Australia have confirmed that Joe Schmidt will be their next head coach, with the 58-year old set to take up his first heading coaching role since leaving Ireland in 2019.
The Kiwi will succeed Eddie Jones in the position, who departed the job after the Wallabies' disastrous campaign at last year's World Cup.
Schmidt will be seen as the ideal candidate to reinvigorate an ailing Australia team, one that has been on a steady decline for quite some time now. Considering the immediate success he experienced during his time with Ireland, hopes will be high that he will be able to make the side competitive again ahead of the series against the Lions in the summer of 2025.
However, not everyone in the country is thrilled with the appointment.
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Former Australia star slams Joe Schmidt appointment
Australia have experimented with overseas coaches over the last decade or so, with New Zealand natives Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie both spending time in the role. They had varying levels of success, with some believing that the Wallabies would be better served recruiting from within the country.
Speaking on his Australian radio show Triple M Breakfast with Marto, Margaux & Dan show, former Wallabies international Greg Martin predicted that Joe Schmidt's time in charge will end badly.
Robbie Deans was appointed as the Wallaby coach about 10 years ago then Dave Rennie only about five years ago and was sacked for Eddie Jones.
So, we’ve had two Kiwis, and both times it’s ended in tears and we’re about to go down the same track...
We needed Stephen Larkham, we needed a bloke who has won a World Cup who is an Australian.
We’re going to overlook another Australian … for another Kiwi to coach Australia, bad move in my mind!
We’ll get beaten by the Kiwis in July and August and everyone will go, ‘Oh well, that was a dud!’ We’ll sack him (Joe Schmidt) and we’ll be back in the same position again.
Martin was an Australia international in the early 90s and has since become a well-known pundit and media personality in the country.
Joe Schmidt has a stellar coaching record with the likes of Ireland and Leinster, having also been part of the New Zealand coaching staff at last year's Rugby World Cup.
It will be interesting to see how he fares in his new role, especially with that series against a Lions team led by Andy Farrell on the horizon.
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