Joe Schmidt recharging in old Dublin haunt ahead of closing stretch with Wallabies

Schmidt touched on the comfort of familiarity and Dublin has that in spades for him. He got out of a taxi in town earlier in the week and the first three randomers to pass him by all gave up a ‘Hello Joe’ in greeting.

COMFORTS: Australia head coach Joe Schmidt. Pic: Tom Maher/Inpho

Joe Schmidt was good for Ireland for the best part of a decade, and being in Ireland right now is clearly good for Joe Schmidt and his Australian team after a damaging defeat to Italy in Udine that betrayed a team running out of gas at its season’s end.

That loss has again called into question the rescue mission undertaken by the former Leinster and Ireland coach with the Wallabies, and it brought to mind his start with the Irish province in 2010 when they lost an early match in charge away to Treviso.