Rugby | Joe Schmidt takes on World Rugby role
Joe Schmidt has been appointed as World Rugby's Director of Rugby and High Performance.
The former Ireland manager will head up a new department in the international federation, starting in November, and ending speculation over a return to management.
Schmidt's newly-created role will be based at World Rugby's headquarters in Dublin, and the New Zealand native will report to Chief Executive Brett Gosper.
The 55-year-old has been out of work since ending his Ireland tenure after the 2019 Rugby World Cup following six hugely successful years in the role.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started," Schmidt, 55, said.
"I’m passionate about the game and keen that people continue to enjoy being involved in it, from the young to the young at heart. The professional game is the showpiece for our sport and involving key stakeholders in our discussions about how the game is played and how players are managed will be beneficial.
“It has been a challenging year thus far and likely to remain difficult for some time, but it has been great to see the resumption of numerous competitions, with plenty of entertaining and exciting matches.”
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