Rugby: Schmidt rules himself out of Blues job

Joe Schmidt. File photo / NZ Herald

The Blues will scour the globe for a top coach to take over next season but it looks like they will need to scrub off Joe Schmidt's name after the two-time European rugby championship winning coach ruled himself out of the job.

Schmidt, a former assistant at the Blues, guided Irish side Leinster to consecutive Heineken Cup victories with their 42-14 win over Ulster at the weekend but still has a year to run on his contract.

"I really enjoyed my three years I did there, particularly the last year [in 2007] when I thought we had a really good year [and made the semifinals]," he told Newstalk ZB. "For me it just doesn't fall at the right time. I'm on a contract here and there isn't one situation in the 10 years I've been doing this sort of job that I haven't filled my obligation to a contract. I'm not going to start doing that now... unfortunately.

"Sometimes jobs don't fall at the right time. I still, whenever I get the chance, look out for the Blues and follow them. I certainly feel for [coach] Pat Lam. He's a good man and a good coach. It's been a tough year but most clubs have a tough year at some stage and build from it."

Leinster have had a good year and on Sunday will look to complete the domestic and European double when they take on Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 final.

Schmidt said he has no plans beyond next year - he says he's a "useless victim of non-planning" - but said he will return to New Zealand at some stage. His 18-year-old daughter is planning to return to New Zealand to study at university next year which, Schmidt said, would be a big pull.

"I will definitely end up back there [in New Zealand]. I don't know if I will be coaching or what I will be doing. You are never secure as a coach. You are under someone else's control or at the whim of whoever is selecting coaches. There's the old adage that there are only two types of coaches, ones who have been fired and others waiting to be fired.

"We used to have a sweepstake at Clermont at the start of each season to see which coach from which club was going to be fired first. I thought it was a bit of a joke until six weeks in, the first coach got fired and I thought, 'gee, that's pretty ruthless'. That's part of the reason why I don't really do any particular planning."

The Blues advertised the position in the weekend and expect to have someone in place by the end of June. It's possible a general manager or director of rugby will be appointed to oversee things like contracting and logistics to allow the coach to deal with what happens on the field.

Former All Blacks wing and Italy and Japan coach John Kirwan has said he's interested in the position. Others like Nick Mallett, Martin Johnson, Eddie Jones, John Mitchell, Robbie Deans, Kieran Crowley, Jake White and Peter de Villiers have been mentioned as possibilities after changes were made which open the job up to any coach, rather than those with recent New Zealand experience. Former Bay of Plenty coach Vern Cotter is under contract with Clermont in France.

Lam is open to reapply but is unlikely to get another term after a dreadful season that has yielded only two wins in 12 games. His assistant Bryce Woodward, as well as Wayne Pivac, Liam Barry, Peter Russell and Kevin Schuler have been reported as possible candidates based domestically.

Applications for the Blues coach close on June 22.