Rory Best hopes Joe Schmidt will commit his long-term future to Ireland. Schmidt’s current deal expires after the 2019 World Cup in Japan but the in-demand head coach has already revealed he will make a decision about his next move before the end of the year.
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Schmidt may well decide to return to his native New Zealand for a crack at leading the All Blacks, but the Ulster hooker and national captain Best hopes he could sign on for more with Ireland.
Best believes Schmidt has transformed Irish rugby at every level and insisted his legacy will last for generations, well beyond whenever he calls time on his current stint. “From a player’s point of view, and even from an Irish rugby fan’s point of view, you want to see the best coaches staying and he’s the best coach I’ve ever worked with,” said Best. “In my opinion he’s one of the best coaches in the world. So that’s who you want in charge of the national team.
“But he has got to do what’s right for him, and if that is a change then his legacy will go on longer than just the silverware that sits in trophy cabinets. I think what Joe has done for Irish rugby, not just for the national team but Leinster, is evident. It’s plain to see in the silverware and that speaks for itself.
“No matter what Joe does, he has changed Irish rugby and how we perceive performance and preparation. His legacy will obviously be trophies, what Leinster have become and what Ireland are pushing towards becoming and have achieved. But it will also be about the coaches that he brings through in years to come.”
“I think he’s got a good balance to his game now. In France you typically kick a little bit more than you’d imagine. You think of the French league and think they throw it around from anywhere but there’s more structure.”