Schmidt to leave Australia role after Championship

After agreeing to a new short-term deal with the Wallabies, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt will step down from his position at the end of the Rugby Championship in October.

Eddie Jones became Australia’s head coach in 2023 as a result of the former Ireland boss’ appointment.

Due to Schmidt’s previous agreement, Schmidt would have had to leave the role at the conclusion of the three-test series against the British and Irish Lions, which runs from July to August.

The Kiwi will take over the Rugby Championship campaign between August and October under a new short-term agreement, which he signed before resigning.

“After noting the positive impact Joe has made with the Wallabies ‘ playing and coaching staff, we were keen that he stay on after the Lions series”, Peter Horne, Australia’s director of high performance, said in a statement.

Horne continued, stating that Schmidt had “made it clear” that he wanted to spend more time with his family and that a longer-term agreement, which would have allowed him to rule until the 2027 World Cup, was in order.

Schmidt, 59, led Ireland to three Six Nations titles during his six years in charge between 2013 and 2019.

He replaced Jones as Australia’s head coach after a brief spell as a selector for New Zealand and won six of his 13 matches.