Wallabies drop major coaching bombshell on Joe Schmidt's future ahead of this summer's British and Irish Lions Tour Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt has dealt Australian rugby fans a huge blow and is sensationally set to walk away from his role as the national side’s head coach in October.
There were hopes that the 59-year-old former Ireland boss would stay on for the 2027 World Cup - which will be hosted in Australia - having galvanised the Aussies after he took over following the team’s dismal 2023 Rugby World Cup performance under former boss Eddie Jones.
Director of high performance, Peter Horne, will now lead Australia's recruitment drive for a new coach, whose first task will be to prepare Australia to take on Jones' Japan away from home.
'Joe’s drive, knowledge and work ethic have been instrumental in restoring pride in the Wallabies jersey and energising supporters around the country ahead of an extraordinary runway of major events that starts with the arrival of the British & Irish Lions in June,' Waugh said in a statement.
But Rugby Australia announced today that Schmidt, who had also worked as a selector for the All Blacks between 2022 and 2023, had agreed to extend his contract until the end of the Rugby Championship.
