'Ten years is a long time' - Joe Schmidt proud of Irish legacy on return to Dublin

It's been a busy week for Joe Schmidt on his return to Dublin, but there’s no fear that the former Ireland head coach will be taking his eye off the ball.

On Saturday, the Kiwi will end a long first year in charge of the Wallabies, back at a stadium he knows very well.

It’s quite appropriate that the IRFU’s 150th anniversary celebrations bring Schmidt back to the Aviva, given his contribution to the professional game.

In his nine years working across Leinster and then Ireland, the New Zealander delivered two Champions Cup titles to the province, as well as three Six Nations titles, which included a Grand Slam in 2018.

"I feel comfortable here. Ten years is a long time," he said from the Wallabies team hotel in Dublin on Thursday.

"And obviously we still have a home here, my daughter [lives here]. I think we’re probably one of the few loss-making landlords in Dublin but that’s just the way it is [laughs]."

The Wallabies boss was in fine spirits when he spoke to the media on Thursday, after naming his team for Saturday's meeting with Ireland.

It’s been a hectic week for the ex-Ireland coach, busier than the average away match-week in the northern hemisphere as he connects with his "old friends and new foes", which includes his former Irish assistant, and the man who replaced him in the top job, Andy Farrell.

"We might catch up either this evening or a coffee tomorrow," he said.

"I caught up with him in May, had a good chat. Faz has done a great job so yeah, it will be interesting to see how that manifests itself on Saturday."

While Schmidt has come up against Farrell’s Ireland on a number of occasions during his time as an assistant coach at the All Blacks, this will be his first time facing Ireland as a head coach, and his first