Joe Schmidt (rugby union)
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| Full name | Josef Schmidt | ||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 September 1965 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Woodville, New Zealand | ||||||||||||
| Children | Abby Schmidt, Tim Schmidt, Ella Schmidt, Luke Schmidt | ||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
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| Teams coached | |||
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| Years | Team | ||
| 2003–2004 2004–2007 2007–2010 2010–2013 2013– |
Bay of Plenty (asst. coach) Blues (asst. coach) Clermont (asst. coach) Leinster Ireland |
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Josef 'Joe' Schmidt is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union coach, who is currently the head coach of Ireland. Ireland have won two 6 Nations Championships in four years under his leadership. Schmidt's first head coaching role in Europe was with Leinster Rugby, beginning in 2010. He brought unprecedented success to the province, reaching six finals and winning four trophies in three years. He was previously an assistant coach with the Blues and Clermont Auvergne.
Schmidt was born and grew up in New Zealand, and became an Irish citizen in 2015.
After training as a school teacher, Schmidt played rugby in New Zealand before playing amateur rugby in the Irish lower leagues during the 1990s. He then returned to New Zealand to take up the position of a head teacher.
Schmidt took up the option to coach New Zealand Schools, before leaving teaching to coach Bay of Plenty from 2003–2004. While at the Steamers he won the Ranfurly Shield defeating Auckland on 15 August 2004. The Steamers had one successful defence of the title before losing to Canterbury. Schmidt joined the Blues as assistant coach from 2004–2007 where, in his final year, they were knocked out in the semi-final.
Schmidt is known for analysing his opposition closely, for short, sharp training sessions, and for simple game strategies based on pressure, territory, intelligent defence with aggressive line speed, and rehearsed attacking plays. He also sometimes limits offloading if he feels his side will not win the collisions.
Schmidt moved to Europe and joined Clermont Auvergne in 2007 as backs coach under Vern Cotter who he had previously worked with in Auckland. The side finished Top 14 runners-up twice in 2008 & 2009. In 2010 the side finally won the competition, after 11 appearances in the final. In Europe, Clermont made a less impact in the competition than in the Top 14. Between 2007 and 2009, Clermont failed to progress past the group stages, but during the 2009–10 Heineken Cup, Schmidt's last season with Clermont, Clermont advanced to the Quarter-finals. They lost to Leinster 29–28, with Leinster ironically Schmidt next coaching role.
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