‘They call me Grandpa Joe’: Joe Schmidt in a hurry as clock ticks down on Wallabies reign

Australia rugby’s outgoing boss celebrates the high points, ‘not end points’, as he prepares to guide the side in three Tests before handing over the keys

FAREWELL: 'The first thing my wife and I will do is fly to Ireland to see our new grandson so I’m saying no to everything at the moment', says Joe Schmidt. Pic: James Crombie, Inpho

Joe Schmidt was in Melbourne’s west coaching Footscray RFC’s under-18s on Monday night, then conducting a 20-minute Q&A that ran to two hours. The next day he called together the Wallabies leaders and challenged them to set the standards at their Super Rugby clubs. By Wednesday he was deep in meetings with Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss, the coach who will take over the national side in July.

Schmidt is just off another call with Kiss when he arrives, biceps bulging after a workout and eyes gleaming ahead of another day spent dragging the Wallabies back to respectability and priming them for the 2027 World Cup on home soil.