Tim Horan has claimed that Rugby Australia (RA) should announce their new head coach within the next few weeks and that Joe Schmidt could also stay on as a consultant.
It was announced last Thursday that the Wallabies boss would be stepping down at the end of the Rugby Championship due to his personal circumstances.
RA had hoped that Schmidt would remain until the conclusion of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, but he will hand over the reins later this year.
The governing body still have plenty of time to appoint the 59-year-old’s successor, but Horan reckons that they are going to act very quickly.
Wallabies head coach announcement soon
“I’m hearing that they will make an announcement probably in the next two to four weeks over who’s going to be the next Wallaby coach,” he told The Breakdown.
“I thought they may take a little bit longer. I’m hearing Rugby Australia have had long conversations with different people.”
RA have confirmed that Schmidt would play a role in finding his replacement but Horan went a step further and claimed that he could even take on a position as a consultant.
“We’re hearing that Joe Schmidt might be around the edges as a consulting role to whoever is the new coach as well,” the Wallaby legend added.
RA have plenty of options to choose from, both at home and abroad. There is a strong coaching trio in Australia in the form of Dan McKellar, Stephen Larkham and Les Kiss, who head up the Waratahs, Brumbies and Reds respectively.
All three have unsurprisingly been linked to the position while Michael Cheika is another Aussie who could come into the equation.
In terms of overseas coaches, Ireland legend and current La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara has already expressed an interest in the position.
“There are probably three or four internal Aussie coaches they could look at. Dan McKellar for me is the frontrunner,” Horan said.
“He was obviously at the Brumbies for a period of time, went over and only had one season virtually at Leicester in the UK and came back to the Waratahs.
“The thing about Dan McKellar is he’s a wonderful set-piece coach but he also understands the different attacking structures.
“Also, the Waratahs are run by Rugby Australia. Dan McKellar signed a three-year contract with the Waratahs and he hasn’t started yet.
“This will be his first season and he might all of a sudden be told by Rugby Australia, ‘listen, we want you to coach the Wallabies’, or be a big part of the Wallabies set-up, and they will bring someone else in for the Waratahs.”
Horan’s preference
Horan is equally a big fan of Larkham, who is set to begin his first season as Brumbies head coach.
The great playmaker has experience of international rugby having coached the Wallabies’ attack, while he also spent time abroad with Munster between 2019 and 2022.
“My personal opinion is that Stephen Larkham has really matured as a person, as a coach the last couple of years,” Horan added.
“For that Brumbies team, he wants a really good start. He wants to get out of the blocks early and show what they can do. It’s a very tough match away to the Drua in Round One.
“They seem to have always had this depth and this measure of all other teams, especially down in Canberra. If they can travel well and win a lot of games away from home…
“The challenge for the Brumbies this year will be how the Reds and also the Waratahs do having been strengthened by the Melbourne Rebels [demise]. But they will be the team to beat in Australia.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/wallabies-legend-makes-huge-joe-schmidt-consultancy-claim-and-picks-his-frontrunner-for-next-head-coach
