Joe Schmidt for the Lions?

Attack coach most likely?

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt is being lined up for a role with the British & Irish Lions, according to reports.

Schmidt has led Leinster to back-to-back European Cups since joining the Irish province two years ago and helped them build a reputation as the most exciting and feared attacking side in Europe.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is set to be unveiled as head coach for the Lions' tour of Australia next summer in early September and he is set to discuss who will be part of his coaching team with senior management in the next few days.

And Schmidt has already been mentioned as a potential member of that coaching team in informal discussions, according to the Rugby Paper. The Leinster head coach is reportedly a leading option as attack coach along with Rob Howley, who deputised Gatland on Wales' recent summer tour of Australia.

England forward coach Graham Rowntree is widely expected to be offered a role in the Lions' coaching team as is Wales defensive coach Shaun Edwards - both of whom were part of Sir Ian McGeechan's coaching team for the Lions' tour of South Africa in 2009.

http://www.espnscrum.com/lions-tour-2013/rugby/story/168910.html

Keep your ruddy hands off him Gatland, he's with Leinster and if not Leinster Ireland! :p

It would be good I guess, I think he'd want the entire team singing off the same hymn sheet though which could be tough considering he won't have long with the team in total.

Although imagine......

09- Youngs
10- Sexton
11- Visser
12- Roberts
13- O'Driscoll
14- North
15- Kearney

with Schmidt, then add in guys like Halfpenny, Hogg, Tuilagi, Davies, Bowe, Earls, Foden, Flood, Philips and wow

Schmidt would have little influence. It took him months to get Leinster playing the way he wanted and there were people calling for his sack.

The Lions should concentrate on doing the basics well. I think they'll play the Welsh system and try and strangle the Wallabies.

A Waikato Auckland alliance then... could work . Schmidt would probaby enjoy working with those welsh backs.

profitius wrote:The Lions should concentrate on doing the basics well. I think they'll play the Welsh system and try and strangle the Wallabies.

I hope not. Though I can see it happening, especially if Phillips gets picked

I don't know why Gatland is considering taking Howley with him as an attack coach.

Schmidt was my first choice for coach.

profitius wrote:Schmidt would have little influence. It took him months to get Leinster playing the way he wanted and there were people calling for his sack.

The Lions should concentrate on doing the basics well. I think they'll play the Welsh system and try and strangle the Wallabies.

The Welsh team who have lost five times in a row v Australia since last October? That would be a great plan.

23 June 2012 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 20 – 19
16 June 2012 Etihad Stadium, Melbourne 25 – 23
9 June 2012 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 27 – 19
3 December 2011 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 18 – 24
21 October 2011 Eden Park, Auckland 21 – 18

Their strangle hold needs work.

Might be better to look at the Irish, Scottish and English systems as they have all won their last game v Australia. Also all three of these teams have beaten Australia the last time they have played them in the southern hemisphere.

Interesting to read Tony McGahan bio on the wallabies website. They spend a lot of time describing how much he knows a lot about the B+I tourists

.... while annexing the Celtic League title, heading off bitter Irish rivals Leinster, who featured future Qantas Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom on their playing roster. The club has remained amongst Europe’s leaders in the time since, allowing McGahan to provide the Wallabies with a unique insight into a number of the players he will encounter again this season, during his maiden voyage as a senior international coach."

I'd love to have Schmidt on the tour, his engineering of the success of Leinster's backs can't be neglected if you're looking for the right man for each job. He may also have a way to spur the Irish contingent just as Gatland and Edwards may well spur the Welsh contingent. Success is built on belief!

Head coach - Warren Gatland
Defence coach - Shaun Edwards
Backs coach - Joe Schmidt
Forwards coach - Graham Rowntree

We'd be unstoppable