Simon Easterby dismisses Wales speculation as he prepares Ireland for Cardiff cauldron

Simon Easterby says his full focus is preparing Ireland to beat Wales on Saturday but didn't definitively rule himself out of contention for the vacant head coach role down the line.

The Ireland interim head coach lives in Wales and spent most of his playing career in the country, including spells as player and coach with Scarlets.

The 49-year-old has been an assistant with Ireland since 2014 and is in temporary charge of the team with Andy Farrell on British and Irish Lions duty.

Easterby’s links to Wales and coaching standing have inevitably led to speculation that he could take over from Warren Gatland, who left following the team’s 14th consecutive defeat, to Italy, two weeks ago.

Speaking after announcing his team to face Wales in round three of the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday, Easterby poured cold water on the prospect without ruling out the possibility.

"There’s been speculation and that’s what it is, speculation," he told RTÉ Sport. "I’m not in control of that. I love what I do here.

"I’ve been in this position with the team for a long time and I’m very fortunate with the people I get to work with, both management and players, and for me it’s a dream job.

"Speculation is exactly that, it’s speculation, and not something that I can control."

Asked if he would rule himself out, he added: "Right now this is my only focus and what happens in the future, in a year’s time you could lose your job and we know in sport it’s fairly fluid around people moving from thing to thing.

"But, like I said, whatever is going on I’ve had no contact with the WRU [Welsh Rugby Union].

"For me, it’s all guns blazing towards Cardiff on Saturday and make sure that me and the other coaches prepare the team, and whatever speculation goes on