Joe Schmidt set to be named next Wallabies coach

Former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt is set to take over as Wallabies coach, according to reports in Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported this morning that Schmidt is set to be announced by Rugby Australia in the coming days, with only the paperwork left to be finalised.

Influential Australian sports website 'The Roar' described the deal as "essentially done".

If confirmed, Schmidt will succeed Eddie Jones after the latter's disastrous second stint in charge, and will become the third New Zealander to coach Australia after Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie.

He will also be linking up with former IRFU colleague, David Nucifora, who is returning to his native Australia to take up an advisory role with Rugby Australia this summer.

The 58-year-old most recently served as assistant head coach of New Zealand, assuming the role in the wake of their 2022 series defeat to Ireland and helping guide the team to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final alongside Ian Foster.

Schmidt's most high profile role, and the one which is most cited by his admirers down south, was his six-year stint as head coach of Ireland between 2013 and 2019, where he presided over three Six Nations wins and a Grand Slam success in 2018.

During his tenure, Ireland beat New Zealand for the first time in 2016, before doing so again in 2018. The side reached No. 1 in the world in 2019 before their form collapsed at that year's World Cup in Japan exiting at the quarter-final stage yet again at the hands of New Zealand.

Watch Munster v Northampton in the Champions Cup on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 4.45pm this Saturday, follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1.