Rugby Australia back 'world's best coach' Schmidt after tour flop / Photo: Paul Faith - AFP
-
Frank Gehry, master architect with a flair for drama, dead at 96
-
'It doesn't make sense': Trump wants to rename American football
-
A day after peace accord signed, shelling forces DRC locals to flee
-
Draw for 2026 World Cup kind to favorites as Trump takes center stage
-
Netflix to buy Warner Bros. in deal of the decade
-
US sanctions equate us with drug traffickers: ICC dep. prosecutor
-
Migration and crime fears loom over Chile's presidential runoff
-
French officer charged after police fracture woman's skull
-
Fresh data show US consumers still strained by inflation
-
Eurovision reels from boycotts over Israel
-
Trump takes centre stage as 2026 World Cup draw takes place
-
Trump all smiles as he wins FIFA's new peace prize
-
US panel votes to end recommending all newborns receive hepatitis B vaccine
-
Title favourite Norris reflects on 'positive' Abu Dhabi practice
-
Stocks consolidate as US inflation worries undermine Fed rate hopes
-
Volcanic eruptions may have brought Black Death to Europe
-
Arsenal the ultimate test for in-form Villa, says Emery
-
Emotions high, hope alive after Nigerian school abduction
-
Another original Hermes Birkin bag sells for $2.86 mn
-
11 million flock to Notre-Dame in year since rising from devastating fire
-
Gymnast Nemour lifts lid on 'humiliation, tears' on way to Olympic gold
-
Lebanon president says country does not want war with Israel
-
France takes anti-drone measures after flight over nuclear sub base
-
Signing up to DR Congo peace is one thing, delivery another
-
'Amazing' figurines find in Egyptian tomb solves mystery
-
Palestinians say Israeli army killed man in occupied West Bank
-
McLaren will make 'practical' call on team orders in Abu Dhabi, says boss Brown
-
Norris completes Abu Dhabi practice 'double top' to boost title bid
-
Chiba leads Liu at skating's Grand Prix Final
-
Meta partners with news outlets to expand AI content
-
Mainoo 'being ruined' at Man Utd: Scholes
-
Guardiola says broadcasters owe him wine after nine-goal thriller
-
Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery in deal of the decade
-
French stars Moefana and Atonio return for Champions Cup
-
Penguins queue in Paris zoo for their bird flu jabs
-
Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion
-
Sri Lanka issues fresh landslide warnings as toll nears 500
-
Root says England still 'well and truly' in second Ashes Test
-
Chelsea's Maresca says rotation unavoidable
-
Italian president urges Olympic truce at Milan-Cortina torch ceremony
-
Norris edges Verstappen in opening practice for season-ending Abu Dhabi GP
-
Australia race clear of England to seize control of second Ashes Test
-
Trump strategy shifts from global role and vows 'resistance' in Europe
-
Turkey orders arrest of 29 footballers in betting scandal
-
EU hits X with 120-mn-euro fine, risking Trump ire
-
Arsenal's Merino has earned striking role: Arteta
-
Putin offers India 'uninterrupted' oil in summit talks with Modi
-
New Trump strategy vows shift from global role to regional
-
World Athletics ditches long jump take-off zone reform
-
French town offers 1,000-euro birth bonuses to save local clinic
NYSE - LSE
| RIO | -1.01% | 72.99 | $ | |
| CMSC | -0.1% | 23.456 | $ | |
| BTI | -1.62% | 57.115 | $ | |
| NGG | -0.54% | 75.5 | $ | |
| GSK | -0.69% | 48.235 | $ | |
| RYCEF | -0.96% | 14.51 | $ | |
| AZN | 0.13% | 90.15 | $ | |
| BP | -3.42% | 36 | $ | |
| RBGPF | 0% | 78.35 | $ | |
| VOD | -1.27% | 12.475 | $ | |
| SCS | -0.53% | 16.145 | $ | |
| JRI | 0.12% | 13.767 | $ | |
| BCC | -1.05% | 73.49 | $ | |
| RELX | -0.48% | 40.345 | $ | |
| BCE | 1.59% | 23.594 | $ | |
| CMSD | -0.33% | 23.244 | $ |
Rugby Australia back 'world's best coach' Schmidt after tour flop
Rugby Australia threw its support behind embattled Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt on Tuesday, saying it had "absolute confidence" in the New Zealander despite leading the team to a record 10 defeats in a calendar year.
Schmidt had been due to step aside after this year's Rugby Championship, but agreed to extend his tenure until mid-2026 when Les Kiss will take over.
Kiss is contracted to the Queensland Reds until then.
But calls have been mounting for the 60-year-old Schmidt to go early after their disastrous European tour was capped by a 48-33 loss to France in Paris last weekend.
It was the Wallabies' first winless European tour since 1958.
Schmidt said in France he would be happy to stand down if Rugby Australia had a better option, but the governing body's chief executive Phil Waugh backed him to keep going.
"We’ve got absolute confidence in Joe, being one of the world's best -- if not the best -- coach in the world, and the progress that he's made with the group can't be underestimated," Waugh told The Australian newspaper.
"Even though we're all disappointed with the outcome in terms of wins and losses, what we've seen and the growth we've seen from the group over the last 18 months under Joe's leadership has been quite transformational.
"We’ve got absolute confidence in the direction of travel that Joe's taking the team forward with and the transition plan that we have with Les post the Nations Championship in 2026."
Currently, Schmidt is scheduled to coach the Wallabies in the first three Nations Championship games next July against Italy, Ireland and France.
He will then hand over the reins, with Waugh confident it would leave enough time for Kiss to stamp his mark on the team leading into the 2027 World Cup on home soil.
"The benefit of having Joe stay on for longer, and his long history with Les, is that we're very keen not for there to be a fresh start but for there to be continued progress and that level of continuity," he told the newspaper.
"We believe in that continuity and a lot of the management team staying on because it's not just about the head coach, but it's also around the continuity of management."
N.Esteves--PC