IRFU to back Joe Schmidt for British & Irish Lions job on one, crucial condition

The British & Irish Lions coaching job will not be announced until September but the horse-trading has already begun.

Warren Gatland is favourite to get the head coach gig but this summer's Test tours may yet flip the script. Once announced, Lions officials expect the lucky man to step away from his national team commitments [assuming the chosen one is a national team coach]. That would mean forsaking the November internationals and the 2017 Six Nations. The IRFU is not expected to block any possible approaches for Joe Schmidt. In fact, they would back the Kiwi for the role. However, the union's backing comes with the proviso that Schmidt signs a contract extension to take Ireland to the 2019 World Cup. The former Leinster coach is currently contracted up until summer 2017. IRFU High Performance Director David Nucifora told The Sunday Times:

"If Joe was offered the role that he wanted to do, that would be great. "And we'd cope. Hopefully his time away from the team isn't too long but if it had to be, and he wanted to do it, we'd certainly be supportive."

It remains to be seen if Schmidt would insist upon remaining in charge of Ireland for the November internationals, against New Zealand [twice], Canada and Australia. Were he required to step back from his day-to-day role, Ireland would, most likely, be led by Simon Easterby with new defence coach Andy Farrell as his leading assistant.