Joe Schmidt deal sparks ‘hit and run’ concern but new Wallabies boss makes vow

Joe Schmidt’s reign as Wallabies head coach may only last 18 months after the former Ireland boss was confirmed as Eddie Jones’ successor.

On Friday, Rugby Australia (RA) announced that the 58-year-old will officially take charge of the national team from March 1.

They have been searching for a head honcho following Jones’ disastrous stint, which culminated in a pool stage exit at the Rugby World Cup.

Back in Japan

The ex-England boss resigned just 10 months into a five-year contract and has since signed a deal to return to the Japan set-up.

Australia could therefore do with some long-term stability, but Schmidt has not necessarily promised that due to his family commitments.

His initial contract takes him up to the end of the British and Irish Lions series in 2025, with the Wallabies’ new head coach admitting that he will be “happy” to hand over the reins to someone else next year.

He is adamant, however, that it is a “not a hit and run” job, with Australian supporters still reeling after they were stung by Jones.

“If we can get the job done over the next 18 months and we can get the momentum heading in the right direction, then I will feel like have done my part of it and I’ll be happy to hand on,” he told reporters.

“It’s certainly not a hit and run. For both RA and myself, it’s just a good fit at that time. If you were going to make a change before the World Cup, you don’t want to do it a year out, you want to make sure you’ve got a decent run at it.

“At the same time, if we get to the end of the British and Irish Lions series and things are going in the right direction, and the discussion amongst the board is that the best thing is for me to stay then that’s a bridgeable crossing.”

Schmidt is understandably reluctant to enter any long-term agreement as his son “suffers quite badly with epilepsy.”

It is why his time as All Blacks attack coach was only short and has played a key part in the 58-year-old not committing to the Wallabies until the end of the 2027 World Cup.

His family quite rightly takes priority, but the New Zealander has pledged to “get Australia up and running.”

“It’s a rebuild that will take a little bit of time and I’m probably a pragmatist – I can’t promise anything other than I’ll be working really hard to try to make it as successful as it can be,” he added.

“I’m also a realistic coach – you are judged on your outcomes and you live or die by them.”

Undoing Jones’ mess

Schmidt has a huge task on his hands to reverse their fortunes after Jones left them in a dreadful state following an awful 2023.

There are worries that the players will never truly recover from the scars of the World Cup in France, and the new Australia head coach has asked for patience.

“I’d like to think that they’ll emerge with an experience that they are desperate not to repeat,” Schmidt said.

“They’ll work hard towards getting that cohesion amongst themselves.

“That’s a really important thing, continuity in selection and performance and the only thing I’d ask is sometimes you’ve got to be patient.

“We’ll have some players who will have been put on the back foot by that.

“What we’ve got in front of us is going to be really challenging, and I’m excited about trying to help those young guys, to try to help them build their confidence.”

READ MORE: ‘Confrontational’ Eddie Jones admits to creating Wallabies ‘instability’