guys.

“It is certainly one collective but he will be able to give us a bit of feedback on how our guys are going there. So we will have both bases covered there.

“That would be quite nice but those will be decisions that are not mine to make.“