Looks like Joe Schmidt could be the next Ireland coach after all

After betting was temporarily suspended on Joe Schmidt becoming the next Ireland manager yesterday, the current Leinster boss has become the favourite to succeed Declan Kidney at the helm.

The Leinster boss was busy masterminding last night’s victory over Wasps in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final in what was an incredible game at Adams Park but while all that was going on he was installed as favourite to succeed Declan Kidney as manager of the Irish national side.

According to The Irish Times, a number of bets on Schmidt becoming the Ireland boss prompted Paddy Power to suspend betting temporarily yesterday but the market was reopened last night with Schmidt being touted as the 8/15 favourite having been quoted at 8/1 earlier in the week.

As far as the bookmakers are concerned it would appear to be a two-horse race for now at least. You can get odds of 9/4 on Queensland Reds head coach Ewen McKenzie taking up the role, while the next best placed challengers are Mike Ruddock and Les Kiss at odds of 12/1 and 16/1 respectively.

The Irish Times report understands that Schmidt has been sounded out about taking on the Irish job next season despite the fact that he has a year to run on his contract with Leinster and that he is expected to return home to New Zealand sooner rather than later.

Still, given what he has achieved since coming to the Blues he would be a very popular choice and the IRFU have some room in which to manoeuvre having already appointed Les Kiss, with assistance from Gert Smal and Anthony Foley, to look after the summer tour of North America.

It’s far from a done deal yet, but we’d wager we’ll be hearing a lot more About Schmidt and the Irish job over the coming weeks and months.