Joe Schmidt Could Be Offered European Return With Head Coaching Role

November 20, 2023
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Ultimate Rugby

Joe Schmidt has been linked with numerous roles in European rugby over the last few months. At one point he was thought to be in the running to succeed David Nucifora as IRFU high performance director, a position that was ultimately taken up by David Humphreys.

He has now been linked with another role, one that could see him rival his former New Zealand colleague.

French outlet Midi Libre are reporting that Joe Schmidt is on the shortlist to become the next Montpellier head coach, with Ian Foster another name in the running.

Patrice Collazo has only recently been appointed as coach of the French club, who Richard Cockerill go after a disastrous start to the Top 14 season. They currently sit bottom of the table having won just one of their first seven games.

However, it is thought that Collazo is a short-term solution and that the club will look to recruit a big name replacement for him over the coming months.

Both Joe Schmidt and Ian Foster are in the running for the role, with the latter saying he would consider all options for his next move after the end of the Rugby World Cup.

In saying that, Midi Libre said that Schmidt is currently viewed as the frontrunner.

The Kiwi has not been involved in European rugby since leaving his role with Ireland in 2019, although it has been suggested that he was open to a return to northern hemisphere return. It is thought that he turned down an offer to remain part of the New Zealand setup moving forward.

He previously had a three-year spell in France as a coach at Clermont before being appointed at Leinster.

It would certainly be interesting to see what impact he would have on Montpellier were he to be appointed.